Social Maping

Community Connections Program

I thought I'd share something of the importance of Social Mapping. Now let's be clear here, I not talking about the latest craze to sweep Australia. Planting and searching for a virtual Pokémon in real streets. I taking about creating a map of your daily social interactions and network on paper.

There are many reasons you might consider to record your social map. Including: a business development plan, funding for an arts project, research purposes, scouring support for arts project, writing your NDIS participant plan.

As you know the National Disability Insurance Agency talks about formal (paid) and informal supports (unpaid). I think in terms of your NDIS planning and goal setting, mapping you support networks might be very helpful.  It can provide you with a clear picture of who you spend time with and the activities you do. It may provide clues to who to invite to have input and support you to write your NDIS goals.

Ipswich Poet's Breakfast

part of my informal support network.

Your NDIS package will be calculated on the formal support you need to achieve your goals. This is the new way to decide what your package should look like and gives you more choice and control of your lifestyle. Remember these goals may centre around work, study, things you enjoy, lifestyle, accommodation options, gaining life skills, social activities and sports.  These are activities that help you enjoy life the way, you chose.

For most of us writing goals is a new thing, but I think it sounds harder than it is, although its taking me a few false starts! Social mapping was something I found helpful when I started writing my goals and think about how I might achieve them.

A goal might be to buy a pet cat or to keep your pet cat alive; or you might like to learn to dance.  Now the NDIA will not buy you a cat, but they might give you support hours to help look after it.  The NDIA will only provide supports that are relevant to your disability.  So they might buy an assistance dog if that will help you be more independent.

Informal supports might include:-

1. Family
2. Friends
3. Neighbours
4. People who you attend school supports with
5. housemates
6. Team mates
7. People you work with
8. The postman

These are people you spend time with each day.

Question: Do you enjoy what you do and the people you spend time with? Or would you like to change things or try something new.  The change over and transition to the NIDS is a great opportunity to do this. However some people are happy with life now, they don't want the change that the NDIS invites. 

That is ok!  It is your choice to keep life the way it is - is your right.  However you still a way to express that to the NDIA and putting your lifestyle in a plan, the reflect your goals. Mapping your social networks maybe helpful in starting this process.

It may provides ideas to lay out your current life into goal areas, such as learn new skills, team sports, social activities and heathy living,