NDIS: Management of Funding

Many people are excited to have direct control over their funding under the NDIS. However their are things you need to carefully weight up as you chose your options.

I have share before on making the administration of funding one of your NDIS goals.

Goal Area:            Administer Funding

Goal:                     Option 1: Ask the NDIS to administer my

                              funding on my behalf.

                              Option 2: Select a host provider to administer

                              your funding on your behalf. Note there are

                              changes for those who have been self-directing

                              currently. Under the NDIS your host provider

                              can not also offer participants direct service

                              provision.

                              Option: 3 Self-direct through a host

                              provider, if you choose to self-direct you can

                              do as much of the administration as you like.

                              Note: If you choose this option the NDIA

                              can not administer your funding.

                              There are various self-directing you will be

                              able to select from. . . More under steps to

                              achieve my goal.

                              Option 4: Self-Management. Again under

                              this option their is a tear of options. Many

                              people may elect to have some to their pay-

                              roll on their behalf.

You might chose to use a combination of options 2, 3 and 4.

Resources:

Previously service providers were given administration funding to administer the funds and report back to the department. Under the NDIS funding is now directed to the participants, meaning the costs associated with funds administrations are charged to you.  However these 'supports' are necessary and will be calculated into for package.

I will provide examples of what I understand

Option 2:           Host provider fees, staff training costs

Option 3:           Host provider fees; staff training; if employing

                           your own staff, polices checks, yellow or blue

                          cards and may be insurance.

Option 4:           All of the above plus bank fees, taxation,

                          insurance - including work cover.

These resources are added to your package.  As a employer in the disability sector, you need to ensure you follow all sections of the relevant acts.  A good self-management model should include a business plan with polices and procedures, employment and staff selection policies; and staff training models.

Something you need to consider is 'life is not going to grind to a stop while you write your NDIS plan'.  That is another goal that needs to be in your plan.  What happens when life gets messy? As we work towards transitioning to the NDIS the cycle of life continues. This is another task to add to out overcrowded stressful life. Self-care is another goal to consider, if you intend choosing option 3 or 4.

Planning for the unknown

Staff get sick and have accidents. Who will work if one of your workers is off for and extended period of time?  If you fire them then that is unfair dismissal. What if the come back to work on light duties. These are the things you need to put in your employment agreements.

But you life too can 'happen', What if you can sick and are in hospital for a few weeks? If you are administering funding on behalf your family member who is paying the bills and doing the reporting?

Success planning:  Your not going to live forever, If your family member has a Enduring Power of Anotherie do you need to update it. Where will your family member live?

If you elect to have a 'head' worker - what happens when they move on.

So planning for the unexpected may be a goal to add to your plan.

Goal:              To self-direct the administration of my NDIS

                       using a host service provide.

Model:           Elect an advisory team to assist me to self-direct.

                       If you are head of that team, you may need to

                      elect a successor.

Steps:

1. Nominate your host provider
2. Service agreement. Who is responsible for what role?
3. Nominate any service providers e.g. OT, employment agency,
4. Inform host providers for them to organise service agreements.
5. Advertise for staff you will directly employ.
6. Staff agreements and training
7. Transition to NDIS - I have a transitioning plan in my plan, so buddy-ups are paid for and staff training paid. 
8. The are many hidden costs you need to have in your NDIS plan.
9. Who is responsible for insurances and police checks - This will need to be spelt out in your service agreement.
10. Support plans and task allocations
11. Start self -directing

My aim today has been to highlight the work involved in administering your funding and the costs you need to ask the NDIA to cover in addition to other supports. As well as remind you this adds to your daily responsibility and life stressors.  So I really encourage you to think through all the requirements and talk to others who are already self-directing or form a peer support group

QDN have a group commencing on Saturday 17th September.

10 am to 12 pm, Cateria in the Humanities Building, in South Street. Next door to Council Chambers.

I will ne joining this group this journey is too scary to travel on my own.  

NDIS: How can I be involved with art?

Art is a whole brunch of things to different people. Even academics in arts fields debate over the question of what is art?  Artists vs crafts and the growth of Artisan Markets. For us it doesn't matter, whether its art; whether is craft; whether your producing for a art gallery, markets or online sales.

Your NDIS plan is about you and where you want art to fit into your lifestyle and how you wish to achieve your goals. Not everyone wants to be a professional artists.  The simple answer to my question is:  The NDIS will support you to do ART - YOUR WAY!

