ndis beginning to motor on

Hi, for those who are new to my blog, my name is Deb and my ndis goals are based around, extending my visual art practice; self- managing and self-directing my own supports; maintaining my independence and working towards an inclusive art community in Ipswich.                                                                                                         

Ndis was designed to enable people with disabilities to participate in the larger community. For me that is around art and exhibiting my work in order to sell it.  I do this through working with art galleries; belonging to Ipswich Arts Connect and Arts Access Australia; and selling my artwork on Etsy.

I am a member of Aspire Gallery

Here I am at our Printmaking Group Exhibition

Some of my direct support hours are used to help me network with other artists; attend openings of art exhibitions; work with gallery directors and owners; produce artwork to sell and photograph my work for my portfolio. 

The ndis funds supports that are 'reasonable and nescessary' to allow participants to achieve their nominated goals.  These supports can include: direct support in home and in the community; respite care; centre-based support; daily living skills; equipment, assisted technology and modifications, consumables related to your supports and disabilities; e.g. new tyres for your wheelchair; therapy to enhance your independence and assistance to manage your funding.

What this looks like for you will depend on: you age; your accommodation arrangements; how you need support; your current support network; and your ndis goals.  The ndis is about delivering an individual response to the support needs of families and individuals. 

Working in my art studio and exploring "pop-art"

Like many others I too have struggled with the start-up with ndis.  In late June I entered into my second year plan which saw me redefine my goals and add building my own team of support workers. After many years of struggling to fit the traditional support model, I have been able to step away and create my own team and choose the services I want to access.

For a scheme designed to improve community access, the ndis has a few access issues of its own.  If you are struggling to find your ndis pathways, may I recommend calling or visiting your local area office and networking with others who are also struggling to access the scheme.  As a participant I am regularly providing feedback to the ndia to improve the access process for others.  At the end of the day, the ndis is run by a group of individuals who sometimes make mistakes. Don't take this personally, but feel confident in asking for reviews when appropriate.

Many are experiencing long delays in reviews, access services and equipment. In my first plan I wanted a wheelchair to cater for my work in the community.  This was not achieved due to an overloaded system and a shortage of qualified staff to process the applications. Along with my second year plan I received a give cause for what I asked for as it was not 'reasonable and necessary'.  The nids has approved my chair, but dispute many of the access requirements, many of which relate to my seizures and safety.  My therapist has included my seizure management plan, a reminder of post seizure care and has referred them back to my ndis goals to work in the arts community. I do not know how long this review will take.

However, this week my new moter for my existing chair arrived and I am all set to attend FUSED festival running from the 7th to 9th September.  Well . . . there's a few more art pieces to create before them. I will also have an art display of my "POP ART" at Arttime's front of store during September, but I feel peaceful knowing I have the correct supports in place, including a reliable support team.  

''Roger" is actually my piece for Arts From the Margins'

Exhibition as part of the Brisbane Festival.

The ndis may still deliver on what it promised.  The key is to be clear on your own goals and how you and your family want to achieve these.  Exercise your right for your access needs to be addressed. Remember people make errors and your local area coordinator (LAC) may not be to blame or be prepared.  Those with forward planning are the most satisfied with their outcomes. 

Well I am off to zoom into festival season 2018!

Lots of colour thanks to the ndis

'I will be there . . . 

This week was full of colour. I visited one of my favourite stores 'Bunnings' with my support worker.  I purchased brightly coloured paint for my 'pop art' series, and found flowers to add colour to my garden.

My ndis funding enables me to be part of the local art community, create art, and run a small business. And every now and then . . . my artwork sells. 

Sold at Aspire Gallery this week! 

The ndis supports participants like me to achieve their goals and be part of their communities through providing support and equipment to enable them to 'live a normal life'.

Every now and then we are reminded we are something bigger than ourselves. We are part of God's plan of salvation. However as I said good-bye to Penny, she reminded us 'Without crucifixion there can be no resurrection'.  She penned these words a Easter time.  Penny coloured the life of all who knew her and I wish she could have seen how many lives she coloured and knew she, 'mattered'.

 I was able to ask my key worker to drop me at the church and meet a colleague and pick up art supplies, while I spent time with my friends celebrating Penny. What meant the most was knowing I could leave at a time that suited me and not rely on others.

Thanks to the ndis I am living a 'normal life' and celebrating life, the way God intended.

ndis on the merry-go-round

Hiding Ipswich Rocks in Browns Park.

Old fashioned 'merry-go-rounds' were banned from playgrounds for a good reason, they were dangerous and not accessible for people with disability.  Yet all levels of government applaud the introduction of the ndis time consuming endless hoops. 

