The NDIS Particpent Statement

Today I thought I'd revisit the power of 'telling our stories'. In terms of the NDIS this is known as the Participant's Statement and your primary career givers (that might be mum and dad) will be invited to make a statement too.

This state allows the NDIA to get a snap shot of what life looks like now. The want to know what you enjoy doing now. Where you live and if you think you might enjoy something new.

Let's be honest! Any change in our lives is stressful. The unknown causes fear.  How can I trust another change in my (our) lives. This is the reason we're encouraging everyone to start now!

The plan needs to be clear and well thought out before the participant and their support person(s) meets with the NDIA planner. The plan needs to be written in the participants voice. This is your opportunity to tell your story to the NDIA.

Your and your families journey until now may have been very difficult. Many of us have be forced to live in survival mode. For some presenting their story to the NDIA is very painful. and confronting, especially for parent/carers of adult children. So if your wanting things to change for the better, the participants and careers statements need to reflect that pain, struggle and frustration.

By the time you meet with the planner you need to be ready to discuss this without to much emotion. So let's look at putting these statements on paper so we can practise lots before we meet the planner.

Before you write your statement(s) you might like to meet with your

family and anyone your planning to invite to your planning meeting. You many not want your primary carer there. However just remember your disability has impacted their lives.

If you feel you career is suggesting different goals to you, that's ok. They have a different perspective than you, that's why their are two statements. Where you disagree we can look at later.\

What does you life look like now?

• Accommodation - where do you live and with who.  Would you like to change this and how? Do you struggle to do things at home? Do you or your family get hurt because you don't have enough help?
• Lifestyle - Do you work or study? If yes, hour many hours a week and what type of work do you do or study.  Do you enjoy these or would you like a change?  If you had a job what would it be and why? Is your job or study hard because of your disability and what are the things you find hard?  If you work do you get enough money? If you're not working do you think you might like to look for work?  Lifestyle is more than if you work or don't work.  You might be learning live skills so you can be more independent. You will have hobbies - things you like doing, like walking the dog, watching TV, playing play station, talking on facebook, taking photos, arts & graft, you might play sports.  These are all things you want to put in your statement.
• Relationships - Are you married or single, do you have a girlfriend? Do you have brothers & sister, newphew, nieces, children  or grandparents? Do you have friends and who are they? Where did you meet them? Do you see them at work, school, social events, a day centre or your life skills course?
• Health 'n' fitness and living a good life - One of the things the NDIS is promoting is activity than ensures the best possible future for people with disabilities.  Being healthy can mean we are less dependent on others as we age.  So things like fitness, sport, fishing, bushwalking,  and gardening. If these are currently important to you and part of your life then it be good to put that in your participants statement.

Another thing I am finding helpful is social mapping.  The next piece of the puzzle the NDIA will ask is what does your support circle look like now. The NDIA talks about formal and informal supports.

Whether or not your primary caregiver(s) are attending your planning meeting or not, the are asked to make a career's statement. It is your choice who you ask to attend your planning meeting. The planning meeting is about you; your goals and how achieve the your goals. 

However for some people (especially if your living with your primary caregivers) you life and routine impacts on them.  So the N DIA wants to know a little about how they view your life now. For some people who aren't great with communication the insight from your primary caregiver will ne helpful.

You may ask for someone to assist you to fill in a table about the supports formal supports you use now:-

Informal supports include:-

• Your family
• Your friends
• Neighbours
• Church/ supporting clubs/ craft groups

The NDIA will want to know the role these people play in your life now.  Do you live with you family? If not do the give you any assistance,

Formal Supports (are people who are paid to support you or pieces of equipment.)

• Equipment - communication devices; walking aids; wheel chairs hoist, all these will need replacing sometime down the  line.
• Support workers or attendant care workers
• Support services
• Social activities
• Supported accommodation services
• Transport services

It is important you ask someone - like your coordinator or career to make sure its all there so you don't lose support that is important to you.

Well that's a lot to think about.  So step one:

• Is to capture what your life (and your family)  looks like now.
• Think about who you want to support you on the journey.
• Practise telling your story and ask some one to help you write it out and or take some photos to show your planner.

Keep thinking and try put some of this on paper.  My plan is to get it wrong before I get it right!