Some of the reasons people include art in their lives are:-

• Professionalism - A professional artist is someone who sells art.
• Enjoyment - As a hobby or interest, something they enjoy doing either alone or with others as a social activity.  Like belonging to a craft group.
• As part of a day service or support service group.  Art and craft many be one of the regular activities your service provider offers.
• My current service provider offers art and craft retreats as social activities and respite for careers.
• A learning experience -  This could be formal through University or TAFE or an informal community art class. Or a community art workshop program such as ArtISability.
• The process of creating art can boost self-esteem and self-confidence. (NB this is very different to art therapy), to me all art is therapeutic!
• Art Therapy is offered by professional physiologist and offer linked to cognitive therapy and physiologists. 
• There are another group of people who appreciate art and love visiting galleries and sometimes become art collectors.
• Employment - Arts workers and people working in the arts industry - this is a different field to being a professional artist.
• Supported or open studios -  Support Studios are currently funded by the Department of Communities and will become a specialised type of support services operating under the NDIS. Currently in Southeast Queensland their is a visual arts studio run by Access Arts Queensland and Arts From the Margins run by the Wesley Mission.
• ALARA Queensland are in the progress of restoring Dignle Dell in North Ipswich which will become home to artists using their support services.
• CPL in Queensland also offer center based 'arts' programs. When we talk about the 'arts' we are usually referring to all arts including performance, dance, music, comedy, writing, acting, film, small stage, circus and the visual arts, (which involves the product of artworks such as painting, sculpture, pottery, textiles, photography and much, much more . . . . CPL at Springfield run a multi-disciplinary  arts program which includes; music, film, computer design and graphics, visual arts and dance.
• Community Access Transitional Services Inc. offers CATS players a drama/ dance group which recently produce a short film.
• An open studio such as the Jam Factory . . . in Adelaide is a studio space used by all community artists and also runs a number of workshops and community classes.

This is by no means a exhaustive list of choices. As you start to scribble your draft NDIS goals or family goals, you make like to briefly categorized your life.  Work, Accommodation, Study & training, Social Activity, hobbies & interests, and Health & Well being.  I feel this is important as you need to ensure you have the correct "supports", to enable you achieve you goals.

If you are a professional artists working 50 plus hours a week, 2 hours support for and an art lesson isn't going to work for you.  You might be the art teacher. At the 'My Art, My Way', conference there was to hopes for artists.  The possibility of a freelance arts worker like myself being able to employ a personal assistance or an artists/support worker as a mentor.

Some "choices" we will be able to make under the NDIS remain unclear, as are services fees for supported art studio, we know art supplies will not be covered by the NDIA. It is important to note the NDIS will only pay of items and services that are directly related to your disabilities.

In terms of supplementing you income as a student you could apply for a study allowance, or their are a number of professional development grants including the Regional Arts Development Fund through the Ipswich City Council, Arts Queensland and the Australia Arts Council.

When writing your goals you want to be as specific as you can so the NDIA understands the resources to are asking for to allow you to achieve your goals. 

1. State your goal
2. Outline the steps (how you want to achieve you goal)
3. Resource (supports)

Under the NDIS "supports" are used in a slightly different way. The NDIA refers to "supports" as being both 'formal' and 'informal' supports, equipment, technology and some therapies.  So if your child has Autism art therapy may be listed as a 'resource' rather than a goal.  

The term 'goal' implies the will be a tangible outcome. Like a painting which you can sell or the set-up of an Etsy Store online.

• A goal must be tangible or measurable. Their must be a 'finish-line' so the NDIA knows when you have achieved your goal and your progress can be measure.

Example goals

• Create a body of artwork for exhibition
• Produce enough artwork for a market stall
• Set-up an online point of sale
• Paint a picture
• Do an oil painting
• Complete my Degree in Fine Arts
• Sell my artwork
• Learn ceramics
• Attend community art classes
• Attend Art Camp

While goals have a clear finish line the steps (method) you take many not be so visually clear.

For example:

Goal: Do a community art class

Step 1: Research community art classes in your area

Step 2: Enrol in drawing classes

Step 3: Attend all art classes

Note not all art classes will result in finish artwork

Goal: To attend an community art group for social interaction; self-satification and to build self-confidence in community interactions.

