Sponsored Delegate terms and conditions

Terms and conditions for sponsored delegate places at AHURI conferences

As convener of the National Housing Conference and the Australian Homelessness Conference, AHURI recognises the important personal and professional development and networking opportunities our conferences can provide for people who are engaged in contributing lived experience perspectives within the housing and homelessness sectors. 

As part of our sponsorship program for the National Housing Conference and the Australian Homelessness Conference, we actively seek funding for sponsored delegate places. When this sponsorship is funded, we can offer a limited number of sponsored delegate places at our conferences.

Purpose

The AHURI sponsored delegate program aims to enable people engaged in providing lived experience perspectives to the sector to benefit from the opportunity to attend our conferences by removing financial barriers to access.

Who is eligible?

A limited number of sponsored delegate places are offered for each conference (subject to funding). People eligible to apply for a sponsored place include:

Australian Homelessness Conference:

• People who have experienced homelessness AND    
• Are providing lived experience perspectives to support program design, advocacy or systemic reform within the homelessness sector, or as a peer worker AND
• Are not in paid employment to perform this role (excludes honorariums or limited one-off payments).

National Housing Conference:

• People who have experienced housing vulnerability or homelessness; AND
• Are providing lived experience perspectives to support program design, advocacy or systemic reform within the housing or homelessness sector AND
• Are not in paid employment to perform this role (excludes honorariums or limited one-off payments).

Applicants are required to nominate a referee from an organisation that they have been working with to contribute lived experience perspectives to the housing and/or homelessness sector..

What is included for successful applicants?

1. Sponsored delegates are provided with free registration, which includes access to the conference sessions and meals at the conference. 
2. Sponsored delegates from outside the state/territory where the conference is being held will be provided with return flights, accommodation and transfers.
3. Where a sponsored delegate lives interstate, or more than a one-hour journey from the conference venue, AHURI will provide accommodation and cover costs to travel to and from the conference. 
4. All travel and accommodation will be booked directly by AHURI, or if alternative arrangements apply, they must be agreed in advance with AHURI before they are incurred.
5. All sponsored delegates will be provided with a prepaid debit card to assist with out-of-pocket expenses.

Can a sponsored delegate bring a support person?

Sponsored delegates may have a support person, like a family member, friend, or caregiver, accompany them to the conference. AHURI will make every effort to assist a support person attending our event with complimentary conference registration, including providing access to the event catering. 

AHURI is not responsible for paying the support person for their time attending and will not cover their costs for accommodation or travelling to and from the event. 

Delegates are to let AHURI know in advance they will be bringing a support person.

What is the application process?

When sponsored places are available, they will be advertised on the relevant AHURI conference website. Sponsored places are allocated through an application process in conjunction with state and territory peak organisations. Outside of the state or territory where the conference is being held, each state and territory peak coordinates applications for their state or territory and selects one (1) successful applicant to recommend to AHURI. More than one supported place may be made available in the state or territory where the conference is being held – this is dependent on costs involved.

What is the selection process?

Each state/territory peak organisation will coordinate an assessment process for reviewing applications and nominate a selected applicant to AHURI. AHURI will then make contact directly with the nominated individual to offer them a place as sponsored delegate and to make further arrangements.

What is expected of sponsored delegates attending the conference?

Sponsored delegates are encouraged to make the most of the opportunities available to them through accessing the conference, in the same way as they would any other professional development or networking opportunity.

Sponsored delegates will not be identifiable in any way from any other conference delegate. AHURI may occasionally invite sponsored delegates to take on other roles at the conference, which they can choose to accept or not. There is no requirement to accept any other roles when attending as a sponsored delegate.

Upon their return home from the conference, sponsored delegates are encouraged to debrief with their colleagues and the organisations they work with to share what they learned.