Bursaries

Leading Reform Summit 2023 includes a bursary program to provide financial assistance to delegates to attend.

The bursary program is available for people with lived or living experience, carers, and people who work in non-government organisations, who reside in regional, rural and remote areas of Queensland.

Eligibility

Bursaries will be considered to support people who: 

• have lived or living experience of mental ill-health, alcohol and other drugs use, and/or experience of suicide or suicidal distress
• reside in regional, rural and remote areas of Queensland (more than 100km from Brisbane)
• do not have access to other means to support their attendance at the Summit (e.g. employer support)
• are not employed by organisations where that organisation could reasonably be expected to pay for their attendance and associated travel and accommodation costs.

Priority consideration will be given to people who:

• will communicate and share their experiences and learnings from the Summit with others
• demonstrate they are part of the lived experience workforce or a relevant lived experience or community group or network
• are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent
• are from a culturally or linguistically diverse background
• will gain an individual / personal opportunity to develop their knowledge, skills and networks.

Approval of bursary support remains with the Queensland Mental Health Commission and the funding available is limited.

Included expenses

Bursaries may cover the following expenses:

• return travel (e.g. long distance bus, long distance train or flights). The Commission will book your flights for you.
• accommodation (bed and breakfast) booked by the Commission either at the Sofitel Brisbane Central (subject to availability); or booked at other nearby accommodation (depending on availability). Stays in private accommodation cannot be reimbursed (e.g. staying with relatives, friends, etc.) 
• breakfast will be booked by the Commission along with accommodation
• meal allowance for dinner of $45.60 for dinner (meal costs above this amount will be payable by delegates)
• mileage for travel by private car (75 cents per kilometre)
• car parking reimbursement for actual cost of overnight and/or day rate for parking a private car (up to a maximum of $50)
• taxi, shuttle, bus or train fares (reimbursement for actual cost) (excluding ride share expenses such as Uber, Taxify, Ola and others).

Bursary recipients are responsible for having their own insurances in place—for example, travel insurance, car insurance, etc. The Commission will not check for insurances or be responsible for any losses associated with the bursary or attending the event.

Payment of bursaries

Bursaries will be paid in two parts as follows:

1. The Commission will book and pay for return travel, accommodation and breakfast on behalf of bursary recipients (subject to availability of preferred flights or accommodation).
2. The Commission will reimburse actual expenses for mileage, car parking and/or fares after the Summit, on provision of receipts or other appropriate documentation.

At the conclusion of the event, the bursary recipient will be required to certify that they attended the Summit, and that travel and accommodation was undertaken in accordance with the approved and agreed itinerary.

Closing date

Applications for bursaries close at 5.00pm Friday 13 October 2023.

Applicants will be notified of application outcomes by Friday 20 October 2023.