The ABC of the ndis

STREET TALK

Talk on the street of Ipswich Queensland where the ndis has been rolling out since June is one of disappointment. Certainly I have experienced a few of those along the way myself.  However readers of my blog know this is not with the ndis itself, but service providers who are struggling to catch up with the increased demand for service's and adjust to the new thinking about how disability care should be delivered to participants.

Let's unpack the box as to why participants may be feeling disappointed and tools and resources that may address for issues.

A is for Aspirations. Some people say . . . I am 45, never had support, so why bother? 

You should bother because the ndis is about enabling you to live your best life, not just providing support in your home or to access the community. The ndis also provides assistance to purchase new mobility equipment, communication devices, things to make things easier in your home, house and car modifications and access to specialise therapies to improve daily living. These are great reasons to apply to be supported by the ndis. 

Much miscommunication existed in the lead up to the roll out. Many view the scheme as a welfare item.  This is certainly not the concept behind the ndis.  The ndis is designed to enable individuals and families to live their best life.

The ndis is a scheme for all Australians not just those living with disability. The scheme seeks to maximised the independence of those participating in the scheme.  True the level of disability of some participants means the will always be totally dependent on others. However where the ndia feels independence can be improved it seeks to support and grow this independence.

Why is it said the ndis is for all Australians?  The ndis seeks to address the social and economic imbalance for those living with disability and their families.  These families are more likely to live in poverty, be dependent on welfare, have poor legal representation and face discrimination. These are issues for our society as a whole. 

If the ndis can address these issues through empowerment of those living with disability and capacity building to help communities embrace inclusion.  Those directly accessing the scheme are known as participants, as the key goal for each participant is to be an active member who contributes to the social and economical development of the community as a whole. 

Contribution through the arts

Participants should be involved in the community at all levels. This could be through education, looking for work, employment, social participation, sporting activities, recreation, accommodation needs, health n fitness or anything that you feel will enhance you quality of life.  The ndis is all about participants making their own choices.

   

What do you need to life your best life? 

I am developing a passion for travel


How can you participate in the ndis 

There are 3 levels of participation for families and people living with disability. Discuss tends to focus around those in tire 1.  These are individuals and families who need specialised assistance to participate in the community and live their daily lives. 

You can directly access the scheme if: 

• You have  a life time disability
• Under the age of 65
• Who needs assistance with there day to day life.  (This does not need to be individual support, it could be assistance to purchase and maintain mobility equipment or assistance with just the heavy cleaning stuff)
• Are an Australian citizen or resident

Previously you and/or your family may not have been eligible for assistance from you state or territory government.  Let me reassure you the ndis is a game changer. We  have moved from a medical care model of disability to a model where individuals and families living with disability participate in the planning and selection of their own supports. 

You can check your eligibility on the ndis website  

From prescription to purchasing power  

There are two ways individuals and families can transition to the ndis.

1. In Queensland the Department of Human Resources will transfer you file to the National Disability Insurance Agency and the will contact you to variety your details, eligibility and set up a meeting with you ndis planner.  
2. Apply directly to the ndia. This is for people living with a disability that will impact on aspects of daily living tasks, education, employment and community living.  The ndis is the new way people with disabilities and their families are being supported to live their best lives. If you think you might be eligible for support under the ndis then step 1 is to visit the ndis website.

Choosing Your Pathways

Many participants have found the ndis pathways difficult to navigated and terminology difficult to understand.  The ndia has reviewed its process and made changes to how the service is accessed. So my path way may be very different to my own.

Certainly I have experience difficulties in finding things on the website, but you can also use there toll free number to speak to someone about the pathways involved in transitioning to the ndis.

B is for Be prepared. I feel that some of the disappointment being experience could be due to participants being under prepared for the change.  Nothing on this scale has ever been attempted in Australia before.   

Participants have a much greater role in the decision making around how they are supported and what they would like to be supported to do.  Services and service delivery staff are no long designing 'supports' for participants.  Participants should be asking for the supports they want to purchase from a provider of their choice.  Whether that be a direct service provider, a supplier of equipment or engaging a 'genetic' provider, like the local physio.

