Social and community participation is an essential part of your NDIS plan. It allows you to mingle with people who share your interests, develop new skills and explore diverse experiences.

Getting ready for ndis social and community participation starts with understanding your goals, collaborating with your Support Coordinator and planning ahead. In this blog, we’ll look at the two main categories of NDIS community participation funding: Core Supports and Capacity Building.

Core Supports

A core support is funding for an individual to help you participate in community activities that are part of your goals. It can also cover the cost of transport to these activities. This includes transport from your home or other places in the community. This is often paid for by a disability support worker. The rate for this will vary depending on day of the week and intensity of the support.

NDIS participants can utilise their core support budget for all kinds of services and activities. This includes supporting a participant to meet friends for socialising and fun or attending music concerts. It can also be used to access behavioural therapies and training services.

Jasmine, a participant of ours, uses her core support budget to go to different day programs each fortnight. She is transported by either a disability bus, local taxis or her support worker vehicle. This is a core support offered under the 'Assistance with Social and Community Participation' fund item in her NDIS plan.

Capacity Building

Unlike core supports, this support category offers less flexibility, so any activity that you use this funding for must be reasonable and necessary to achieve your goals. This is why it’s important to discuss the types of activities you’d like to participate in with your LAC or NDIS planner and make sure they are included in your Increased Social and Community Participation budget at your initial plan meeting or annual plan review.

Capacity Building activities may include leisure, social and recreational programs, camp and vacation group experiences and sports coaching sessions. They could also include wellbeing support services like exercise and diet advice or learning how to prepare meals through cooking skills training.

Another popular option for capacity building is booking support workers who share your interests. For example, Mable client Angela booked a support worker who shares her love for animation. Check out how this support worked for her here. You can book this support through your Mable account.

Innovative Community Participation

Innovative community participation initiatives are not only fun but they also give people with disabilities a chance to interact with their peers. This helps them break down stereotypes and reduce the stigma surrounding disability. It is also an opportunity for learning and personal growth.

Increased community participation offers a variety of options that can include things like joining a choir group, taking fitness classes, or learning a new hobby. However, it is important to note that these activities must be considered reasonable and necessary under your NDIS plan goals.

Increasing social connection and gaining access to community events are important for anyone. But for participants with a disability, it is sometimes difficult to gain these opportunities. That’s where a trusted NDIS provider can come in. Our team of expert caregivers is here to help you access the NDIS funding and services that will enable you to get involved with your local community. We can help you find activities that are fun and engaging while also focusing on your goals and needs.

Community Participation Activities

Assisting participants with community participation is one of the core support categories under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). This allows people with disabilities to participate in local events and social activities that will boost their sense of inclusion.

This may include joining clubs or groups that share similar interests and hobbies with others, taking part in self-development and skill learning courses and more. Community participation activities also help to build confidence and teach participants valuable life skills like how to attend an event or be on time.

For example, Gail accompanies Fran to her weekly chess club and even though she still calls the rook a castle she has come a long way since she started playing. She has met new friends with similar interests and feels accepted for who she is. This is a vital feeling that every person deserves to feel.