NDIS - Is the grass greener on the otherside

Greener Grass

Siting here ponding the many choices I have under the NDIS I want to ask myself . . . is the grass greener or is it mirrors and smoke. Right now my list of questions is longer than my answers.

The reality is I will not know until I have my plan in place and am into my new grove.  The good news is I can ask for amendments after the first year or I can set up a transitional plan, where I put my supports in place how I think works best for me and gradually increase the level I self-management at.  From the trials and research I have read this seems to be the most constant pattern that participants are happy with.  

To sides of the coin . .

Every coin has two sides. Heads up has my face on it and tails has my service providers on it.  Smooth transition requires honesty with current providers but not an explosion of why I not happy or I want to try something new. 

In setting my goals I want to take providers out of the picture. My goals will be the same whether I shop at ALDI or Coles or set up my own shop.  Where to purchase my services is the last decision the NDIA will ask me to make. 

So my first step is to outline where I am at now. What works for me. My goals . . . are they the same or do I want something different.  Do I want to be more adventures? These choices and goal setting are independent of any supports. I hope having this in place makes it easier to make choices around self-managing.

As I attend information sessions on the NDIS the more the different  possibilities and opportunities appear. Until now people with disabilities have not be given any say in how and who will support them.  Within these boundaries the grass may appear greener.  We do not really know what is out there.  So for those you have six to twelve months to write your plans. Go and find out . . .

Don't close your mind to current services you use.  Write your goals and ask your current provider the same questions you will ask other providers.  Sometimes service delivery comes down to staff and miscommunication. However before you look at a list of providers you need to decide:-

1. What your goals are?
2. How that looks different to what you do now?
3. How you get from now to transferring to the NDIS?

Depending on where you live transferring periods will vary, but if your not begin to think about what you what; the changes you will ask for, setting your NDIS goals, researching different options in your area, redate from trail sites, then you need to start transitioning now. 

I am just beginning to see there are choices with in choices. If you are going to make choices, be informed and that applies to your current provider.

Just to let you know a great place to start in Ipswich will be on September 7 at The Fresh Futures Market.  Don't just do the bag grab. Take a list of questions with you or a list of your goals.  Ask its service provider how they could support you to achieve your goal.

Remember your looking for a provider to enable you to achieve your goals, not a provider you can write goals to fit with the service provider.  It may be all you needs can not be meet by one provider. This is your chance to go shopping and check out the grass. 

I am not prepared to make my choices based on personalities, personal come and go.  You purchasing a service, support staff will be the very last negation you make. It may be while your talking to other services they will present options you not through of.  This far out, I just opening my eyes to the possibilities and my current providers know I am intending to self-managed and that's all they need to know.

Why do they need to know?  The will lose my funding, under the NDIS I can take my funding where I like and because I only use individual supports the may mean I establish my own business to best meet my goals.

So best you check out the colour of the grass on the other side of the fence.  The is no need to chose which cruise ship you want to sale on yet.