There are some rules around this depending on how and who you chose to assist you to manager yours funds.  We will explore this more fully when we explore making choices. If you currently receive support and want to continued to be supported then you need to transfer to the ndis. Even if you happy with the way you or the person you care for wants no changes. All supports are now funded by the federal government and the states will slow withdraw the services they have provide in the past.

So if your plan is to change nothing when you transfer to the ndis then write down your daily activity and the supports you use to do those things now. These are the things you need to discuss with your planner when you me with them. The best piece of advice I received during my preparation was life is not going to stop while you transfer to the ndis.  Once you begin the transitioning process everything happens pretty quick.  In my own case I was extremely unwell at the time and was considering legal action over a botched holiday. 

After pressing to transferring quickly cause I couldn't cope with my illness and 16 different workers from 4 different service providers. While I admit was essentially crazy in itself, I was also in the mists of just been diagnosed with a major illness and have a few hospital stays. I was not sure how I would of coped if I not prepared a step by step plan.

Let me assure you everyone is going want to meet you and shake your hand and even roll out the red carpet.  Each provider going to tell you how wonderful their service is and google is going to know what assisted equipment you are looking at buying.  The ads will pop-up in your news feeds on social media.  Like every other consumable in your life, support services will target you with their marketing.   

You will become the holder of the future of many organisations and they want your money, meanwhile to still need to get the kids to school; do the shopping and keep current supports in place until you transfer.  Your preparation should include a back-up plan.  I hope unlike me you won't need yours. 

My failure of plan A has nothing to do with the ndis and the transitioning process.  The service provider failed me because they were not prepare for the massive changes under the ndis, and hadn't hired enough staff. The lead up to the roll out of the ndis in Ipswich was all doom and gloom.  Clients might actually loss hours. If your yet to transition the following lists should be prepared.

Lists:

• List your current supports (Organisations, type of support, how many hours of support you receive, programs you attend, equipment, home and car modifications, and therapies you might want to access). 
• 'Supports' - are not one on one in home or community support sessions,  Supports are now anything that assist you to do the things you can not do because of your disability.  This may include, individual direct support, social group support, accommodation support, in home support, personal care, support to access the community; therapy support, respite care and much more.
• List the activities you do now
• List any activities you want to stop doing
• List new things you want to try.
• List service providers you like to know more about.
• List the people you can talk too about how they transitioned to the ndis

I believe many disappointments are the result of participants not being prepared, unsure about what they need and want to do, or do not understand that the ndis will only pay for the supports that relate to your disability.  Not things that everybody has to pay for like travel and accommodation.

Don't put the horse before the cart you ndis plan or the plan of the person you support is about:-

1. What things and activities you want to do
2. The way you want to do things
3. What types of support you want to access
4. Who you want to help you with managing your supports.

The ndis is not concerned about which service providers you will access or the names of your support workers.  Your first plan session is all about you and/or your family.

• How you function or don't function now?
• What are your natural supports and what paid supports will compliment these?
• How will you access the community?
• What assistance do you need with communication?
• What mobility or medical aids do you need?
• How can your independence in the community be maximised?

 
Who supports you and how is completely your choice. These are choices you can make once your plan comes back, and you know with the types of services your plan allows you to access.  Support providers are falling over themselves to keep participants and attract new customers.  So a person from your current provider(s) or prospective provider is probable is not the best person to support you through the ndis transition process.

Gather your supporters around you.

Every participant or family is entitled to a support person to journey through their transition to being the ndis.  It is best you ask someone who know you really to come with you to your first planning meeting.  For most participants this will be a family member. 

However there are advocacy services you can assist you, particularly if you feel your being rail road.  You always have the right to make a complaint and/or ask for a review. However the more preparation you the more confident you are going to feel. 

But you should have some sort of plan about who your going to ask to help you do certain things. Like get ready for work in the morning.  As the transition period can take as little as 3 to 4 weeks  However you can do what I did and using interim agreements while you make choices.  

