Using your NDIS funds effectively is critical to achieving your goals. This post is for everyone who wishes to improve their chances of getting the most out of the NDIS.
As a Korean NDIS registered provider, every day, we communicate with people about their NDIS experiences. We’ve discovered that no matter where you are in the process, there will always be something that can be done to improve things.
As a result, we’ve compiled our best tips to help you get the most out of your NDIS funding.
Prioritise your goals and needs
Your NDIS scheme is tailored to your specific needs and goals. So, funding isn’t the priority whenever it pertains to the NDIS — it’s your unique requirements and goals.
Consider what you need in all areas of your life. Break it down if it seems like a lot to take in at once. As defined by the NDIS, you can use Outcome Domains to help you stay focused.
Setting goals is a difficult task. Break them down into things you want to accomplish in the future, activities you want to get better at, everything you want to try, and even things you want to quit doing.
The goals you review and build with your Local Area Coordinator will form the foundation of your NDIS plan, and they will be the items for which you will be given funding and support.
Prepare a strategy.
People are often told they must be “plan ready,” but what precisely does it imply? Being prepared for a plan entails:
- All of your paperwork and reports should be kept in a single place.
- Take pictures, jot down ideas on sticky notes, and keep all of your documents in a folder.
- Consider what is now working well and what isn’t.
- Consider the kind of life you wish to have in the future.
- Break your life down into smaller parts – daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, three years, five years, etc.
- Check out what your friends and family are up to, and talk to them.
- Take a look at the various pre-planning resources available.
- Consult with a disability support provider, like Ebenezer Mission, for expert guidance.
You should stress your need for liberty, protection, and social inclusion
The NDIA examines your welfare, independence, and social and community participation possibilities in great detail. So, if your disability makes it difficult for you to do anything securely or independently, consider and ask yourself what assistance can help you do these things safely and independently.
You may have also thought some social and community activities were out of your reach in the past. The NDIS is designed to help you participate in activities that anyone else would expect you to be able to do. There may be certain supports that you may include in your plan to make it easier to achieve your goals.
Transport
If Mobility Allowance is a support you’re receiving, please inform your Local Area Coordinator. Also tell them that the allowance you get assists you in attending social, community, medical, and other appointments. Make sure the transportation assistance is linked to achieving your goals or meeting your disability-related needs.
Supports that enable you to build your capacity to travel independently, such as self transport-related equipment, training to use public transportation, or the reasonable and necessary costs of taxis or other private transportation options for participants who cannot travel independently, are all included in your NDIS plan.
Use it before you lose it!
Any funds left over at the end of your Plan are returned to the National Disability Insurance Agency. At your review meeting, you may be questioned why the support budget was not fully utilised. You didn’t have access to relevant assistance for some time, that you began your Plan relatively late, or that you’ve had significant life transitions.
Remember to plan for the year and make your arrangements to make the most of your Plan.
We understand that things are often not so simple and that things don’t always go as planned. At Eben Mission, a Korean NDIS registered provider, we can help you get started and gain access to a wide range of services based on your unique requirements and goals as outlined in your plan.
Contact us by phone at 0478 831 731, online at www.ebenmission.org.au/, or via email at info@ebenmission.org.au.
