QNADA

QuIVAA Community of Practice for Peers
2025-01-14 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-04-09 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-07-09 13:00 - 14:30 (Australia/Brisbane)
QuIVAA’s Community of Practice for Peers – a safe, welcoming, and empowering space tailored for AOD Peer Workers who incorporate lived and living experience into their work.
Last year’s CoP was a huge success, providing a powerful opportunity for peers to connect, share, and grow. This year, QuIVAA are inviting past participants to continue building that momentum, while also welcoming new peers eager to find their community.

The Community of Practice is more than just a meeting – it’s a place where peer workers come together for support, professional development, and collaboration. Each session offers a chance to explore how lived experience can enhance your work, while connecting with others who truly understand the unique challenges and victories of this role.
Register here

VAADA Conference 2025 | From Challenges to Solutions: Responding to a Changing World
2025-02-13 - 2025-02-14 | Grand Hyatt Melbourne, 123 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
VAADA Conference 2025 | From Challenges to Solutions: Responding to a Changing World
Event description

**Early Bird Tickets Close 1st December**
One of the best Victorian AOD events on the calendar, it gives us great pleasure to invite you to our 2025 Biennial Conference!
Grand Hyatt Hotel, Melbourne, Thursday 13 – Friday 14 February 2025

From Challenges to Solutions: Responding to a Changing World

About the theme:
As the world rapidly changes, the AOD sector faces new challenges: budget constraints and rising debt, vaping, climate change, gaming addiction, misinformation, artificial intelligence (AI), novel synthetic drugs, geopolitical instability, and post-COVID shifts in how we live and work. These forces challenge the very foundations on which AOD services and the broader social and community services sector operate.
Does the AOD sector need to pivot or drastically innovate to keep up with a rapidly changing future, or does the “AOD toolbox” already have what it needs? Are we prepared for what’s to come?
2025’s Conference will peer into the future and explore what’s on the horizon for the sector.
Get your tickets now before they sell out!
To access discounted tickets, click here to find out if your organisation is a VAADA Member.

QuIVAA Community of Practice for Team Leaders/Supervisors
2025-02-19 13:00 - 14:30
QuIVAA is excited to announce the return of our Community of Practice, now specifically designed for Team Leaders and Supervisors of AOD Peer Workers, whether they identify as peers or oversee peer teams.
Building on the incredible success of last year’s Community of Practice, this iteration offers a safe, welcoming, and empowering space for peer leaders to connect, share, and grow. Past participants are invited to continue building on the momentum from last year, while we warmly welcome new leaders eager to find their community.
This isn’t just a meeting – it’s a collaborative space where peer leaders can support one another, develop professionally, and explore strategies to incorporate lived and living experience into their supervisory roles. Each session provides an opportunity to address challenges, celebrate successes, and strengthen the peer workforce by leveraging the unique insights of those who lead it.
Register here

WANADA Conference 2025 - “Pathways, Systems, Strategies”
2025-03-05 - 2025-03-07 | Esplanade Hotel Fremantle, 46-54 Marine Terrace, Fremantle, WA, 6160, Australia
WA Alcohol and Other Drug Conference 2025

WANADA warmly invites you to join us for the WA Alcohol and Other Drug Conference 2025. This year’s theme, “Pathways, Systems, Strategies,” invites innovative and impactful contributions that address:

Engaging Lived/Living Experience
Fostering Inclusive Practice
Identifying and Responding to Complexity
Strengthening Partnerships for a Systemic Response
Being Future-Focused

WANADA are pleased to have Hope Community Services as their Presenting Partner and to be delivering the conference in partnership with the National Drug Research Institute. The conference will offer a unique opportunity to promote a shared voice, encouraging sector partnership and solidarity as we work towards a whole-of-community approach to alcohol and other drug issues.

