On the road to the NDIS

Together with my ALARA coordinator and Terry at ALARA I been writing my NDIS plan.  I sure I will make more amendments to my plan before I get to meet my planner next year, but in essence the structure of my plan is there.

Let me assure you I still have doubts and questions on my ability to execute my plan.  However I now have a map of where I heading.

As you know my passion is to engage with the local arts community to build a inclusive arts community. I love that the National Disability Insurance Scheme is to enable participants to actively engage in the locally community.

To achieve this the NDIA has given people with disabilities to chose how the want to be supported to achieve their goals.

For many this shift has caused confusion. Like me they have been enjoying just living life.  I am one of the luckiest people alive. Not only have found my life's passion, but because I am technically unemployable, I get to mess around with art supplies with others. However I also want to inspire others with disabilities to live their best lives.

Too often we let our fears prevent us from reaching our full potential.  In the disability sector we come from a culture when the government is responsible for the protection of people with disabilities. We routinely allow our eyes to judge people's abilities. Trouble is when it comes to disability, the range of impairments and individual skills is so varied and dependent on their life's experience.

Using myself as an example, my parents were determine to give me the same opportunities as my siblings and refused to let me diagnose determine the outcomes of my therapies, schooling or whatever choices I would make along the way. Apart from speech and physio therapy, I had little interaction in the disability sector.

Every time I did others wanted to place limits on me or say I am my parents lived in a fairytale world. If I was pull A 's in maths I was fibbing, I refused to look at post school options, and I was in for a shock when I didn't get into university. Maybe they assumed I was doing basic maths not calcus. Just to completely throw the rule book out the window, I  went to live on campus.

I never let my diagnose define who I was as a individual. I have made many choices others disagree with including my parents.  However, I have always followed my heart and now the NDIS is going to support me to go further.

Not too bad for a kid they said would never walk. If there's one thing I have in abundance is determination. I am well aware values installed in me by my parents and faith have made me the confident independent woman I am today.  My lifestyle choice continue to confound and amaze others. . . Then I picked up a paint brush.

The NDIS recognises people with disabilities are no different to any one else, we are as individualised as the stars.  It a sure bet  my NDIS plan looks very different to others.  Writing you NDIS goals is what will enable you to receive an individualised approach to your support.  The NDIS finally puts to bed the one size fits all approach to supporting people with disabilities. I will no longer be lying about my maths grades or my artistic abilities.

No prizes for guessing the arts are the centre point of my NDIS plan. Like most people I've included goals around lifestyle choices, work, training, health and well being as well as a plan to enable me to self-direct.

One goal I chose to put in my NDIS plan was to establish my own business, Ignite Artists Network. I guess that is why my plan is so advance, as I also writing and developing a business plan, in order to apply for some arts funding.  The NDIS is not going to pay for everything. my package will only fund the costs related to my disability, their not going to pay for my business set-up or my public liability insurance. However the will ensure I have a working wheelchair and support to get ready of work.  I also asking for assistance to transport art work and art supplies. But the not going to pay for my students art supplies or my art supplies for that matter.

In writing my goals, I thought about my life now. As I was already self-employed I had a business plan, so I just needed to twig that a bit. Then I looked at what comes next and I decided both in terms of my art practice and business I need some more training, and if I am intending to self-manage some people skills and human resource management training would help.

Self-care is a large part of my plan too! I don't want to be driving into self-managing at the same time a setting up a business. I know I am amazing, but I still need my beauty sleep. So I drafted - up a three year plan.  Manley around my goal to self-direct.  I needed to decide at what point I wanted some training to enable me to self-direct. 

As unless its part of a NDIS goal and a identified as a step in achieving your goal it will not be funded.  In the end I opted not to include it in my first plan as I first want to build my business.

Immediate goal:   service exit plans, news service agreements, and transition to the NDIS. Why?  Because, I need funding to train staff and buddy up shifts.  (not in your plan it won't be funded!)

Short term goal: Use a host provider and support service provider Why is this a step:  I need the NDIA to cover administration of my package.(not in your plan it won't be funded) As well as that training I was talking about.

Long term goal: To self-managed. Why?  I needed an end goal to work backwards to ensure all the steps were covered.

As you can see these goals seem a bit mundane. . . well the ones I sharing with you anyway. . . but they will stretch me and allow me to do some pretty amazing things.  However, I think we imagine goals to be the kind of stuff with fireworks at the end. Shh! Mines a study trip to Italy!

Goals are pretty much a dressed up word for things you want to like make art or climb a mountain. So my guess you already have a some ideas.  You might of chatted to you mates or already planned a fishing trip to the gulf at the top of Australia.  Maybe your looking to move out of home of find a job.

Still stuck for ideas, flick through newspapers, ask your friends what their thinking of doing. 

Whatever you try, if you live in Ipswich especially if you're into art come to the Fresh Futures Market on 7th September,  their on at the Ipswich Showgrounds this year!

Hope that helps!