C is for choice and control-  The Choices participants can make under the ndis should be the game changer. Participants and their families are now invited to actively engage in the planning of their own supports. 

This begins with meeting with you planner to discuss your goals and the way you would like to be supported under ndis.  When you receive you plan from the ndis it will have an amount of money for, how your package will be administrated; core supports (things like in-hone support; community access and centre-based supports); Transport needs; equipment and therapies.

What you plan includes will be determine by:- the supports you have now; what the gaps are in your current services, what actives you would like to engage in; how you ask to be supported; how your independence can be maximised and what you might like life to look like in the future; and how you would like to be supported to manage your funding. 

The ndia talks about 'goals' don't let this put you off.  This simply means the things you what to do, like play cricket and workout at the gym. So the planning process involves:-

1. Your short and long term goals.
2. Daily activities - (how to reach your short term goals)
3. How you want to do your activities.
4. What supports you need.

One of the reasons we talk about setting goals is the ndis takes a lifespan approach to your support.  Over your lifetime the ndia want you to be able to access the community as independently as possible. So if your child with autism is starting school next year, you might want to access an early intervention program or if your child has cp you might want a communication board or device. 

So under the ndis we are not just looking at the traditional 'supports' which the ndis calls you 'core' supports, but equipment, training, technology and therapies than can maxims your independence.  So now is a great time to think about the future.

Where do you hope your ndis journey will take you?

You may be happy to keep living with mum and dad or you might decide that you like support to explore moving out of home. The first step in this process might be to undertake some life skills training.  So when your preparing for your ndis planning meeting the types of support you ask for now. (this may not change at all), might look very different to the type of supports you want in 5 years time. 

My goal is to live independently in the community

The transition to the ndis is also a great time to think about learning and trying new things so the planner will ask you things around what new things you might like to try.

What lifestyle choices can you make under the ndis?

• Community engagement - This could be schooling, post school study, post school support services, employment, community work, sports and recreation, the arts and entertainment.
• Accommodation support - This could be in supported accommodation or one on one support to live in your own home. 
• Transport
• Equipment, medical aids, technology, and home and car modifications.  
• Assistance  that maximise your independence. 

Under the ndis you should never feel you don't have choices.  If you are feeling this way you might want to talk to an independent  advocate. Talk to your friends and family. Find the people in your life who will support you and speak up on your behalf.  If you are not happy with the plan given to you by the ndis or you think you will need more support you have the right to lodge and appeal and even asked for an external review. Transitioning should be a time where you learn to speak up for yourself or the person/family member you are advocating for.

Once your ndis plan is approved it is then time to decide what services you want to use; what types of support you require; when and how often you want to be supported.  These are your choices if your current support service is not listening talk to another provider. 

Give yourself options in case plan 'A' doesn't work out. It anyone is saying to you, this is the way we work. You can say, 'this is what I or my family wants, if you can't provide it we will be talking to  other services.  You may love your life the way it is now, but it never hurts to shop round.

Depending on how you choose to have your package managed you find this may open up new opportunities.  Package management can occur in a number of ways.  Over the years people with disabilities have established mist trust of government agencies so now you can choice between:-

1. Asking the ndia to directly organise your supports for you.
2. If your not sure you want a government department involved then you can ask a broker or host provider to assist you to manager your funds. 
3. Or you can take control of your package and self-manage.  Self-management allows you to manage the things you want to and ask others to do the parts you might find difficult.  Some participants are choosing to do everything themselves. 

Regardless of the way you elect to have your funds managed the cost of this will be provided by your plan budget.  If you chose to partially or fully self-manage then you are not limited to using a ndis registered provider. 

D is for do's and don'ts - Ensure you ndis plan is about you and your families needs.

The Do's and Don'ts of the ndis

A) Do ensure  your ndis plan about you and your families needs.

B) Do your preparation - think about the things you want to do and what you want your life to look like in 5 years time.

C) Do some research - even if you plan to stay with current providers find out what others are offering, or ask your provider what new services they may offer in the future. 