FDV Capability in MHAOD Services: An overview of baseline capability of the MHAOD sector in Queensland
2025-04-03 10:00 - 13:00
QNADA is excited to announce we are hosting an online statewide forum on Family and Domestic Violence Capability in Mental Health and Alcohol and other Drug services. This forum will provide an overview of the baseline FDV capability of the MHAOD sector in Queensland, with presentations and panel discussions with experts leading the way in this space.
This work is intended to implement Recommendation 19 from the recent Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce Hear her Voice Report One (2021) (WSJT Report 1) and previous recommendations from the Queensland Domestic and Family Violence Death Review and Advisory Board. The findings and recommendations of these reports highlight the importance of MHAOD services having a better understanding of their role in responding to domestic and family violence and its impact.
Email in**@*******rg.au to register your attendance.

AADANT Conference 2025 "Voices of Change - Leading the Way"
2025-05-13 - 2025-05-14 | George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, Gilruth Ave & Gardens Rd, The Gardens, NT, 0820, Australia
Event description

The AADANT Conference 2025, scheduled for 13-14 May 2025 at the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, offers a unique platform for sponsors to engage with professionals, researchers, and community leaders working in the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) sector. This key event is designed to foster collaboration, share innovative practices, and drive progress in the areas of AOD treatment, harm reduction, mental health, and policy reform.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Voices of Change”, and it will focus on the most pressing issues and emerging trends in the sector.

Community of Practice for Team Leaders/Supervisors
2025-05-13 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-08-12 13:00 - 14:30, 2025-11-12 13:00 - 14:30

NADA Conference 2025: Strength in Community – Building a Brighter, Kinder Future
2025-06-05 - 2025-06-06
The NADA Conference 2025 will be held on 5–6 June in Sydney, bringing together delegates from across NSW, the broader Australian alcohol and other drug sector and other health and human services. This event will showcase interventions designed to improve outcomes for clients, engage with the latest evidence, and provide valuable networking opportunities. The conference promises to be an insightful and collaborative experience focused on building a stronger, kinder future for the AOD sector and beyond.
Register now – NADA

QuIVAA Peer Community of Practice
2025-10-07 13:00 - 14:30

Stepping Stones Program for Families In Ipswich
2025-11-01 - 2025-11-09
Family Drug Support (FDS) is pleased to announce our upcoming Stepping Stones Program – a unique, internationally recognised, and award-winning program designed specifically for families impacted by a loved one’s alcohol or other drug use.
About the program

A 4-day course, delivered across two weekends.
Experiential and psycho-educational, combining lived experience with practical strategies.
Provides tools to promote healing, coping, and resilience in families.
Tailored to each family’s unique journey.
Often described by participants as a “life course.”

Program details
📍 Location: White Rock Community Centre – 37 Foley Way White Rock QLD 4306
📅 Dates: 1,2 and 8,9 November 2025
⏰ Times: 9:30am- 4:30pm
Cost
The program itself is free to attend, with a small cost associated with resources:

FDS family membership: $30 per year (per family)
Stepping Stones workbook: $40 each

LGBTIQ+SB Affirmative Practice Training for the AOD Sector Workforce
2025-11-21 08:30 - 12:30 | Online
🔴Do you work in the alcohol and drug sector?
🟠Would you like to build more confidence in providing affirming and culturally safer services for LGBTIQ+SB folk?
⚫️The most significant barrier to AOD and mental health treatment and support for LGBTIQ+SB people is the provision of culturally safe and affirming services.
🟡Rainbow Affinity is hosting a 4-hour online LGBTIQ+SB Affirmative Practice Training workshop tailored to the alcohol and other drug (AOD) sector workforce!
🟣The following topics will be covered in online training:

Understanding affirmative practice

Unpacking and exploring the LGBTIQ+SB identities

Pronouns (what are they and why are they important)

What is the prevalence of substance use in the LGBTIQ+SB community?

Lived realities for LGBTIQ+SB folk and communities – contemporary research and data

How does substance use uniquely affect the LGBTIQ+SB community?