Goal area is; Hobbies & interests

Outcomes: Social interaction in the community and self-confidence

Measurement: Number of times attendant

Physical evidence: art work in progress or completed

This goal many not have steps, if you have already identified the group you or a family member will be attending.

Resources:  Participant to pay fees and for art supplies. 3 hours a week one-on-one support to attend the group plus some time to buy art supplies.

Goals can be long-term, short-term or immediate goals, a sound NDIS should contain a combination of goals.

• Long term goals 3 to 5 years
• Short term goals less than 3 years
• Immediate goal - can be actioned now

Example

Goal Area:     Professionalism/Work

Long term      To sell my artwork through my solo art exhibition

Short Term:   To complete a body of artwork to exhibit and sell

Immediate:     Research potential art galleries to exhibit in

Step 1:            Prepare proposal for gallery

Step 2:            Acceptance; make booking & pay deposit

Step 3:            Start making artwork

Step 4:

Note: Many gallery proposal require sample artwork and a detailed outline of what to expect from your exhibition and description of work. So you might need to make artwork before you write  your proposal. Many galleries are booked 2 to 3 years in advance so you steps may need to be changed around a little.

Resources:     Support to communicate with art galleries

                      Support with online research and writing proposal

                      Support to budget and by art supplies

                      Support to make artwork

Type of support will vary from person to person.

So how about you get started on your goal to write you NDIS plan.

                        

 

Som

Why should you consider having a mentor?

Many professionals seek out coaches and mentors in their professional life as they develop their practise. By developing your arts based practise you are becoming self-employed. Many artists make the mistake of selling there work at low prices. 

The arts industry is a tough one and few artists are able to sustain themselves on their art sales alone.  Like every other industry, the arts is govern by its own code of practise. I also found learning to navigate the different galleries difficult.  There is much to learn.

Where to make your point of sale is another pivotal point in establishing your practise.  To some extent your point of sale will depend on the art products you are producing.  A mentor can assist you to think through the various layers involved in establishing your practise and their there to support you when things don't quite go the way you hope.

A artistic mentor is not so much of a teacher as an advisor.  Those seeking a mentor should already have an art practise under development.  Or course using and artistic mentor means they can help you refine your skills and established sound practise in your studio.

Our 2017 Mentoring Program

So what types of activities could a mentor assist me with? 

• Defining your art practise and setting up your art studio
• Creating a body of work for exhibition
• Entering work into competition
• Developing a business plan, cv and portfolio
• Working with galleries
• Learning about the arts industry's code of practise
• Grant writing
• Ways to fund your arts practise
• Defining your sales point
• Using social media to promote your work
• Business set up
• Developing your artist network and linking you in to the local arts community.

Once we have our list of finalist for the program we will be doing to things:

• Look for a mentor who can best assist the applicants to achieve their nominated outcome.
• Using the applicants cv to apply for funding

The shape of our mentorship program will be driven by the participants.  At this point of our development we are not yet seeking to offer workshops and classes.  We are keen to established a sound foundation for the network.

If you would like to know more about mentoring or becoming a mentor you are welcome to attend our FREE information session on 15th September @ 5:30 pm at the coffee shop at Arttime Supplies 203 Brisbane St, Ipswich.

Please let us know if your attending by 14 Sept.  You can email us for more information.

Planning for the NDIS

Feeling like your in a maze as you prepare for meet with your NDIS planer? You are definitely not alone.  The major change you need to understand to give you choice and control of the NDIS package you or your family will receive is the support give is assigned according to you NDIS goals.

The NDIS encourages families and individuals to 'live their best life'. They want people to live lives that reflect those of their peers and where possible fully participate in the community. So the first clue in writing goals is they should lead to increased community participation.

It's cool to have goals around independent living and becoming more independent at home, if that leads to community involvement for family members and the participant. One of the key agenda's of the National Disability Insurance Scheme is to increase the independence of people living with disabilities over time and support people to move out of home. This is one of the solutions to the aging carer problem.  Imagine seeing you child settled before you pass on.

Planning and writing your NDIS goals requires you to think about:

• What do I want my or my child's life to look like in three years time?
• What do I want my or my child's life to look like in five years time?
• What do I want my or my child's life to look like in ten years time?
• What do I want  my child's life to look like after I'm gone.

The NDIS gives us a great reason to think and look forward to the future. It is easy to get caught in the here and now, and the day to day struggle of living with disability.