D) Do ensure you have good support around you while you are transferring to the ndis. Ask someone who knows you or the family well to attend your planning meeting.

E) Do advocate for yourself or ask someone else to advocate on your behalf.

F) Do hold service providers accountable. 

G) Do ask for short term agreements

Do Not!

A) Do not write a plan to suit service provider(s)

B) Do not let providers tell you - that you need to purchase all the services from them.

C) Do not rush because you funding comes through.  Use interim agreements until you are sure about your choices.

D)   Not about specific supports services, organisations or workers.  It's fine to know who will be supporting you but the plan is about you and your needs.

E) Do not be trapped into 12 month agreements and check exit details and fees.
F) Do not think you can not say this is not good enough. 

E is for explore - The ndis should be an opportunity to explore new horizons, learn new things and make new friends.

So whether your looking for change or content with life now, transitioning to the ndis will provide you with more opportunities.  I am a great believer in, how do you know there isn't something better out their if you don't take a peak.

This doesn't mean making changes. It might mean sitting on the computer and looking at the website of other support services and what they have to offer; Or visiting service expoes and chatting about the options; It might mean chattering to other careers from careers Queensland about how the use their ndis package to support their family member.  Or it might mean doing a basic computer skills course so you can use the ndis portal.

While you're on line you might like to check out the disability standards  . Each disability service provider must reach these by law. If you feel your rights are not being meant or your not getting the service your package is paying for then you have the right to make a complaint and the right to use an advocate.  

Until now most people with disabilities had little choice on who supported them and how they were support.  Under the ndis funding is given to the participant and they can chose who the want to provide those supports.

Regardless of whether your not happy with your planner or the service provider you eventually choose it is you right to make a make a complaint and/or ask for a review. However, before you do you need to ask yourself the following questions? 

1. Is it reasonable and necessary I receive that support?
2. Does the support(s) relate to my or your family members particular disability.
3. If you or you family member didn't have their disability would you need to pay for this support. (e.g. My family members need to pay their cpap masks and hoses.  Sleep apehia is not related to my CP, therefore its something I need to pay for.
4. The ndia also has a risk management duty of care. So it is unable to support any activity which places participants at significant risk.  This is particularly true for your choice around who and how you want your ndis funding to be managed.

F is for Financial managing of your package. 

Traditionally government departments have decided 'what type of support you needed and how much and assigned you a service provider'.  Now you are actively involved with your  planner in determining your supports.  Your plan will have a dollar amount attached to you plan.  You can then decide who will support you and how.

The money will not go into your bank account and you must spend the money as set out in your plan. You can choose who will assist you with this.

The way you can choose to have your funds managed are:-

1. The ndis can do this on you behalf. This means they will put you in touch with the provides you choose.  For most people that will be a provider they are already with.
2. You use a fund host provider to manager your funds. To avoid conflict of interest you might use a different provider to you direct service provider. Do not let your provider tell you the need to provide all your services.  While they might be able too, that impeaches on your right to chose.
3. You can self-manage your funding. Either by using a plan manage through a provide who will hold your funds for you and pay your invoices or open a bank account for your funding and applying for your own ABN.  The will be some reporting responsibilities and you will need to lodge a tax return.

Where a participant is under the adult guardian, the ndia will recommend they manage your ndis supports on your behalf. However you should still feel you able to chose the way you want to be supported and the provider(s) you want access.

If your sitting feeling like nothing has changed under the ndis and you're not more empowered then you've allowed others to take choice from you. In my experience, service providers are finding it hard to break old habits, providers are accustomed to controlling  the funding and how it was spent.

Do remember  - you ndis package is for you and can only be spent on your supports.  The company of person supporting you to administrate your funds will charge you fees as set by the ndis.  So if a host fund provider is assisting you to manage you funds, you still determine how and where your funds are spent.  As set out by the ndis agreement.  

If participants are not happy with the service they are receiving the can change services at anytime.  When you go to a service provider the will give you an agreement.  This with set our the services you are purchasing and how much of your package that will require. Before the ndis clients usually signed a 12 month agreement and had no say in what the terms of the agreement were.  Now participants can tell their provider what they want included in the agreement and the period of time they want the agreement to cover.  The provider will tell the participant how they can provide their services and how much those services will costs. If your not happy with the agreement you can as for changes or decide to other providers.

