Young Leaders Programs
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Community Leadership Program
From 2026, CYDA will run a free two-year Community Leadership Program to support neurodivergent LGBTQIA+ young people aged 18 to 25 to build their leadership skills and champion change in their communities.
It will be delivered in South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria and online nationally in partnership with Enabled Youth Disability Network (EYDN), Youth Disability Advocacy Network (YDAN), and Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS).
Twelve participants will be selected for each state and nationally, with an online expressions of interest process opening soon.
Regional and Rural Young Leaders Programs
From 2020 to 2024, CYDA ran a series of free National Youth Disability Leadership Programs (also called the “Young Leaders Program” for short). The Young Leaders Program was for young people with disability from anywhere in Australia.
Then, in 2025, we supported Regional Disability Advocacy Service in Wagga Wagga, Rights in Action in Cairns, and YouthworX NT in Darwin to run regional/rural versions of the Young Leaders Program.
Each organisation worked with CYDA to co-design adaptations to the program. This means that each Young Leaders Program was more aligned with the goals and interests of young people in each region.
Looking for a Victorian-based leadership program?
Our friends at Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) run a Young Leaders Program in Victoria.
Their free online leadership program is for young Victorians who identify as having a disability, chronic illness, being blind or vision impaired, being Deaf, neurodiverse and/or having lived experience of mental health issues.
This program is great for people just getting started in leadership. There are two cohorts; one for young people aged 14 – 19 years old, and the other for young people aged 20 – 25 years old.
