9th National
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About this event

2026 Event Overview

The 9th Social and Emotional Wellbeing Forum comes at a pivotal time to unite the sector in sharing solutions, strengthening partnerships, and advancing culturally safe and trauma-responsive care. The entire programme has been deliberately designed to support leaders and practitioners working across SEWB, AOD and mental health — in both Aboriginal-led and mainstream services — with prevention, service redesign, equity and systemic change front and centre.

Participants will leave with practical tools, real-world examples and strengthened partnerships that enable them to break down silos, embed cultural authority and deliver more integrated, preventative and inclusive outcomes across SEWB, AOD and mental health services, meaningful outcomes.

Key Themes

Attend this forum and learn how to:

Strengthen families, kinship and community to improve SEWB outcomes for children and young people

Embed culture, healing and Indigenous-led approaches to deliver culturally safe and trauma-responsive services

Drive prevention by dismantling systemic barriers to overcome inequity, bias and stigma, and to build inclusive, timely and responsive care

Fund and measure what matters by integrating services to deliver sustainable, collaborative and stronger outcomes

Care for the carers by addressing burnout, cultural load and retention to sustain a strong, safe and supported workforce

key speakers

Meet Our Speakers

April Kyle, of Dena’ina Athabascan descent and Ninilchik Tribal member, is the President and CEO of Southcentral Foundation, a customer-owned health care system serving over 70,000 Alaska Native and American Indian people.

April Kyle

Chief Executive Officer
Southcentral Foundation (Alaska, United States)

Susan Pearce AM is Secretary, NSW Health, appointed in March 2022. In this role, Susan is responsible for the management of the NSW health system - with over 180,000 FTE and a budget of over $37 billion

Susan Pearce AM

Secretary
NSW Health

Tara Hunter is the Director of Clinical and Client Services at Full Stop Australia providing leadership for all the helplines and fee for service counselling services. She also oversees the national training and consulting practice and holds executive responsibility for clinical governance.

Tara Hunter

Director, Clinical and Client Services
Full Stop Australia

Craig Holloway

Director Client Services - Public Intoxication Response (North & West Regions)
Ngwala

Belinda is a proud Dharug woman, the traditional Custodians of Sydney, Australia. She has over 25 years’ experience in education, policy and program delivery, in both government and the not for profit sector, with senior management roles in both government agencies,

Belinda Gibb

Director, Indigenous Policy and Programs
Australian Medical Council

Marjorie is an Aboriginal woman born and bred in Redfern, her mob is from northern NSW. Before joining Lifeline Australia and codesigning and delivering 13YARN Marj worked at the Aboriginal Housing Office in a number of executive roles

Marjorie Anderson

(former) Head of Indigenous Affairs
Lifeline

Jacara is a Muthi Muthi/Gunditjmara woman who lives and works in Naarm (Melbourne) on Wurundjeri country.
A mental health social worker, Jacara has a breadth of experience in Mental Health in both adult and youth mental health services and program and is a. Starting in a head space centre in 2010

Jacara Egan

Head of Operations, First Nations Cultural Practice and Engagement
Headspace

Dr Zoran Bolevich

Chief Executive Officer
AIHW

Are you interested in taking the stage at the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Fourm?

Advisory Board

2025 Advisory Committee

Marjorie Anderson

Head of Indigenous Affairs, Lifeline
National Program Manager
13YARN

Belinda Gibb

Director, Indigenous Policy and Programs
Australian Medical Council

Craig Holloway

Project Manager / Office of the Chief Executive Officer
Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS)

Tara Hunter

Director, Clinical and Client Services
Full Stop Australia

Testimonials

What our clients say

Our Partners

Meet the partner powering the future of Social and Emotional Wellbeing Forum.

We’re proud to work with sponsors and strategic partners who share our commitment to healing, inclusion, and lasting impact.

Supporting partner

Supporting partner

Supporting partner

Supporting partner

Wellness Partner

Wellness Partner

Our Partners

Social and Emotional Wellbeing Forum through the years

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Wellbeing Forum

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9th Annual

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10th Annual

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11th Annual

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Join us at the Social & Emotional
Wellbeing Forum now!