NDIS community access programs offer a wide range of activities, from sports and recreational events to educational programs and cultural outings. Identifying the right program for you requires thoughtful exploration of your individual interests and aspirations.

When markets function well, competition helps participants find the support that best fits their needs and goals. However, thin markets remain a challenge for many NDIS participants.

Person-Centered Planning

Person centered planning is an approach to help a person with disability to gain control over their life. It focuses on the person, their needs, desires and dreams, and helps them to develop a plan to turn those dreams into reality. It is a team effort, with the focus person and their family, friends and support network. It can also include disability service advocates who will assist with the research, weighing options and helping to empower the individual to be a self-advocate.

This process is not just about the planning, but creating a space where the person with disability has central stage. It is a powerful process that can change how the community access ndis responds to someone with disability. It can change the way a person is perceived, and open essential conversations between participants, service coordinators and their supports. The national person-centered planning framework has a variety of practical tools for assisting people to make their plans.

Finding the Right Fit

When choosing a service provider, it’s important to find one that fits you and your goals. Whether it’s a doctor, hair colourist, or business adviser, the right expertise can make all the difference. It’s also important to find a provider that is registered with the NDIS. This means that they’ve met a certain level of qualification and experience in the scheme, so you can be confident that they understand it well.

Additionally, the NDIS should develop a more effective approach to determining access that takes into account the complexity of the current system and the lack of clarity around what is considered ‘ordinary living expenses’. In the short term, this can be done by establishing more accessible and consistent information for participants, navigators, and mainstream services. In the longer term, this may be achieved through legislative changes, including the introduction of a clear definition of disability, and improvements to existing functional capacity assessment instruments.

Strategic Considerations

The NDIS was designed to replace a series of fragmented state-determined services with an empowering model of user choice and control. However, many of the inequities that existed prior to implementation are still present. This is particularly true for people living in rural and remote Australia.

Regular participation in community access disability support activities promotes social interaction, cultivates relationships and reduces isolation. It also encourages skill development, increases self-confidence and leads to greater independence.

Unfortunately, the NDIS’s adversarial planning process and ambiguous definition of “reasonable and necessary” support have encouraged people to fight for as much as they can get, fearing that their supports will be cut if they don’t. This pushes the NDIS into becoming the dominant, and in some cases only, source of disability supports – to the detriment of those who remain outside the scheme.

Financial Support

You probably have a lot of activities you’ve been dreaming of trying, and community access disability supports can help you tick them off! Community Access support, found under 'Core Supports' and 'Capacity Building' in the NDIS, is all about getting you out and about doing social activities that aren’t essential to your daily living.

These could include a trip to see a live band, going to the movies or even just joining in with a friend’s hobby or sport. Your NDIS funding can be used to hire a support worker who can assist you with the physical and medical needs of attending these events and venues, as well as offering genuine companionship.

You can also make use of NDIS funding for a Companion Card, which offers free or discounted entry for your support worker to the venue/activity if they’re accompanying you. This allows for a more flexible approach to achieving your goals, and can really add to the overall experience of enjoying these new activities!