Adopting affirming language and providing an inclusive culture

Reflective practice case scenarios unique to alcohol and other drug workforce

💥 Date: 21st November 2025
💥 Time: 8.30am – 12.30pm
💥Cost: $250
💥 Location: Online event
🟢 Jack (he/they) is a proud trans man and Social Worker blending his experience working within the mental health and alcohol and other drug sector, with his lived experience.
🟣 Jack’s practice spans counselling, training, advocacy and research. He was recently recognised with the LGBTIQA+ Worker Award at the 2024 Australian Winter School Conference hosted by QNADA, and is currently involved in a research project in collaboration with folk from The University of Sydney, University of New South Wales, La Trobe University, and Network of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies (NADA) that explores how trans people in Australia seek support for AOD use and how these experiences can be improved.
🟤 Register here: LGBTIQ+SB Affirmative Practice Training for the AOD Sector Workforce
⚫ For more information contact Jack at ja**@*****************om.au

2025-12-16 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Lives Lived Well are hosting a training workshop for QNADA reference group members and AOD services. This training will be facilitated by their in-house gambling trainer and researcher, Georgia Dellosa, and will cover off on Motivational Interviewing for gambling harm in AOD care — with a focus on the cycle of coping utilising an innovative storm system analogy.

To register, please click here

International Family Drug Support Day 2026
2026-02-24 09:45 - 12:15 | Queensland Parliament – Premier’s and Speakers Hall
Family Drug Support invite you to join them in Brisbane to mark International Family Drug Support Day. This year’s theme — See the Person, Not the Drug — invites us to look beyond substance use and recognise the humanity, dignity and lived experience of people and families affected by alcohol and other drugs (AOD). You’ll hear from a stellar line-up of speakers, sharing insights and perspectives from across the AOD and harm-reduction space.
Event details:

Date: Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Location: Queensland Parliament – Premier’s and Speakers Hall
Time: 9:45am – 12:15pm AEST

Please arrive from 9:00am to allow time for Parliament House security.
Please click here to register by 20 February.

AADC Webinar on FASD-Informed Practice for the Australian AOD Workforce
2026-02-26 12:00 - 13:00
Would you like to learn more about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in an AOD service context? Do you want to build your confidence in working with people who have been diagnosed or have possible FASD?
Join us for this practice-focused webinar which gives participants a taste of our comprehensive FASD Informed Practice for the Australian Alcohol and Other Drug Workforce online course.
Participants will learn the basics of:

what is FASD
how FASD presents in an AOD setting
FASD screening, adapting your practice and connecting with external supports

This workshop will include a Q&A with experts and is ideal for frontline workers in the AOD and intersecting sectors.
Register here >

The Increasing Complexity of AOD Work: How AOD work is getting harder, and what that means for pay, conditions and service funding
2026-06-25 13:00 - 14:30
The nature of AOD work is changing and increasingly AOD services and workers are being required to do more, with less. This event explores how AOD work has changed since the Modern Awards review in 2012, and the implications this has for service funding, pay and conditions for staff, and outcomes for people seeking AOD treatment.
It also explores how changes proposed as part of the Fair Work Commission’s recent review of the
SCHADS Industry Award will likely impact the AOD sector, and the role of AADC and ASU in seeking better outcomes for AOD services and workers moving forward.
This event features presentations, panel discussion and an audience Q&A with:

Phillipa Balk, Assistant Branch Secretary, Australian Services Union Victoria & Tasmania Branch
Kelly Thomas, National Industrial Director, Australian Services Union
Dr Robert Stirling, CEO, Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NSW)
Dr Kirrilly Thompson, Senior Research Fellow, National Centre for Education and Training on Addiction
James Dunne, Policy and Projects Coordinator, Australian Alcohol and other Drugs Council

Event Details:
Date: Thursday 25 June, 2026
Time: 1.00pm – 2.30pm (AEST)
Venue: Online

Intersecting Mental Health and AOD Concerns: Workforce Training and Supervision webinar
2026-06-29 10:00 - 12:00
Join us on Monday, 29 June 2026, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm for our Intersecting Mental Health and AOD Concerns: Workforce Training and Supervision webinar.This free online webinar will showcase key learnings from QNADAs 2026 Alcohol and Other Drugs Workforce Training and Supervision Program and explore topics that are increasingly relevant to AOD practice, including:

working with survivors of coercive control
working with men who use violence
working with people experiencing eating disorders alongside AOD use
identifying the impact of hurt, rejection, shame, identity wounds, and disconnection on wellbeing and AOD use.
There will be an opportunity to engage directly with the presenters during a live Q&A.