You do not need to sign a 12 month agreement.  You can set the length of the agreement and make your provider  earn your trust.  Even if you have signed a 12 month agreement you will find there are ways to end  the agreement.  Most providers will let you end the agreement by giving 1 month notice of intention to leave, if there is an ongoing dispute that can't be resolved then you may not need to given noticed,

Providers are not use to people with disability or families participating in decisions about their support needs and this is where I think may people feel the ndis and service providers have failed them.  Participants can now change providers as often as they like.  You no longer need to stay with a provider if you are not happy.  

This is where your 'plan B' will come in handy.  If you are prepared for things not playing out the way you hoped, then you can look at the list of others support services available in your area.  If you have not done this you will find a list on the ndis website. It will also help to stay connected to other participants of the ndis and cheek in with them about how their plans are progressing.

You should always be keeping your option open and definitely not closing doors. Remember the grass isn't always greener on the other side, you don't want to come back eating humble pie. 

I hope this posts assists you to understand a little more of the changes under the ndis and how to navigate around them. So you should have a plan B an know what else is available.

NDIS: The challenges ahead

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (ndis) continues to be rolled out across Australia.  However their are still significant challengers for the disability sector, disability support providers, care workers and participants.  The ndis ushers in a new way we think about 'how we support people living with disabilities' and their families to activity participate in the life of their community.

What people affected by disability want to purchase in terms of their supports has changes.  I have previously shared how the Every Australians Counts campaign lead to the birth of the ndis. The current design and legislation that underpin the workings of he ndis as a result of what Australians with disabilities told the senate enquiry they wanted. 

This was to participate in society at a level suitable for their level of disabilities.  Families and individuals we tired of sitting on the side lines and watching life pass them by.  So now we don't need to guess how people with disabilities want to be supported they have told us.

Reflecting back on the roll out of the ndis over the last two years, much has been learned and failings of the system have emerged. Failings the ndia are seeking to correct. As the roll out commenced participants were sceptical about true reform, after years of neglect and insufficient. We soon realises we needed to the pressure on to ensure the scheme truly delivered what we fought for.

  

Much confusion was experienced by all in the lead up to the introduction of the scheme. Our collective fears have created their resistance and our own barriers to change. For services and potential provider this was about surviving in a market driven sector; for workers it was about job security and enough hours to pay the bills; and for families and participants in was the 'sure, how can things really change'?

In previously posts we saw the general consensuses of participants was a feeling, 'that nothing has changed under the ndis'. In a nut shell this was due to:-

• Unrealistic expectations 
• Clarity over what was covered and what wasn't
• Confusion of choices being offered
• Feeling pressure to sign agreements
• Services offering little change
• Still feeling control by others

After years of fighting for more choice and self advocacy in directing their own supports, the general consensus ia services are continuing to direct and deliver services in much the same way. Same choices at the same time, with a few more 'group' options thrown in for good measure. The natural response to the fear f change is to control others. 

The ndis planning processes comes down to 2 key words, 'Choice and control'. This in itself is misleading.  Participants have clearly stated we want an end to feeling controlled. This is very different to being in control. This is echoed in the statement, 'we are not patients and don't need fixing',  By giving participants more choices in how; when and who supports them, the ndia invites them to participate in the planning of their supports . 

This why we moved from a care model to a model where those affected by disability participated directing in the planning of their supports and the delivery. This lead to service providers fears that participants would have less protection and be irresponsible in spending their funds.

Provider were correct, the ndis was the game changer. However instead of ensuring clients were prepared for this change and felt empowered by the changes they sort to control what the could. Despite the huge amount of funding invested in ndis readiness for providers and participants my own experience tells me we underestimated the impact of the changes.

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We were promised a scheme that would deliver for all Australians not just those living with disability. In other words a scheme that would work towards the inclusion of participants not the isolated scattered activities on the rim of the community. These could not and will not deliver inclusion. 