This week after 3 months to get a quote and report to the ndis for a new powerchair, six months waiting for a decision, old chair could die any day, repairs quote submitted 3 months ago.  This week was spent trying to access a document about myself and why the ndia wants more information.  Well its Friday and I am still waiting for an appointment, because I need to prove I can pay a provider to write a report requested by the ndis.

In September I have a 3 day art festival, I am told my new chair could be up to six months away.  I have been told the money is there to repair my chair, but because that it is not worded on my plan I can not order the parts.  My Plan Manager will not action the repairs. My last option is to hire a chair for the event. When I attempted to do this the retailer said they doubted I could afford the Bond and refused to provide further information. 

So I am praying my old chair holds out even through 3 months ago I was told the moter had 3 to 4 months life.  Please tell me why I have not been proactive in avoiding this event.  ndis was designed to increase participation.  Navigating a simple purchase or repair is impossible. Once my current chair dies I need to either push my manual chair (I paid for not the government) or walk.  This use of energy will effectively lock me out of the community until the ndis delivers a new power chair. 

However, ask anyone who works in the disability sector, due to my disability I do not need to work, I therefore am at home to receive their service at a time they choose and they may or may not show up and I'll discover it when it occurs.  As I'll be home anyway, so what's the big deal?

So please don't ask how my week was or where my new chair is or how I managed to deliver my work to the gallery on time for the exhibition next week.

ndis we're not always a perfect fit!

One of the reason's for the roll out of the ndis is we're not always a perfect fit!  My name is Deb and I've just started working to my second plan's goals. During my first plan I tried lots of things that weren't a great fit for me or some of the services or workers I engaged. 

I am a visual artist living in the Ipswich area and my goal for my first plan was to extend my visual arts practise and I achieved that through my membership at Aspire Gallery in Paddington Brisbane.  Last year I participated in several group exhibitions and I also had a solo art exhibition at Drawing Point Gallery in Ipswich.

During my second plan I hope to have an solo exhibition outside the region I live in.  Some of the ways my direct support hours are used to assist me to achieve my goals are:- supporting me in my home art studio; visiting art galleries, delivering my art to galleries and assisting with social media to promote my artwork. This is in addition to using support hours to assist me to live independently and access the community for things like shopping, medical appointments, visiting parks and cafes.

 Because we're all individuals and enjoy doing different activities, ndis provides more choices in the way participants can be supported to participate in things like education, sport, the arts, work and volunteering.  Each participant will also require a different level of support, thus it was recognised that individual support plans needed to be developed for individual needs and the goals they aim to achieve. 

Under the ndis goals are just the things you enjoying doing or might like to try.  For some people that involves education and for others like me it means employment.  During my first plan I self-managed my own funding.  This meant I could engage anyone who had an ABN to enter in the ndis portal. This is how people are paid for the services you access under the ndis.  However as a busy artists who is active in the local community I didn't want to do everything myself so I engaged a Plan Manager to give me a hand with some aspects, like ensuring the right codes are punched into the portal.  Leaving me time to create and exhibit art. 

I am trying to continue on with engaging support the way I always have through a support provider, I hoped by moving to one support service to meet all my direct support needs, ie. personal care, in home support and accessing the community I would be able to organize my support needs around my art commitments.  As many activities I take part in are outside working hours, so traditional support services can't accommodate my choices.  Traditional services aren't a good fit for me.

My advice is it may take you a while to discover what works or what doesn't for your family.  I am now self-directing my own support team and again everyone who chooses this option will do it differently. One of my goals for my second year plan is to establish a solid base to self-direct.  

The first way I am achieving this is to engage a Senior Support Person or Team Leader. My team leader acts very much as a personal assistant organising me to get from A to B; doing errands; delivering art and doing the shopping so I can create art to market and sell.  In addition to this my team leader does most of my support coordination, recruitment, training, rosters and ensures everyone gets paid. 

I have engaged staff in several ways; recruiting through a recruitment agency; engaging in a self-directing support service, contract staff with their own ABN and through online platforms like Better Caring.  Sometimes we don't know if I and a team member with be a fit for a few weeks or even months. Every now and again I find either I grate on a worker or vice versa.  Even though I might think they are a neat person. That doesn't make anyone right or wrong. So sometimes it takes a while to find the right fit. 

Communication is a strange thing; there are times when I think I've been clear only to find somehow there has been a misunderstanding. I also need to remind myself that I am a weirdo.  I am an artists and we know artist's have big ego's and of course I am right!!! I always struggle to work with other artists in my studio so for the protection of other artists I won't hire them to support me any more. I think I am too set in my own ways in my studio and my network seems to be working well. 

So my journey of discovery continues, I am still discovering what works and what doesn't, I don't always find people I work well with. Sometimes trials don't work.  However hopefully I can learn from past mistakes and discover a team that is a good fit with a weirdo!