I have written a pretty detailed plan of how I want my like to look like in three years for my joining the NDIS as a participant. However that what works for me, that may not suit you needs and if your writing goals for your child and your family you should talk to all family members.  What happens if one of the primary care gives gets sick or passes away?

Life will not stop because you now need to write your NDIS plan.  That why regardless of how you intend to manage you funding we are encouraging you to starting talking about the future.  The word goals is a fancy way of asking, what do you want your life to look like or what do you want to do?

So maybe its easier to talk about what do you want to do and how do you want to do it?

So if you or your child is a social butterfly and loves being involved in social activities, playing sports, days trips and gardening.  Is the day center their now attending or is their a better way to do things, will a change extend their social skills and independence.  Is this a good time or a bad time to introduce change.

These answers will be different for everyone and this is how support with become for individual.  So there is another choice you make along the way, do I stay with what I know works for us, or is there some thing better?

Do you know what's other there? Have you talked to others at your current provider?  Is it worth jumping online and reading what other services are available?

Part of the way out of the maze is to explore options, don't lock yourself in too soon.  Selecting your support services or employing your own staff is one of your last decisions.

So one goal we all share is to transition to the NDIS. So one of my NDIS goals is my transitional goal. Saying good bye to my current providers in the right way, as I want a smooth transition, I'd like my current support workers to do buddy shifts, so I need to ask for funding for transitioning.

What about costs?  How much can I spend?  I don't have that answer.  I do know you need to ask for costs like the training of new staff. A key to deciding ehat costs you need the NDIA to cover is deciding who you want your NDIS package to be administered. This is about you being in control of how and where your funding is spent.

Yes their is a lot of work to prepare for the transitioning to the NDIS, but laying a good foundation now can save work into the future.

Ways to administer your funding are:-

1. Ask the NDIA to pay for your supports on your behalf.  If you are currently receiving support this is how it works now. If this works well for you great! or
2. Chose a support host provider. This is like a broker they hold your funding and administer and pay for the supports you nominate to use.  The NDIA will cover a host providers fees. It is important to know your host provider can not provide any other supports on your behalf.
3. Use a host provider to self-direct your own support services. There are a few different models you can choose. Basically in terms of self-directing you can do as much or as little as you like in directing your support but the host provider will oversee and make payments on your behalf. or
4. You can apply for an Australian Business Number and set up your own small business and directly employ your own support team.  The NDIA will event pay for some training to help you do this.  There is lots to learn about the legal responsibility involved.

So there is lots to think about and to talk about with others before you make that appointment with your planner.  Here's some advice from Jack's mum.

Don’t go in unprepared

Don’t go to meetings alone

Read/listen to everything about the NDIS that you can (webinars, factsheets etc)

Go to any NDIS Information Sessions you can

Ask questions

Call the help line

Speak to other participants/families

Join a NDIS participant facebook group

Follow good Facebook pages like The Growing Space and InCharge

Learn the language: choice and control, goals and aspirations, reasonable and necessary, self-direction, self-management, service providers, support workers, support categories.

Artisan Market of Deb Chilton

Form the Octopus Garden . . .

Mugs $ 20 each

For postage prices visit me

Etsy Store

Tote Bags $ 25 each

Hand painted cards

$ 4 each or 3 for $10

1

Pens $10 each

Post Cards

$5 for a set of 10 with envelopes.

Post Cards

for more information and postage costs

visit my Etsy Store

 0

Hand painted Card $ 4 each

Original hand painted cards

1 of each design only

See more of my designs

visit my Esty Store

My hand painted cards can also be

purchased in a set of 3 for $10

Visit my Etsy Store

for postage costs

2016 Mixed Media

"Twins"

$200.00

2016 Watercolour

"Peak-a-boo"

$160.00

2016 Mixed Media

"A bit green"

$250.00

2016 Mixed Media

"Ooo Jelly Fish"

$200.00

2015 Mixed Media

"Golden Gem"

$ 200.00

2015 "Dark Horse"

Water media

$ 180.00

2016 Mixed Media (A4 size)

Lord Edward

$150.00

2016 Mixed Media (> A4 size)

Silver Gem

$150.00

2016 Mixed Media (A4 size)

Spike

$200.00

Frame Artwork currently unavailable

through my Etsy store,

Message me if interested to

discuss delivery options.

