Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was designed to allow people living with disability to access support and pursue their goals. By building your capacity and increasing your independence, the NDIS aims to help you work towards the life you want to lead. It does this by providing funding that can be used to access services that will have a positive impact on your daily life.
But no two NDIS plans are alike. The challenges, limitations and opportunities you face are unique, and your NDIS plan will reflect that. To help you understand how NDIS plans are developed, we’ll discuss what your plan will look like and how you can get more from your NDIA planning meeting.
Section 1: About You
Every NDIS plan begins with details about your unique situation. NDIS eligibility is assessed based on the impact your disability has on your life, rather than on the diagnosis. That means you’ll need to help your National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) assessor understand your daily living arrangements so they can design the best plan possible.
The first section of an NDIS plan is a profile about you. This section is your chance to tell your NDIA assessor more about you, your impairment and your goals. The information you include is up to you, but you might want to provide relevant information like:
- A little bit about you
- Your living situation
- Any work or study history
- Details about your capacity for further work or study
- How your impairment affects your daily life
- Information about your social life and your capacity to spend time with friends
- Whether you are active in your community
Section 2: Your Goals
The second section of your plan should include a detailed account of what you’re hoping to achieve with support from the NDIS.
Your goals are often grouped into short-term, mid-term and long-term categories. Each goal you provide should be broken down further with details about how it can be achieved and the support that would help you along the way. The goals you provide can be broad, such as gaining the independence to live on your own with help from Supported Independent Living (SIL) services. Or, the goals can be narrow, such as working towards getting your driver’s licence or learning to cook.
The key here is to provide realistic goals and help your NDIA assessor understand how NDIS funding can be used to help you reach them.
Section 3: Your supports
The final section of an NDIS plan includes a detailed breakdown of the supports and services that will assist you in achieving your goals. This section will be put together by your NDIA planner based on the information and goals you provided above.
Each of the services you’ll receive from informal and formal supports will be listed here. The list will include detailed information about your funding and budget, as well as any quotes that have been received from service providers. The final part of your plan will be a section with details about your NDIS contacts, how to find more information and the date of your next review meeting.
Getting Help with Your NDIS Plan
Applying for NDIS funding doesn’t need to be a difficult process. But, it’s important to remember that the NDIA planner working with you doesn’t know you personally. That means it’s up to you to provide the information they need to create an NDIS funding plan that works for you.
If you need help with applying for the NDIS and creating your plan, you can contact your nearest NDIA office. They will be able to put you in touch with a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) who can support you in developing your NDIS application.
Explore More About NDIS Plans with Support From Open Minds
Your NDIS plan is your opportunity to tell the NDIA more about who you are and how you’ll use the funding to develop your capacity, build independence and work towards the life you want to lead. For more information about NDIS plans, Open Minds is ready to help. We’re an independent NDIS provider that focuses on providing supports for people living with mental health and intellectual disability. Our Support Coordinators can work with you to access the services and supports you need to achieve your goals. Contact us at any time for more information about what we do and how we help our customers.