Abstract Submission

A call for abstracts will be made on the 16th of February. Join our mailing list to receive announcements!

Conference themes

Those submitting abstracts will be asked to align their submission with one of the following themes:

Building and retaining safe and stable workforces within frontline operations
Family-led and community-led practice – what does true co-design look like?
Storytelling/pūrakau, songlines, healing, and spirit – restoring agency through culturally grounded intervention tools
Victims of offending -turning the negative into positive change through victim reclamation, young people’s accountability and shared empowerment
Supporting young people impacted by family, sexual or domestic violence – complexities of addressing young people as both victims and perpetrators
Contemporary approaches to legislation and reform - pushing practice and working with young people beyond mandate
Working together to create alternative and effective pathways for young people
Partnerships and collaboration to navigate complex needs and systems
Sharing challenges, successful impacts and outcomes in small place-based youth justice services
Other

Presentation types

There are many ways to contribute to the Australasian Youth Justice Conference 2026, with all contributions needing to align with the Australasian Youth Justice Conference 2026 themes and aims. Further details of each type are outlined below.

All submissions should be in reference to work currently underway or completed within the last 18 months.

Oral Presentation

Presentations should aim to engage the audience, to create interest, seek feedback and encourage further enquiry. Presentations are approximately 20-25 minute long conversation starters, followed by 5-10 minutes for further discussion/question time, for a total of 30 minutes. Presentations must reference work currently underway or completed within the last 18 months. A full paper is not required for submission.

NOTE: There are no online/video presentation options available for oral presentations. All presentations will be delivered in person.

Symposium

Symposia are made up of three to four papers with an overarching theme. Symposia are given approximately 60 minutes including discussion/question time. Symposia are chaired by the coordinating author.

Panel Discussion

Panel discussions aim to stimulate discussion about a youth justice issue/matter/innovation by a panel of experts, academics, practitioners and/or community representatives involved in the field. Panel sessions can be between 45-60 minutes in total, including question time. The Panel facilitation is the responsibility of the Panel.

Workshop

Attendees at previous Conferences have told us they would like more chances to work collaboratively with other attendees. We are also looking for proposals to run facilitated workshops that explore, in a participatory manner, any of the nine sub-themes. Sessions can be between 60-120 minutes in total, including discussion and question time. Please include:

a clear statement on how your proposed workshop will contribute to strengthening the voices and activities of young people, their families and communities in the youth justice context
proposed methodology and maximum number of participants
Ensure you describe who will be involved in leading and facilitating the workshop. For the purposes of submitting the proposal in the abstract portal, the facilitator/s should be listed in the 'Author' field.

Submission Guidelines

Are you passionate about the topics of the conference? We'd love to receive your submission. Please familiarise yourself with the following guidelines prior to submitting a paper:

Eligibility

Submissions must be for work underway or completed in the last 18 months
At least one author must be prepared to present the work in person

Abstract format

Submissions must adhere to the word count limit. 250 words for abstracts, 100 words for biographical information, 150 words for symposia overview, including title
Use clear, concise language and avoid unexplained jargon or acronyms

Author information

Provide full names, institutional affiliations, and contact details for all authors
Clearly indicate the presenting author. If there is more than one author presenting, please ensure this is indicated

Ethical considerations

It is the author's responsibility to ensure confidentiality and responsible presentation of sensitive data

Acceptance and Registration

Presenting authors must register by the stated deadline to secure a place in the program
Acceptance to present does not mean free registration. All presenters are required to pay the presenter fee
Failure to register usually results in removal from the schedule

Evaluation Criteria

All submissions will be reviewed by a panel of AYJA members and academics.

All submissions will be reviewed, based on the following criteria:

·relevance to the conference theme/sub-themes
relevance to contemporary professional practice
presents key issues to a broader audience
quality of the abstract
compliance with the word count and format requirements for abstracts (as per template).

First presenting author will receive an email confirming the outcome of their proposal. All criteria are key considerations in the acceptance of all submissions. We reserve the right to discuss your submission with you as part of the process of assembling the program.

See the full presenter terms and conditions on the FAQ page

Have a question? Send us an email at ayjc2026@swin.edu.au

Useful information

All presentations will be in person. Please make sure you are able to attend the conference before submitting an abstract.
Acceptant to present at the conference does not entitle the presenter to free admission. All presenters are required to register for the conference.
Presenter facilities - All conference rooms are equipped with video projectors and screens, integrated audio systems with speakers and wireless microphones.