A day trip to the shops or movies in groups is not going to build inclusion to build inclusion we need to be activity involved in the community.  This includes activities like education, training, developing life skills, volunteering, employment, participating in the community (through festivals, events life Santa arrival to Ipswich, Christmas carols, fund runs) playing and supporting supports and belonging to community groups like Rotary, Poetry Feast, Arts Connect, Photographic Society and Ipswich Rocks.

Offering more options by services providers at service centres does not build or promote inclusion, rather it demonstrates our failure to give participants what was asked for. As a result service providers have not delivered what participants have asked for in their plans, nor prepared for the thousands of additional participants who will be supported by the Scheme.  

Despite the marketing of thousands of new jobs, being created by the ndis, and the expect increased demand for service, providers failed to attract the workforce required to meet this increase demand.  Right up to the roll-out commencement in Ipswich fears that participants would be worst off, was the warning from providers. 

As they claimer to retain participants and attract new ones, little changes have been made to what services are being offered and how these services are being the delivered. Since personally transferring to the ndis, I elected to use one provider to meet my individual support needs. Being a self-employed artist my day is never nine to five.  I need a support network to be flexible for my ever changing work demands. 

I personally find fixed support hours difficult and I never quiet know when work is going to pop up. I had been very impressed with the training being delivered by my current provider for their support workers.  I find the support workers to be highly respectful and their investment in staff recruitment and training has yielded amazing results.

I once  cringed when I heard providers say changes under the nids don't affect workers. However could a change in what was being provided no affect front line workers?  Workers who have been delivering support from a medical model (as paid carers) are not only required in a supporting role.  This is a huge change, where staff have been told its business as usual naturally clients are assuming nothing has changed and the have no more control than previously. 

That's why we need to keep self-advocating, the only way we can experience greater choice in service delivery is to demand better customer service.   My current provider may be doing a great job in recruitment and training.  However failure ti deliver service at a times I need it has resulted in my impeding departure.  I know the lack of consistent service delivery is irritating my staff. Lack of regular work makes it difficult to maintain a personal life.  They feel like there on 24 hour call and that was not what the agreed too. 

So as long as providers continue to struggle with the support staff/ participant ratio and shifts are often not filled.  No one quiet has the answers to what happens when half my team is away.  For a period of weeks my shifts remained unfilled. This week I have been talking to other providers about the availability of suitable staff for myself..  Yesterday they sounded unsure, today they are confident they can deliver.  Now it is myself who is unsure.

Currently I am partially self-managing through a Plan Manager, however engaging my own team is a real possibility, however I want t ensure I chose a model that delivers well for me and then I need to find that team.  That is never going to happen in the next few weeks.  I need time. 

Time that changing service providers will give me.  However for such a short period is it better the devil I know.  Rather that a new team.  It makes a whole lot more sense to put that energy into recruitment and training of team Debbie.  There are a few providers that can assist me with this and are willing to let me hand pick my staff and that's what I am learning towards at present.  The team would be employed be the provider not me. 

Clearly in Ipswich we are not meeting these challenges and ndis participants and their families remain isolated.   

The Art Connections - the road ahead

On of my goals being supported by my ndis package is to assist with building an inclusive arts community. As previously shared this is a multi-layer approach.  

