Close the Gap Day this year falls on 19 March 2026 – and we want to take this opportunity to recognise some of the amazing work of our First Nations Youth Advisory Group.
National Close the Gap Day is recognised each year on the third Thursday in March. In 2026 this falls on Thursday 19 March.
Close the Gap Day is a powerful call to action for everyone across Australia to push for changes that improve health and socio-economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year and every year, the Office for Youth wants to make sure young First Nations voices are heard when making policies and programs.
We do this by ensuring there is always a First Nations specific Youth Advisory Group. In 2026, our First Nations Youth Advisory Group continues to work closely with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) on upcoming initiatives like the Ngurra Cultural Precinct. The group contribute by sharing insights on design, storytelling, innovation, and connection to Country.
Previous First Nations Youth Advisory Groups provided advice to strengthen outcomes for First Nations young people. In 2025, the group worked with the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, informing the design of the Your Career website and AIATSIS to shape the 2025 AIATSIS Summit Youth Forum. In 2024, the group partnered with the Department of Education and National Indigenous Australians Agency to explore models of support that enable First Nations students to influence, advocate and advance educational change. This provided insight and support for the development of the First Nations Education Policy and the development the First Nations Teacher Strategy.
Closing the Gap is underpinned by the belief that better life outcomes are achieved when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a genuine say in the design and delivery of policies, programs and services that affect them.
The National Agreement on Closing the Gap was developed in partnership between Australian Governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations. The National Agreement has Priority Reforms and key targets with the aim to drive better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
All Australian governments are working to implement the agreement at federal, state and territory, and local levels. The annual Commonwealth Closing the Gap 2025 Annual Report and 2026 Implementation Plan was published in February 2026. It outlines how the Australian Government is tracking to implement actions and what it aims to achieve this year.
We believe government should effectively engage with First Nations young people in a culturally safe way, so we've put together a handy mini guide to help drive those discussions. Check out the Mini guide 6: Engaging with First Nations young people.
Learn more about Close the Gap.