We’re pleased to confirm the dates for NZDSN Conference 2026. Following this year’s election, this is important opportunity for sector dialogue, policy discussion and collective positioning for the future.
📅 Monday 23 – Tuesday 24 November 2026
📍 Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre, Wellington
This will be a one-and-a-half-day event, including a conference dinner on the evening of Monday 23 November.
Our theme is Unlocking the Power of Community
This theme reflects a growing recognition that strong outcomes for disabled people are not achieved by services alone, but through meaningful connection with communities, whānau, and natural supports.
Across Aotearoa, the disability support sector is increasingly working in ways that are:
- Community-connected rather than service-bound
- Relational rather than transactional
- Culturally grounded and locally led
This theme invites us to explore what becomes possible when we move beyond traditional service and funding models and instead partner with communities to enable people to live good lives.
It also creates space to examine:
- How services can better support belonging, participation, and contribution
- The role of whānau, hapū, iwi, and community networks in supporting disabled people
- What it takes to build sustainable, inclusive communities where disabled people are valued and visible
- How funding, policy, and system settings can better enable community-led approaches
A key focus will be on cultural perspectives, including Kaupapa Māori approaches to collective wellbeing, connection, and interdependence. A name for the conference theme is currently being developed in partnership with NZDSN’s Tūi Tūiā Rōpū.
Held in the period following the 2026 Election, the conference will also provide an important platform to reflect on the future direction of the system and to consider how community, culture, and partnership can be more strongly embedded in policy and practice.
Call for submissions is open now
We’re now inviting expressions of interest from across the sector to contribute to the 2026 Conference programme, and are seeking a diverse and engaging mix of sessions, including:
- Provider innovation and case studies
- Workforce and capability development
- Technology and digital innovation
- Community-led and culturally grounded approaches
- Lived experience perspectives and co-design
- Policy insights and system change discussions
We’re particularly interested in submissions that:
- Demonstrate practical impact and real-world outcomes
- Reflect partnerships with disabled people, whānau, and communities
- Showcase new ways of working aligned with Enabling Good Lives principles
- Bring a strong cultural lens, including kaupapa Māori and Pacific approaches
The programme will also feature keynote speakers, lived experience panels, and government engagement.
How to submit
To submit an expression of interest, please provide:
- A brief overview of your proposed session
- Key speakers or contributors
- The intended audience and outcomes
- Format (e.g. presentation, panel, workshop)
Submissions close: 5pm Monday 3 August 2026
Please send submissions to: Debbie Hughes at ceo@nzdsn.org.nz.