The Making a Life, Making a Living 2026 / Se faire une vie, gagner sa vie 2026 Conference will begin on Thursday, November 12, with an evening reception at The Matrix Hotel, where
registration will take place alongside live music by Emmett Michael, creating a welcoming and warm environment.

The reception will feature a sequence of opening remarks and introductions. Elder Richard Jenkins will ceremonially open the conference. The event will be emceed by Emmonia with our opening night speaker Chris Cochrane, as well as include acknowledgements from government and CQCC representatives and team members. Live music by Emmet Michael will then accompany an informal networking session.

On Friday, November 13, the full conference programming commences with a keynote speech by Jake Kimble. Attendees will participate in a full day of sessions, split into two rooms running parallel programming with a mix of panels, workshops and speeches. There will also be a Vendor Hall open for the duration of the event where organisations, businesses, community members, and academics will table.

To reflect the wide-ranging expertise and perspectives represented in the Call for Proposals—which invites submissions from five domains: University, Community Member, Collective, Government, and Business—the conference will feature three concurrent thematic streams:

- Academic and Research Stream;
- Community-Led and Collective Initiatives Stream; and
- Public Sector and Business Engagement Stream.

Although some details of the morning and afternoon speakers remained tentative, the day offered a robust schedule, with coffee breaks and lunch provided. The evening will wrap up in a lively and social way with a Dinner Dance and Talent Show emceed by Emmonia (ticketed separately).

The final half-day of the Making a Life, Making a Living 2026 / Se faire une vie, gagner sa vie 2026 Conference, Saturday, November 14, will begin with a morning session including a keynote address by Shalini Sinha more concurrent programming just as the day before. Before lunch, closing remarks will be given followed by a return by Elder Richard Jenkins to ceremonially close the conference. The event will conclude with a social lunch and light entertainment, offering a thoughtful and engaging end to the three-day gathering. Through its blend of academic insight, cultural celebration, and community connection, the Making a Life, Making a Living 2026 / Se faire une vie, gagner sa vie 2026 Conference will bring together diverse voices and experiences to engage in critical conversations, connection, and joyful moments.