Rolling on with my ndis gaols

Planing for your future under the ndis involves setting your goals. Transitioning to the ndis should create choices and new opportunities for your family. However any change brings stress and uncertainty, even one of the most exciting days of our life for example a wedding day or birth of a child comes with mixed emotions.

The best way to view the ndis is an opportunity to explore and make changes, if that is what you want. If that is not what you want expressing your goals to your planner will ensure current supports remain in plan.  Just be mindful that under the ndis 'supports' are boarder and includes such things as home modifications. equipment and therapies. Your ndis planner/Local Area Coordinator will advise you where these fit in your plan.

What are goals?

• Things you want to do.
• Things you want to achieve
• That reflect your daily activities.

General the ndis is looking for 3 goals. Two goals you will undertake in the first year and a longer term goal.  Your goals or the activities you undertake will change overtime. For example when your child finishes school or you move out of home. Under the ndis your supports are determine by 'the things you want to do' and how and who with you want to do those things.

For example you might want to learn to dance. Ways you could achieve your goals are:-

• Individual coaching/support
• As part of a class supported by a support worker
• Through a group organised by a disability support provider
• As part of your providers activities or social groups.

So not only is your plan about you and the life you want to live, but how you chose to do those activities.  The ndis also allows you to chose your support provider, types of support services (i.e. individual or group setting) and the times you do activities. Foe some people this many not impact their daily lives.

Your goals can be around any aspect of your life:

• Independence
• Life skills
• Education/training
• Where you live
• Lifestyle choices
• Work
• Sport
• Hobbies and Interests

You can now chose how you want your funding to be administrated or managed. There 3 main options are:

• Ask the ndis to do this for you
• Ask someone else to do it for you
• Do it yourself.

If you chose to do it yourself like me, the ndis will make money available for someone to support you to do this well. Or it might be you parents who are doing this on your behalf.  I self-manage through a Plan Manager, my Plan Manager allows me to elect what I will do and the things I ask them to do.  I ask my manager to pay  my invoices and do my reporting.

Until now I have engaged supports from Disability Support Providers, in the same way I did prior to then ndis.  As my supports are individual supports I am now choosing to engage my own support staff with the assistance of my planer and a recruitment organisation.

Today I looked at what my responsibilities are as a representative of the provider I have chosen.  I have elected to recruit and employ my workers on behalf of my Plan Manager, this means my staff will follow the polices and procedures of the organisations, and I have delegated authority to ensure all obligations of an employer are meet.  My Plan Manager will pay my staff as directed by me and I will signed their time sheets. 

I have set pay rates under the award and determine the number of workers I need to recruit. For now I will engage my current support provider to provide my in-home support. Providing me will security and back-up of my workers are ill. Now its on to recruitment.

So what are my ndis goals?

Long term I want to become a ndis provider of support to artists with disabilities through Ignite Artists.

Short term I want to purchase mobility aids to support me to work independently in my community as a visual artists.

My second goal is to establish me art practise in Ipswich, through developing my skills and networks.

My goals do not state how I will be supported or indicate any providers I might engaged.  These were determine after my plan was approve and a changing as I become more empowered to self-direct my supports.  This will not be the case for everybody. 

If you are planning no changes to your supports you will still need to establish new agreements with your current providers, but you can delegate someone to assist you with this task.

Transferring to the ndis should empower you:-

1. Make your own choices
2. Chose how you funding is managed.
3. Chose how you want to be supported
4. Chose your support provider(s) and/or support workers
5. Chose the service or product the service provider will be providing.
6. Determine the length of the agreement. (It doesn't need to be 12 months.)
7. Some providers will enable you to chose you support workers and times, but you need to check this before signing the agreement and all agreements must be accompanied by a quote and providers have the right to know you have the ability to pay.   

If you find this is not your experience or you have concerns about your ndis plan then the first step is to discuss this with your local area coordinator or your representative. You have the right to request a review, 

Where you feel a provider is not giving you choice or empowering you to make choices you can:-

• Make a complaint. 
• Ask your local area coordinator for advice.
• Ask a representative to support you to talk to the provider.
• Chose an advocacy service to advocate on your behalf. 

Early findings show those who have thought through the goals and activities they want to under take find the transition easier.  Things to prepare are:-

1. List of current activities and supports (not providers or workers)
2. New activities you would like to include and the type of supports you will need.
3. List of all current supports, aids, technologies, therapies
4. List of informal supports provided by family and friends
5. A support person who understands the ndis objectives. 

With less than a month to go until the opening of my next solo art exhibition is less than a month away you can imagine I been busy working on this.  In terms of my ndis goals, this falls under my growing my art practise. 

Those who know me know I have two passions, one is art and the other is advocating for people with disabilities.  My upcoming exhibition - The Melting Pot combines my to passions.  I hope the exhibition begins a discussion on how to build an inclusive community.

This week I have used my support to photograph my artwork, deliver my artwork to the framer; develop doll stands for display and finishing touches. My invitations are now printed so pm me for a copy or Visit my Facebook Event Page.