Registration is essential. Please register via this link.
This program is funded through Brisbane North PHN.

Family Drug Support Remembrance Ceremony 2026
2026-07-21 11:30 - 13:30 | Family Drug Support, 3 Robinson Rd Nundah, QLD, Brisbane, QLD, 4012, Australia
Click here to download flyer.

Harm Reduction: the link between Australia’s new Hepatitis Strategies and the upcoming new National Drug Strategy (Online Event)
2026-07-30 13:00 - 14:30
This event will feature presentations from:

Rebecca Lang, Chair, AADC and CEO, QNADA – Why Harm Reduction is currently the most undervalued pillar of Australia’s National Drug Strategy
Lucy Clynes, CEO, Hepatitis Australia – The new National Hepatitis Strategies – Priority Populations and Settings
Ele Morrison, Deputy CEO, AIVL – How the harm reduction work of AIVL and its member organisations connects the priorities of the National Hepatitis and Drug Strategies
John Ryan, CEO, Penington Institute – Overview of Penington’s Annual Overdose snapshot and policy implications
Paul Dessauer, CEO, Peer Based Harm Reduction WA – Peer Based Harm Reduction WA: Case study of the scope of harm reduction work undertaken by peer-based drug user organisations.

Plus a panel session and audience Q&A responding to the presentations and elaborating on the event topic.
Register here.

Stepping Stones Cairns - Family Drug Support
2026-08-01 09:30 - 2026-08-09 16:00 | Cairns Cruising Yacht Squardron, 42-48 Tingira St, Cairns City, QLD, 4870, Australia
Click here to view download flyer.

Australian Winter School 2026 - Risky Business: IYKYK
2026-08-19 - 2026-08-21 | Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Southbank, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
About Winter School

The Australian Winter School has built a reputation over more than 30 years for delivering a high quality program of the latest developments in emerging issues and the latest developments in harm reduction and the treatment of alcohol and other drug (AOD) related problems.
This national forum supports workers, clinicians and policy makers in the sector to develop skills and knowledge in responding to and treating alcohol and drug-related issues.
The conference is run over three days and features pre-conference workshops, keynote speakers, breakout presentations and panel discussions to explore ideas and provide delegates with the tips, tools and solutions to:
• build capacity around implementing evidence informed practice
• examine the key components of successful and effective alcohol and other drugs harm reduction and treatment interventions
• develop an understanding of the latest innovations, good practice and continuous improvement
• discuss ways to influence policy and the important role of research and evaluation
Presentations address practice, policy and treatment areas, as well as population trends, early intervention and prevention and the issue of co-morbidity. The content provides professional development for alcohol and other drug workers, clinicians and policy makers to support their knowledge and understanding of contemporary practice.
The theme for the 2026 Australian Winter School AOD Conference is ‘Risky Business: IYKYK’.
Picking up on the current vibe of 90’s nostalgia, we are highlighting the inherently risky business of the AOD sector across research, policy, treatment and harm reduction relating to alcohol and other drugs (if you know, you know).
​With a focus on innovative practice and new ideas, the conference will have something for everyone.
​Our workforce – increasing skills, knowledge, and collaboration potential while gaining greater awareness of trends and issues to develop your practice and career potential.
​External partners – connecting and sharing with health and other professionals whose work intersects with the AOD treatment space.
​The community – exchanging views and experiences on how the AOD sector has been and is responsive to challenges and needs to identify opportunities that enhance recovery experiences for people and their families.
​The conference will be held at Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 19 to 21 August 2026. Please note that pre-conference workshops will be held on 19 August, followed by the two-day Winter School Conference on 20-21 August.
Click here to register.
​Australian Winter School is presented by the Queensland Network of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies (QNADA).

