Disability Service Provider Boards

LEAD THE CHANGE: AN INVITATION 

Help transform Australia’s boardrooms while strengthening your own. 

The Observership Program invites Disability Service Providers committed to supporting people who identify as a Person with Disabilities into board roles to join our 2026 Program. We are expanding our network of DSP host boards for the 2026 Program and are keen to hear from you.   

Working in collaboration with Disability Sector partners, we offer an inclusive and accessible Program as a pathway to directorship for talented professionals who identify as a Person with Disabilities, to gain valuable governance experience and training. 

The Program’s participating boards are seeking candidates aged 25-45 with professional skills, perspectives and emotional intelligence to contribute to board work.  

 

THREE WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH THE OBSERVERSHIP PROGRAM: 

1. Draw from the Program’s talented pool of applicants who identify as a Person with Disabilities. Access professional skills and experience and fresh, diverse perspectives to enrich board discussions.
2. Nominate a person who identify as a Person with Disabilities from within your network. Develop someone with potential for a future board appointment. Click here for applicant details.
3. Nominate a newly appointed board member. Underpin the appointment with 11 governance training sessions and a supportive network of like-minded leaders

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR BOARD FOR THE 2026 PROGRAM 

 

 2026 PROGRAM KEY DATES    

                                                       New Host Boards on-boarded:       Until 30 September 2025 

                                                       Observer matching process:            October – December 2025 

                                                       Program Launch:                               February 2026 

How The Observership Program supports candidates and Observers who identify as a Person with Disabilities. 

The Observership Program is committed to ensure any environment, employment or service opportunity is inclusive of people who identify as a Person with Disabilities.  

• Provide adjustments including accessible documentation and collateral for candidates and Observers 
• All participating boards are provided with a tool kit of materials and resources to enable them to support candidates and Observers who identify as a Person with Disabilities, during the interviewing, matching and hosting periods. Including: 
• A Confidence with Disability training session has been filmed and distributed to all participating boards. 
• Accessibility Checklist for hosting People who identify as a Person with Disabilities, which relates to adjustments and other support on offer. 
• Guidelines for running Accessible Board Meetings. 
• AusDN’s newly published accessibility guide for Board Directors 
• Designing training sessions that work for all learning styles and needs
• Creating a more comfortable, effective experience for everyone involved

The Observership Program is committed to creating an inclusive experience for all participants. Sharing information about adjustment needs including those they may not traditionally classify as “disability accommodations”. Here are some examples: wheelchair access, advance materials, flexible scheduling, digital participation options, sensory space, support animal and specific communication preferences.

A complete list can be found here.

 

Accessible documentation and collateral
We have an accessible website; we have ensured that our website and the application platform meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 to at least a level AA compliance. 

• An accessible copy of the 2026 Sample Application form
• An accessible copy of the FAQs can be found here. 
• An accessible copy of the 2025 Handbook can be found here. 
• An accessible copy of our Terms and Conditions 
• Emails and invitations are accessible. 
• An accessible video ‘An introduction to The Observership Program’. 
• An accessible video explaining ‘Tips and hints for Successful Applications’. 

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR BOARD FOR THE 2026 PROGRAM 

 

Should you require further information, please contact:

Victorian Program:
Catherine Reiser, Director, The Observership Program, Victoria, catherine.reiser@observership.com.au

Sydney and Brisbane Programs:
Rachel Exton, NSW and Brisbane Program Lead, rachel.exton@obervership.com.au

Accessibility Statement
The Observership Program is committed to ensuring user experience and accessibility for people with disability. We will continue to evolve and improve the accessibility of our Program by listening and learning from people with lived experience of disability.