1. Extending my own visual practise and building skills.  In extending my practise I am looking for new audiences and opportunities to exhibit my work outside the Ipswich CBD.  Part of this has been achieved by becoming a member of Aspire Gallery in Pationing.
2. The next step occurred ask I was invited to be part of a Fundraiser for Able Australia.  Able Australia supports older Australians and people with disabilities to participate in the community, through providing transport, assistance with shopping, social get together's and bus trips.  In 2018 the have a small grant to run some art workshops.  On Friday night I joined the other artists to celebrate the opening of the exhibition.  I was a great night to catch with old friends and make new connections.  As the artists shared their journey during the evening. 
3. One of the artists was Julie Maddlock who was involved in Ipswich Inspirations, a not-profit organisation who ran a small gallery and workshops for local artists. One of those exhibitions was an exhibition organised by Anglicare for International Day of People with Disabilities. Another collective art exhibition I was able to be part of. 
4. When I was asked to speak at the opening of the Ipswich Area Office this was combined with a mini-art exhibition.  I was pleased to see the progress on some of the people who had participated in the Artisability program.
5. In 2014 Ipswich Arts Connect Inc.  supported ArtISability's Community Connections program.  One of the most valuable things an artists can do is connect to other artist's. Being part of Arts Connect has given me support in a number of ways.  For the last three years the have supported fundraiser's for my Artisability programs.  Next week we have our annual OFF THE WALL MEMBER'S exhibition.   
6. Recently Arts Connect hosted 'Colours of Queensland' at Ipswich Arts Gallery,  Some of members have had work in the touring exhibition sponsored by Flying Arts during 2017. A few weeks ago I went to meet the artists.  It was really inspiring to hear how other artist work.

Items created for 'Off The Wall' Exhibition

Presented by Members of Arts Connect Inc. 

@ Ipswich Community Art Gallery

These are he connection points I have made as I develop my art practise. As I work in the arts community others gain an understanding of disability and the struggles I face in my work. However this in a drop in the ocean of what it means to live with disability.  

Each individual living with disability as a truly individual journey and obstacles they must over come.  In general public have little insight to what our lives contain. Their beliefs are based on their own experience of disability.  That may be limited to neighbours, people the went to school with or individuals they see out in the community.

The general community assumes that our lives are vastly different to others, until they get to know someone like me. Many would not expect I would live independently in my own home.  When I am ou and about I am engage in the community . . . not just getting out the house for the sake of it and all too often my friends are assumed to be carer's. Belonging to my community has help others dispel some myths but there are many more barriers to breakdown. 

My passion for art is how I've been able to connect and engaged in the Ipswich community. I am unfortunate to enjoy many creative outlets not just visual arts, but writing and poetry as well. For many years I did not identify with the disability community. Most of my activities and studies have been mainstreamed.  Art through ArtISability has allow me to connect directly with other people living with disability.

In fighting the resistance to be labelled an art group for those with disabilities I can the name of our group to Ignite Artists.  Being seen as a disability service provider, continues to feed the misunderstanding that 'we' are different or do not belong to the communities in which e live, work and play.  That's right! Many of us work, we going shopping to buy food and other items.  My appliances eventually need replacing too. 

This is why I spent the last 18 months developing a doll exhibition about diversity, I am hoping the exhibition will be a conversation starter.  "What does it mean to be different to the norm?" and "where do we fit in the local community?"

Explore diversity and individual difference should enable us to explore our beliefs.  What do I believe about other cultures and religious?

  
How do I feel about the lief style choices of others?  How do my fears affect the way I interact or don't interact with people who are different to me?  Or do I let social norms govern my beliefs and actions.

Do I add to the melting pot or weave into the fabric of life?  This is a choice we all make based on our beliefs and values.  Values that are not also based on facts. .  

I hope my Melting Pot Exhibition will open a discussion on diversity and lead to me being able to assist showcasing the visual arts skills of others living with disability in 2018.  I will be leaning my knowledge in this field to other members of Arts Connect so we can include these artists in the FUSSED festival next year. 

  

Chasing Dreams with the ndis

Flying High 

with the ndis

The National Disability Insurance Scheme was created to assist people with disabilities and their families to "Live the best lives'. To achieve this participants should have access and support to engage in activities their peers engage in.

For example like their school friends families with disabilities should be able to enjoy holidays that are compatible with their family budget. This means finding  accessible accommodation, transport and access to the same supports as they do at home.  This doesn't mean the ndis pays for the holiday itself.

For tips on travelling and booking accommodation go to Travelling with A Wheelchair.

Similarly students with disabilities should have the same post schools options as other students, this includes, further education, work skills training, support to find employment, support to maintain employment, life skills learning, post school opportunities. supporting interests and moving out at home.  Some students will need more support than others to find the pathway after leaving schools.  Some students may need support to adjust to life after school and the different social skills that means.

