Open for business through ndis support

My stock at Limestone Emporium 

My ndis goals are centered around my growing visual art practice and seeking opportunities to find new audiences and opportunities. I have other goals such a building my own support team to self-direct; assisting to build an inclusive community in Ipswich through advocacy and community engagement and maintaining a high level of independence. 2018 has been a year to explore different art markets and ways for selling my artwork.  As such, I have paid for advertising on Facebook; uploaded work to Redbubble for digital printing; worked hard and developing my Etsy store; and enter art competitions outside the Ipswich region.  

'Harmony' on the wall at Black Snake Creek Art Festival

in Marburg Lockyer Valley

It is difficult to determine the success of different approaches I've tried in 2018 due to a flat art market.  I do know that my prints have sold well at Aspire Gallery, and my most popular print is the zany cat below. 

Love me . . . Love me not!

I also know the first business principle is visibility!  No one is going to buy my artwork if it is unseen, or lost in the 100 000's of artwork been marketed on the Internet.  I do not see how an artist can grow their art practice without both a physical presence in the art market and some type of Internet social media.  You need to tell potential customers where to find your work.  To date, Internet sales points have no yielded results, but there's been a few nibbles. 

One of the many art exhibition openings

I have attended in 2018

When it comes to finding art opportunities the other key ingredient is networking.  I belong to ArtsConnect Ips, a vibrant art community where we support each other; share creative ideas and opportunities to exhibit and sell artwork.  Its a lot of fun but its also hard work at times. 

Friendships through belonging to an

arts community.

Much of this growth in my art practice would not be possible if I wasn't a participant in the National Disability Insurance Scheme, known as the ndis.  The ndis is the first national approach to disability support in Australia, ensuring no matter what your post code is, you have the same access to disabilities supports and needed equipment.  Everyone who participates in the ndis should be undergoing a national standard intake process. We of course know that where people are involved mistakes and misunderstandings occur and that's why participants and the support person needs to be active in advocating for their needs and accessing the review process where needed.  Everyone has a right to make a complaint and be heard, however a large amount of misinformation is still out there and you need to understand the key principles under riding the ndis.  Too many participants attend planning meetings unprepared or go in with an unrealistic shopping list.  I have lots of previous posts about preparing for planning meetings and how to advocate for yourself or the person you support, if this is a current struggle for you I recommend you take a look back at previous posts. 

At work in my home studio

Every participants budget begins with a planning meeting with a Local Area Coordinator (LAC). This may take place over the phone or in person. The structure of your ndis plan and thus your budget is based on your individual goals, not your disability; what you can't do or the service providers you want to access.  So if your pre-planning is around these areas you will struggle.  So what are ndis goals and how do you develop them?

The simplest way to think about ndis goals is the things you want to do or how you want your future to look.  The best place to start is to list your daily activities, more than likely these are the things you need support to do like get ready for school or work; or interact in your community. Some participants and there families will have long term goals such as finishing school and maximising independence; others will want to continue life as it is; and some participants will want to try new things.  

Supports paid under your plan are determined by your goals; how you want to achieve them and how you required to be supported.  Your LAC will not know you or your current support network, you need to paint an accurate picture of what life looks like; to do this you need to provide additional information to the questionnaire, as it is unlikely to paint an accurate picture of your life.

The definition of 'support' has changed. The definition is now broader than just your direct support needs and services you want to access.  You now have choices on who will administer your funds; who provides your equipment and repairs and access to therapy which will improve your daily living.  Anything related to your plan and how you want to structure your supports needs to be requested in your planning meeting such as support coordination.  If the questionnaire does not lead to a discussion in an area you think you need support then you need to raise it.  You need to think how your support will be structured and administrated prior to this. 

Every participant will have different pathways and plan structures depending on their disability; goals; support needs and support structure. I can only share my own story, the choices I made to arrive at my current supports structures. The more accurate information you can access about how to structure your supports; the services you will choose, the more likely you will be satisfied with your supports.  This information is not freely offered or easy to find but in previous posts I have shared tips to access information needed to make informed decisions so flick back through my posts. 

Doodles and Dribbles opened for business

Some of my artwork hangs in a

local coffee shop and I am designing 

their summer uniform.

Don't let traditional pathways limit your opportunities and think outside the box and take advantage of opportunities as they present. I am no longer able to trade as a sole trader so in September I formally took ownership of a business called Doodles and Dribbles. Day to day my business continues to develop the same but legally I now own a small business and all small business owners work incredibly hard. 

In terms of the structure of my ndis supports I self-manage.  To do this you will need to prove your ability to do so, however supports available to do this are countless and easy to access. In terms of self-managing word or mouth, recommendation and my networking with other participants serve me best.  As a small business owner  book keeping tasks, data entry and invoices is something I am keen to avoid as it is time consuming and vital to get correct so I opted to use a plan manager. 

A plan manager is responsible for ndis reporting; payment of invoices and an overall budget picture.  The participant is responsible to find service providers; suppliers of consumables; obtaining equipment quotes; and negotiating service agreements. In addition to this I self-direct my own support team.  It is a lot of work and I tried to avoid it, but in the end it was the only option that could yield the support structure I wanted.  For the first time since I accessed support services I can say my life looks the way I want and I am truly happy living an artists life.  This should be the outcome for every participants. The truth is few people in life every find their true passion and this makes me feel truly blessed.  That's not to say the sailing is smooth. There are always hitches to correct and countless phone calls to find the information to correct hitches.  

How hard can it be to issue an invoice and pay for it on my behalf. My key support worker and I do it everyday in running my business, but for a support service it seems impossible and hours are spent seeking corrections. They are paid to do this, I am not.  However I am aware in terms of navigating the ndis I am fairing  better than most.

My other main ndis goal is independence and this falls under  my improved daily living budget. As a single person living a creative lifestyle and business from home as you can imagine accommodation to support this lifestyle is very important too me.  Living in a smaller unit or with others would be very difficult after living on my own with various cats for 20 years.  An issue for all people with disability and their families is what happens as participants age and family members pass away.  Living on my own may not always be an option, but there are choices I can make now to optimise my choices as I age. The ndis takes a lifespan approach to disability support and desires to invest in participants independence and quality of life. 

For me this is where things like physio, ot assessments and assisted technology come in.  My choice to live independently is important to do so I want to ensure my safety.  I do not want to rely on 24 hour care as I deeply value my personal space. Space I use to create, rest and recharge.  Participants all have their own needs and one of my is emotional and physical well being.  To achieve this I am supported by a physio to build endurance and use assisted technology.  

This includes a safe alarm which allows me to call for help if I am home alone. There are many types of safety systems on the market. If this is something that interest you, you will need to consider your individual needs and support networks.  The system I use has a 24 hour call center, it I don't answer they call 000 and a family member who has a key, if I can talk to the other person on the line, I can ask them to call someone to assist with basic first aid or arrange getting me to my gp.  

I now use some of my support hours

to maintain my courtyard garden. 

When it comes to advising others on establishing ndis paid support system it is difficult as plans are now so personalised.  I can tell you that ndis staff want to support you to make your own choices; be as independent as possible and live a quality of life.  The passport to your success is planning and accessing the right information and a network who can help you make good choices around your ndis plan. 

You are your (or the person you care for) best advocate.  If theis involves making a complaint or seeking a review then you need to stand-up to the plate. For me I focus on building my business so let me know if you're interested in buying my art!

My Christmas range can be purchased

visit my Esty store