What is the Veteran Families Forum?

The Veteran Families Forum is a two-day, in-person workshop. It brings people with lived experience together to collaborate and shape improvements to the way we support families of veterans.

How does it work?

The Forum covers a range of topics through a co-design approach. This means veteran family members are recognised as experts of their own needs and collaborators in designing improvements and solutions.

Co-design is a balance of bringing people together that have things in common, and creating space for different perspectives and ideas to be shared. For these Forums to help make change, they must be grounded in respect, and focussed on solutions.

To read more about previous Veteran Families Forums, visit the DVA website.

Who can participate?

People with a veteran loved one. There’s no formal experience needed. Lived experience of being part of a veteran family is what matters most.

Family means different things to different people. Anyone who considers themselves to be part of a veteran family is warmly encouraged to make a submission.

Who cannot participate?

The Forum is for individuals and not organisations. Anyone seeking to represent an ESO should do so through other channels.

Current members of other DVA National Consultation Framework bodies (i.e. Ex-Service Organisation Round Table, Younger Veterans - Contemporary Needs Forum, Operational Working Party, National Aged and Community Care Forum and Women Veterans Forum), as well as current DVA staff cannot be considered.

When is it?

Details are still being finalised, but we're looking at late October or early November 2026.

Where is it?

This is not decided yet. If your Expression of Interest is successful, and the Forum is held in a different location to where you live, DVA will arrange and pay for travel.

Please note: - Important Information

Interest in attending the Forum typically exceeds the capacity which the Forum can accommodate. As such, expressing your interest does not guarantee you a place.

Please complete all questions and select 'Submit' at the end of the form. Incomplete submissions will not be considered.

Click the blue 'Next' button to begin.