For some group activities will best meet their needs such a adult group social activities provided by a support provider, while others might want to develop skills that may help them move and live independently in they community. More and more students with disabilities are taking opportunities to undertake study or training when they finished school. Under the ndis they can now ask for support to be able to complete there post school training, this includes accessing support from support workers on campus. 

Even those with learning, intellectual and behavioural disabilities can complete post school study given the correct support.  The just might learn differently or more slowly than the general student population.  Although their are now online study options students with disabilities should not be limited to these.

Less than 30% of students with disabilities will eventually find work in the open workforce. For these students and/or family members who care from them at home, this will limit their potential for income.  Unemployment is not always the result of a persons ability to work, it is often  a result of discrimination  or workplace being inaccessible.  The ndis can now assist with both these issues through compasity funding.  Money is available to employers to make their work places accessible for successful applicants and participants should talk to the employment support service to find out what assistance may be available to a prospective employee.

Disability should not be the barrier to employment it once was.  Each participant is an individual with their own individual challenges.  Participants packages should be too enable them to meet these challenges and enjoy the same activities in the community as their peers.  

Not every person living with disability is employable.  However employ-ability does not determine the ability of a person to work. These are two different things.  Some people can overcome this challenged by becoming self-employed and opening business like myself.  My CP is not disabling enough to prevent me from working, but finding an understand boss to allow for uncontrollable seizures is hard going.

Changes in our work environments and industries allow some people with disabilities to work remotely.  The IT industry is a perfect example of this.  My IT support is in the main done remotely.  I too work remotely as do all State representatives for Support Studios Network, e meet via skype.

Just as workplaces, industries including the disability sector are undergoing change, so do we need to support and assist with changing community perceptions and understanding.  Inclusion is only possible if community attitudes are transform. This also falls under the role of the ndis. 

The way we deliver assistance to people with disability is evolving. We are moving from a care and protection model of disability care to one of engagement an participation.  Including  the direct participation of families and individuals affected by disabilities.  No one understands the abilities and needs of these people better than themselves.  Modelling using social norms have failed and environmental influence dramatically change expected outcomes.

This includes: family difference and values; access to education, nutrition and technology; disposable income of the family, access to therapies and alternative treatments and community supports.  This is why expenditure in this area by the ndis is vital.  For people living with disabilities to be able to access the same opportunities as everybody else the must be given the correct support to be able to access these opportunities.

Thus the ndis addresses the rights for people with disabilities and this is needed greatly in the area of accessing the legal system and fighting against discrimination.  People with disabilities and family members are twice as likely to experience discrimination, however their perceived level of understanding often denies them access to natural justice. 

Many have had the voices stolen through years of inequality, enforced poverty, and economically and social isolation.  The fear of repercussions for voicing their mistreatment or lack of rights are still raw.  This make it hard to continue to advocate for themselves even through many rights and support underpin the principles of the ndis legislation.  Where participants and family members feel the ndia or support organisations are failing to in power choice or enable the person to access the community in a way the set out in their plan,  then the must make a complaint and seek an independent advocate. Advocates will advise where decisions may be appropriate or inappropriate.  It is essential to speak up for yourself.  Even though it is difficult. 

I am practising this myself.  As you know I have been self-managing through engaging staff from support providers but this has not provided me with the stability or flexibility my art practise requires. Purchasing support services in no longer about finding the right box for you.  It should be able service creating the service to meet your individual requests.

Provider(s) have failed to deliver on the terms of the agreements we both signed.  Just as they would penalise me if I broke the agreement I am penalising them by taking my business elsewhere. I could let fear of the unknown seize me into accepting an inferior service or empower myself to make change.  Yep it could go pare shape, but things aren't too rosy now.

    

Tomorrow I continue to build my art practise by hanging my exhibition is a new setting.  I don't often hang my own work so this will be a skill extension for me as well as introducing  my work to a new audience.

I continue to enjoy chasing dreams as part of my ndis goals.