Self-Directing and the NDIS

The National Disability Insurance Scheme

Provides people with disabilities with choices around their support. Some people are really happy with their current arrangements and that's ok!  Others for many reasons would like changes in their support, others will want to nominate new goals to the NDIA.

Your Choices Include

The way you funds are managed. Like me your life goals many not change but how you like to be  supported and who. This can be simple like a change of disability support provider that better supports your needs or bringing you supports together for continuity of support provision.  Others may wish to take a more active role in the administration of their package from the NDIA. There are a number of ways to achieve this, each with its advantages and disadvantages.

It is vital that before you write your plan you understand the complexities of each option. Empowered choices are made when we examine all the information.  Regardless of how you choice to have your funds administrated you need to start planning now. I have already written my basic plan outline and ArtISability and perhaps your current provider will provide templates. Regardless of whether you elect to make changes or not, you need to present a plan to the NDIS.

The way your funding is allocated is changes. It is not longer based on your perceived needs, but your life goals. Many people have not thought through there goals, even though you may be doing this without  being aware.  I find myself in the position where my current supports are already based around my life goals,.

One of my life goals is to continue to develop my visual arts practise. I have listed this in my basic plan to present to the NDIA.  The NDIS will provide supports that are 'reasonable and necessary'. So for an artists with CP it might be necessary for support to have a shower after working in you studio. At funding trip to Italy to look at art history may be harder to argue.  Of course some of this is dependent on where your at in your at journey.

For me a starting point is to think about some key people to ask to support me in the planning process. Before I even talk to the NDIA planner.

My Art, My Way!

To be funded to achieve your art goals then need:

1. Be clear: You need to know what you want to achieve. My goal is not to have my first art exhibition. I've already done that. Nor do \I think to sell my art work is a clear goal. Your key support people needs to be people who know your art and people who can support you to clearly state your goals.
2. Based on knowledge and skill level. As someone interested in art or an established artists I think you need to have and artists on your key support team.  We also recommend that you key support workers be involved in the arts.  The need to appreciate you work to fully enable you to achieve your goals. Those it many be important to self-direct your support at some level even if that's just in the area of staff recruitment or finding a supported art community through your service provider.  Joining a supported art studio two days a week might work.
3. Know where you are now and where you want to be in 5 to 10 years.  A sound plan considers the future and how your needs might change,  If your goal is to have a solo art exhibition what happens when you've achieve that.  Your NDIS plan will change and evolve and you need to make provision for that when you meet with your planner.

The Plan

• Know your starting point
• Set clear goals
• Identify clear steps
• Know who can support you to achieve each goal
• It needs to be valid for 5 to 10 years
• Set up informal support of people who know you and your art well and the art community around you.

Self - directing and Self-managing are not the same thing

Their are many ways you can self-direct without self-managing.

As an artists your goals and the activities you want to engage in may be different to those offered by your current provider,  If you like your current support workers and you feel they support your art interests well, then you could talk to them about becoming your ;'host provider'; this means they will manage your package from the NDIA on your behalf but your will direct where your funds are spent. Your NDIS plan and you Art Journey Plan are two separate things to write.  You art journey is only part of your NDIS plan. You need consider other goals around independent living, maybe moving out of home later on, you might have some fitness goals.  Ask someone to help you clearly put this on paper and review it often, you may think of more things to add.  What you do not ask for now may be hard to add, but not impossi0le.

Self management is more complex. You need to be aware that if you self-manage you cannot employ any of your current staff. You need to advertise recruit and train your own staff.  And pay they them  award wages or engage them as sub-contracts.  Think about what will happen when they are sick and you still need to get out of bed,

As I write my plan I am using resources from many places. If you like me are considering self-managing your own funds you might find a series on  Self-management I am following helpful CATS Inc. Tips on self-management, I am already writing job descriptions and staff guidelines, policies and procedures and thinking how the relate back to the laws.  Its a lot to get your head around.  It I am working on it now.  In 12 months time I should know it I want to give it a go.

Careful planning always considers what happens when things go wrong.  So start planning today. Think about who you can talk to about you plan. Ask your current provider, find out if the are a host provider, think about the type of workers you like.  Why do you like them.  Remember its ok to chose not to make changes,.

It's You're call!