Diversity Equity and Inclusion Financial Aid Program

The Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Financial Aid Program is closed.

BSides Melbourne committee cares about making a diverse and inclusive information security conference. This means extending a helping hand to those who need it, whether due to financial need or as members of underrepresented minority groups. We truly want to ensure that the decisions we make as a group create an environment where all communities feel included and welcome. (Our only condition is that you must be living in Australia).​

​The DEI Financial Aid program is open to anyone who would like to attend the conference, who wouldn’t normally be able to (we can also offer limited support to trainers or speakers who may need it). 

In particular, we are very keen to reach out to underrepresented groups in tech. These include:

• women and those identifying as women or non-binary
• neuro-diverse
• students studying cyber security or information technology
• people of colour
• LGBTIQ+
• First Nations and Torres Strait Islanders
• people with disabilities and / or accessibility challenges
• people who live in remote and regional areas
• career returners and career changers
• immigrants and refugees

​ This program is aimed to help broaden the diversity of conference attendees and to help people create connections within the BSides Melbourne community.

​Our DEI Financial Aid program is proudly sponsored by ​Shogun Cybersecurity

How does it work?

1. Fill out our short form.
2. We will periodically consider batches of applications, we will contact successful recipients and work through the details of assistance they need.

Please note that in some cases the applicant will need to book travel or accommodation themselves, to be later reimbursed by BSides Melbourne.

It is always challenging to compare and contrast different applications, however, we consistently look for these elements:

• We are prioritising diverse applicants – but not exclusively
• We do attempt to maximise cost efficiency so we can help more people
• We look for people who are genuine learners and want to contribute back to the wider community, and may already be doing so
• We also look for people who might not yet have many community connections, and that by attending BSides Melbourne, we can help improve their chances for employment
• We are looking for authenticity and effort

In your application, tell us:

• Who YOU are
• Your reasons WHY attending BSides Melbourne

If you have any questions please drop us an email.