Australian Winter School 2026 - Preconference Workshops
2026-08-19 09:00 - 15:00 | Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, Southbank, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
FREE Pre-conference workshops are now open!!!
QNADA is proud to present two full day preconference workshops for the Australian Winter School 2026.
Resisting Collusion & Motivating Change: Working with men who use intimate partner violence – Facilitated by Ada Conroy and Kelly Finch
This workshop is designed for practitioners who may come across men who use intimate partner violence in the course of their work, and who are seeking to strengthen their practice, contribute to change, and enhance victim-survivor safety.
For more details regarding the workshop and registration, click here.
Introduction to Harm reduction – Facilitated by QuIVAA
This training session equips healthcare workers with practical knowledge and skills to support individuals who use substances through a harm reduction lens. Participants will explore core harm reduction principles and gain an overview of major drug categories, including their general effects, associated risks, and evidence-based strategies to reduce harm.
For more details regarding the workshop and registration, click here.
Please note:
This preconference workshop is available to QNADA member services.
If you are not a QNADA member service and are interested in attending, you are welcome to email in**@*******rg.au to join the waitlist. If places remain available, they may be offered to non-members.

After Dark: Digital storytelling evening with QuIVAA
2026-08-20 19:00 - 23:00 | The Loft, 100 Boundary St, West End QLD, Brisbane, QLD, 4101
After Dark: Digital storytelling evening with QuIVAA
“You might know her? You may or may not know her story, but may her story spark change.”
For too long, women who use drugs have been hit with the double trope of being both ‘too much’ and ‘not enough’. Join us for an intimate event showcasing the QuIVAA / QNADA Narcofeminist Storyshare project, led by the Carolina Survivor’s Union.
The evening features a collection of short films – reclaimed narratives that disrupt stigmatising tropes through a process a process of narrative disruption.Through conversation and collective imagination, a series of short films offers a glimpse into a project grounded in harm reduction, gender justice and lived – living experience leadership.
Register via this link to attend.

Lives Lived Well: Identifying and Responding to Gambling Harm (Free Webinar)
2026-08-28 10:00 - 12:00
Do you or your colleagues work with people who maybe experiencing gambling harm? Would you like to learn more about identifying it?
This workshop is scheduled in AEST. Please adjust for your timezone as daylight savings will affect your strat time.
Do you or your colleagues work with individuals who may be experiencing gambling harm?
This workshop is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to effectively identify and address gambling-related impacts with people seeking help, across community, health, mental health, and alcohol and other drug (AOD) services.
Why This Workshop Matters
Around 1 in 5 people seeking AOD treatment will experience high-risk gambling.
Gambling harm often goes unnoticed in service settings, even though research shows a strong link between gambling, alcohol, and drug use. Because clients may not openly disclose gambling concerns, early identification is crucial for providing holistic care and improving treatment outcomes.
What You Will Learn:

Recognising Gambling Harm: Learn to identify the subtle signs and indicators of gambling harm, even when it is not the primary reason for help-seeking.
Effective Screening: Use tools such as the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) and embed them into your existing assessment processes.
Starting the Conversation: Build confidence in asking about gambling in a supportive, non-judgemental way.
Harm Reduction and Support Pathways: Explore updated intervention strategies and referral pathways to provide tailored support to clients experiencing gambling harm.

Key updates:

Current Research: Informed by the analyses of LLW data, this session provides real-time insights into treatment-seeking client profiles, risk indicators, and the intersection of gambling with alcohol and other drug use.
Focus on Emotional Coping: Examines the role of emotional coping and other underlying factors in shaping gambling pattern.
Using Motivational Interviewing to Explore Gambling: Practical advice on using Motivational Interviewing skills to deepen conversations about gambling.
Updated brief intervention strategies and referral options to better support help seekers in health, mental health, and community service sectors

Who Should Attend: This workshop is perfect for professionals in health, mental health, and community services who want to ensure they are identifying and addressing gambling harm in their clients—particularly when gambling issues may be overshadowed by other presenting problems.
Workshop Format: The session will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams, providing an interactive platform for learning and engaging with both experts and peers. You’ll leave with practical tools to implement gambling harm screening and interventions in your daily practice.
Date & Time: Friday 28th August at 10:00am AEST (Please adjust for your timezone)
For more information, or if you have any questions, please contact Richie Wilson at Lives Lived Well via email: ri***********@****************rg.au
Join us to build the skills needed to recognise, and maximise the opportunities you have, to reduce gambling harm.
