Education Excellence awards
Nominations are open for the Victorian Education Excellence Awards.
The awards recognise individuals and school teams that have made a significant contribution to education across the state.
The awards also support the continued professional development of staff, with professional learning grants of $20,000 available for each individual award winner, and $25,000 for each team award.
The winner of the Lindsay Thompson Award for Excellence receives a further professional learning grant of $20,000.
Nominations are made at a school level and are open until Monday May 31, with winners announced on October 24.
Senior of the Year
Nominations are open for the 2025 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.
The awards highlight the important role older Victorians play in strengthening our state — from supporting local communities to leading organisations that drive statewide change.
There are six categories of awards in 2025, including:
- The Premier's Award for Victorian Senior of the Year for outstanding and lasting contribution to their community and Victoria
- The Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria Senior Achiever Award for significant contribution to local communities
- The Emerging Impact Award recognising new volunteers that are already making an impact in their community
- The Positive Ageing Award for promoting wellbeing and active ageing
- The Promotion of Multiculturalism Award for advancing cultural diversity
- The Veteran Community Award for service to the veteran community.
The awards will be presented in October, at a ceremony as part of the annual Victorian Seniors Festival.
Nominations close Sunday June 1 and nominees must be aged 60 years or older, or 50 years or older for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians.
seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/awards.
Support for early childhood workers
Applications are open for the Certificate III Upskill Support Program, which will provide 400 places for educators looking to upskill to a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.
This includes $7000 in financial support, that can be used for living expenses while studying and working. This year, half of the places are reserved for students in rural and regional Victoria.
Scholarships of $25,000 for bachelor's students and $12,000 for graduate diploma students are available through the Early Childhood Scholarships Program at Deakin University.
Applications close on June 13: vic.gov.au/financial-support-study-and-work-early-childhood#certificate-iii-upskill-support-program.
Deakin is currently taking applications for its employment-based pathways: vic.gov.au/financial-support-study-and-work-early-childhood.
School Saving bonus
The government is encouraging families to use their $400 School Saving Bonus to purchase winter school uniforms.
While most families have drawn on their School Saving Bonus in part or in full, around 30 per cent of bonuses remain untouched - ready to be used by families ahead of winter.
The next two months are the last chance to use the $400 School Saving Bonus to purchase uniforms or textbooks, either through approved suppliers or at second-hand uniform and textbook shops run by schools.
Any money unspent by June 30 will automatically transfer to a family's school account, with parents able to use these remaining funds on school activities like camps, sports or excursions.
For more information about the School Saving Bonus, visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus
National Palliative Care Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2025 National Palliative Care Awards, recognising excellence, innovation and leadership in Australia's palliative care sector.
There are eight award categories for 2025 including for emerging leaders and researchers, volunteers and outstanding achievement by a team and by an individual.
Nominations are free and close Thursday June 19.
Winners will be announced on Thursday September 11.
To learn more or to nominate, visit palliativecare.org.au/campaign/national-palliative-care-awards-2025/
Volunteer awards
Nominations are now open for the Victorian Volunteer Awards 2025 — recognising the individuals and organisations who go above and beyond to support their communities.
Run in partnership with Volunteering Victoria, the Awards honour outstanding volunteers and organisations across eight categories.
Individual categories include the Young Volunteer Award, Volunteer Commitment Award, Volunteer Leadership Award and Volunteer Impact Award. One of the individual winners will also receive the Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Award for Volunteer of the Year, including a $10,000 donation to a not-for-profit of their choice. Nominations close July 4.
For more information and to nominate a Victorian making a difference, visit volunteerinvictoria.org.au/awards.