Payment arrangements can then

be discussed.

You can purchase my work

Online

At Salisbury in Spring

10 th September

33 Salisbury Rd

Ipswich

Or in person if I am known to you.

Let's Talk Disability!

Disability Action Week

11th to 17 th September

Inclusion: It's a game changer

\

Please Include Us In

Inclusion bring a sense of belonging and we I hang out with my mates from Arts Connect I know I one of them.  I am rubbish in jest and I am respected for my knowledge about art and the arts industry. However only a few people with disabilities actually feel included.

As we has seen disability refers to an impairment of normal human function. In the main the impairment is restricted to one of the following: physical, intellectual, learning, neurological, social, behavioural, sensory, or psychological. A small percentage have a Dural diagnoses or a complex disability.

Here are a few disabilities like acquired brain injuries, cerebral palsy and spine bifida that change have but not always result in memory or intellectual disabilities as well as physical.  My own type of CP is a physical disorder, as is my friend Mariela.

Many other factors can impact on a persons ability to function in the community, besides their impairment. Mariela and I both had parents who refused to let of diagnoses define us.  We both graduated from uni and run our own business. Our lives reflect those of our able body peers. 

Many others are disabled by other factors such as social and economic, parentage, access to education and early intervention programs, and environments. Two people can have the same diagnoses but due to these variables the lives look very different. 

People who don't know me tend to treat me as though my impairments has taken over my body and all its human functions and my mind.  So assume I was born without my reproduction organs.  The assumptions others make never seemed to amaze me.

Likewise many people assume people with intellectual disabilities are unable to learn, read and write or make decisions. Impairment involving learning are referred to learning disabilities. I also have a learning disability called dyslexia, which I have learnt to overcome, so not all learning disabilities impair the ability to learn all together.

When we refer to Intellect we are usually referring to IQ levels.  IQ affects areas such as  significant difficulties in adaptive behaviours and daily living skills such as self-care, communication and community participation. A person is diagnosed with a intellectual disability if their IQ is lower than 70.  In has no impact on the learning or memory process at all.

Intelligence refers to the way we perceive information. Many people with intellectual disabilities are slower to process information, however that does not make it impossible to learn. Given the right supports the is not reason they can not graduate for year 12 or beyond. 

In the past people who were illiterate, sensory or had learning disabilities were also thought to be intellectual disabilities.  Intellectual function is very different to learning functioning. However intellectual function can cause other types of impairments leading to social disability, now being referred to as complex behaviours.

As late as the 1950's most people born with any type of disability were institutionalise and very little was understood about disabilities how it impact on a person.  Its was assumed all people with disabilities were mindless and as I have demonstrated we have yet to corrected in the general public.

It wasn't until advances in modern medicine that people were surviving previously disease which are now preventable and more people like myself survive.  We are still learning much about the distinction between disability. Intellectual impairment do not impact the ability to learn. learning disabilities do!

So are you can imagine people with disabilities can achieve on the same level as everyone else unless there has been massive brain injuries resulting in the type of disabilities where people are bed ridden and have not ability to interact.

It is illegal to discriminate on the grounds of disability. Yet human nature still wants to box us in and put us all in the one size fits all box. I talk earlier in the week on how our IQ level does not predict how people will perform at school and the fact that IQ levels can be affected by the administrator of the test.

The is no medical reason why someone with a moderate intellectual disability can not make decisions, other than the fact society has taught them the skills.  We who live with impairments are not disabled by our impairment but the social, economical and physical structures of our society.

Working towards building inclusive communities requires address the current structures the prove an obstacle for some members of our community. The aim of Disability Action Week is to empower people with disabilities; Raise Disability Awareness; and improve access and inclusion in the wider community.  It is not about celebrating what make us different.

If you'd like to meet some very talented artists and have a go at some creative activities yourself. Then you can join the CPL; Ipswich City Council and ArtISabilty to celebrate Disability Action Week on

9th & 10th September

In Darcy Doyle Place

Opening of . . .

Make Your Mark Art Exhibition

11 am 9 th September

Ipswich Community Gallery

Artistic Activities 12 pm to 3 pm

or

Visit the exhibition between 10 am and 2 pm

on Saturday 10 th and enjoy arts activity,

dance, music, theater and visual arts.

Make you make exhibition continues

Monday and Tuesday

10 am to 4 pm