People with disability need the same things most of us do, like somewhere to live and community connections. The NDIS provides participants with funding from three main support budgets.

However, many families of NDIS participants are unclear about how to use their funding once it is approved and where to find and compare providers.

Information

You can use your NDIS budget to pay for social and community activities that prevent you from being isolated. These can include things like attending events, social groups and activities to help you find your niche.

Your first meeting with your NDIS planner or support coordinator will discuss your goals and determine whether you can access this category of funding. Once this is confirmed it will be included in your plan as a Core Support under '04 Assistance with Social and Community Participation'.

Our experienced coordination staff turn your NDIS plan into action. CRCS is registered to provide both social and capacity-building ndis community support. Depending on what you need, we can recommend the right options for you. This includes finding a provider that specialises in your area of interest. For example, some of our clients have booked support workers who share their passion for animation and art shows. Others have matched with supporters who can assist them with shopping and building their social networks.

Connections

In a remote setting, it is crucial that community support workers have the right skills to build trust and provide culturally appropriate services. Our research highlights that the Kimberley Access Program is a strong start in facilitating engagement with the NDIS by Aboriginal people living in the region. It also suggests that further advocacy is needed to assist the large number of people believed to be eligible for NDIS who have yet to achieve access.

NDIS funding provides opportunities for people with disability to pursue their goals and improve their quality of life, including more time with family and friends, increased independence, new skills, a job or volunteering, and better housing. However, the process can be challenging and complicated, especially for people with psychosocial disabilities. A key barrier to NDIS participation for this group is the difficulty of obtaining critical evidence required to support NDIS access. The EACPs in our study are able to assist with this by helping clients secure medical records and other relevant documents.

Supports

The supports they offer can help people with disability get more time with family and friends, learn new skills, find work and enjoy a better quality of life. NDIS participants control the support they receive and choose the supports in their plan based on their goals.

Each participant has a support coordinator who works with them to manage their individual plan and coordinates services. They can also provide specialist support coordination, for people whose needs are more complex. This can include coordinating supports with different service providers or managing challenges in their support environment.

They can also connect you to community and mainstream supports – like local groups, sporting clubs, schools, libraries and other government services. These supports can be included in your plan under the social and community participation, independent living and skill development categories.

Activities

NDIS participants can access a range of activities that help them develop skills and connect with their community. These activities can also provide opportunities for learning and personal growth, and reduce stigma and discrimination.

As an NDIS approved provider, CaRelief can offer a variety of NDIS community participation activities across Brisbane and South East Queensland. These include disability day programs, social groups, and a variety of other events and activities. These can be accessed via a ratio group, meaning the participant will be accompanied by a support worker.

NDIS community services can be funded from a number of different supports categories, including Core, Capital and Capacity Building. These categories are matched to the goals set in a person’s NDIS plan. Supports can be claimed under any of these categories, but they must be deemed ‘reasonable and necessary’. The NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits and Support Catalogue details these categories. To find out more about the NDIS community activities that may be available to you, contact your NDIS representative or your local support network.