ndis and changing lives

My name is Deb Chilton and I've been blogging about my ndis journey since I began to think about what my life could look like under the ndis, can I tell you it is looking great and I'm standing tall. The National Disability Insurance Scheme or ndis is a national approach to supporting people with disabilities and family members to fully participant in community life, this includes schooling, education, employment, training and development, civic duties, sports and recreation; and arts and entertainment.  We are moving from a 'system of care' to a scheme that empowers people and families with disabilities to determine what they want their lives to look like.  There are 1.6 million people in Australia living with disabilities, the 460 000 Australian who directly benefit from support received through the ndis need assistance with daily living tasks.  This could include: everyday personal care; meals; housework; medications; transport; schooling; education; community life; money management; behavioural support; making friendships; and developing life skills.

So why is the ndis for every Australian? At the heart of the ndis is a universal need for belonging, It is time to acknowledge that people with disabilities and their family members belong! 

With belonging to a community comes 'rights and responsiblities'. Participants can not have one without the other; the right to determine 'how you want your life to look' and the types of supports you access comes with legal and moral obligations.  This challenges our traditional views that people with disabilities need caring for.  The truth is their are times in our lives that all Australians need care and we should not be seeing that as different or unusual.  In fact to acknowledge that is one step towards embracing inclusion and welcoming people with disabilities into our schools; places of education, training and development; the workforce, civic activities, decision making, arts and entertainment; and sports and recreation.  As Australians we all need some levels of protection too and to achieve that we have the rule of law.  State and federal laws govern every Australians life. So it is time to move together and empower people with disability to play apart in decision making especially when it comes to their own lives. So the question of whose lives are changing under the ndis should be 'everyones'.

More directly it is the lives of the 460 000 Australians living with disability.  The majority of disabilities are unseen and most people with disabilities need no assistance to live daily lives; those who do need various level of support. For someone who is unable to walk the only types of assistance they will require is a wheelchair, house and car modifications and maybe medical supplies. 

However their a those living in the community who struggle with things such as communication, sensory stimulation's, acting appropriatly, decision making and their are a small number of people who require assistance with every faucet of their lives, these are the participants that may require some type of traditional 'care and protection'.  However this traditional models need to change for all participants, if we are to ensure every Australian has the same rights to self-determine the types of supports they want to access.

In the main these individuals are under the Adult Guardian and these are the individuals whose plans will be directly managed by the ndia.  Under new federal laws any supports paid through the ndis must not place and individual at risk of harm (it is vital we don't let these protections rob participants of their right to choice in order to protect them).

The key to the success of the ndis is that ALL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES are participating in their local community at a level their individual impairment(s) allow, guided by the people in their lives who know them best, I count myself in this as I too ask for input from friends, colleagues and professionals as I manage my own supports.  

One of the original concepts of the ndis was it would pay for itself overtime, something even the federal government has lost sight of as the wheels appear to be falling off. The key to achieving this I believe is the word ' participation'.  Support under the ndis was not design to look after people in their own homes.  Rather 'supports' under the ndis should be maximizing participants level of independents in the community, for someone like me that's a personal assistant, that allows me to safely be out and about; for others its a piece of equipment; training and development; or individualized therapies.  

One of the more ambitious goals of the ndis was to see more people with disabilities participating in the workforce and earning a equal income.  For me personally this has been the case. I have always worked in some compasity after graduating from uni, but never in a paid role.  Not only is my small business growing I am about to be employed by Hirer-Up to work with individuals and families to achieve greater participation in the workforce, including business development skills. 

In growing my art practice, I now have a partnership with the 'Retro Diner'. My artwork decorates their walls, I have designed and hand printed a signature Retro Diner rememberalia  and staff uniforms will soon also bear my mark. 

You will find 'Deb's Corner' in Brisbane St in the Ipswich CBD.  My selected gift ware range is avoidable at Art Smith's in Arttime Supplies, Limestone Emporium and of course the Retro Diner.  My joining the Hirer Up platform is a chance to increase my engagement with participants who want to grow their compasity through accessing their ndis funds or set up and direct their own supports.  My main goal remains to exhibit and sell my artwork outside the Ipswich area. The reality of achieving this goal came a step closer this week with an acceptance of my art exhibition @ Geaser Gallery in early 2019.  Look out for more information on my Transformations exhibition in the new year. 

Increased employment opportunities for people with disabilities is one target area in the scheme, but the scheme was design to give social and economic support to local community, through creating new jobs and people with disabilities having more income to spend,  One of those new jobs is my consultant role at Hirer Up.  Hirer Up is a online platform to link participants to support workers who provide various type of one to one supports.  Such as inhome, personal care, community access, transport, training and education, mentoring and supports coorindations.  

ndis allows more Queenslanders to be supported to undertake their daily living task creating tens of thousands of new jobs.  I myself directly employ two staff and access another three staff through Hirer-UP. One of my team members works full time as my PA ensuring I am where I need to be on any given day, which on some days she is supporting me in my home studio.  Through using me ndis 'core' funding to self-direct my own supports, I am receiving many more business opportunities and now part-time work.  I will also be undertaking my first art residence in 2019 at Roderick Street Kindy.  I now need to print a work shirt to say my 2019 calender is full.

My ndis journey has change my life and will bring opportunities for me and my community in the years to come.