Category Archives for "NDIS Case Studies"

Jul 07 2019

๐˜ฟ๐™ž๐™จ๐™–๐™—๐™ž๐™ก๐™ž๐™ฉ๐™ฎ ๐˜ฟ๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™š ๐˜ฟ๐™ž๐™›๐™›๐™š๐™ง๐™š๐™ฃ๐™ฉ: ๐˜พ๐™–๐™ฃ๐™™๐™ž๐™™ ๐˜พ๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™ซ๐™š๐™ง๐™จ๐™–๐™ฉ๐™ž๐™ค๐™ฃ๐™จ (30 minute podcast)

Join Roland and Evie Naufal as they have the kind of conversations that come about when passionate people arenโ€™t afraid to speak their mind and would rather start a fire than put it out.

EPISODE 9: ๐™Ž๐˜ผ๐™ˆ ๐™‹๐˜ผ๐™„๐™Š๐™ ๐™Š๐™‰… ๐™€๐™‘๐™€๐™๐™”๐˜ฟ๐˜ผ๐™” ๐™„๐™‰๐™‰๐™Š๐™‘๐˜ผ๐™๐™„๐™Š๐™‰
In this episode we speak to Sam Paior, founder of the Growing Space about supporting people to live good lives and setting the bar higher for what we call innovation.

https://www.disabilityservicesconsulting.com.au/podcast (transcript available too)

This was recorded in Melbourne a month or so ago, and we really had fun. I’m not one to hold back, and I can be pretty blunt, but Roland and Evie corralled me well. I hope you’ll find it useful.

So, as much as it pains me to listen to my own voice, I’m happy for you to hear it ๐Ÿ™‚ And I’ll be even happier if you share this with other disabled people, families and your providers.

I hope it helps give Support Coordinators around the country both the courage to step outside of the box, the tools to do it, and a desire to come along to our first ever National Support Coordination Summit in Melbourne on Monday June 24th. Evie and I (Sam) are co-hosting the #SCSummit as volunteers to raise funds for our peak pody, which aims to lift the standards of Support Coordination and Plan Management across the NDIS, and do a great job for the participants and nominees we work for.
https://www.scsummit.com.au/ get in fast – we’re a bit shocked at how quickly this is filling.

Pic desc: A line drawing image with a dark background and the logos for Disability Services Consulting, with their logo, the title “Disability Done Different – A Candid Conversation with Sam Paior” with three cartoon images across the bottom L-R Roland Naufal, a dude with black hair, a green shirt and dark jacket, then Sam Paior, with a blonde Bob, wearing glasses, a round pendant necklace and a boring blouse, and Evie Naufal, with longer brown hair, wearing a red pinafore and stripey shirt underneath. All are smiling.

Image may contain: 2 people, text that says "dsc Disability Done Different A Candid Conversation with Sam Paior"
Nov 16 2018

Making the most of the NDIS – BRAINSTORM!

Reagan is 16, and autistic. He uses his behaviour to communicate and isย justย starting to use an Augmentative and Alternative Communication device (AAC). Heโ€™s into watching the same bits of videos many times and has probably watched the Stuart Little movie many thousand times.

The NDIS has been a pretty good thing for Reagan and his younger brother Declan, who also has autism. Itโ€™s funded some pretty intensive work with his AAC device, and they have a fabulous support worker, Indianna, whoโ€™s been with the family for years (sheโ€™s even written a picture book based on the boys, calledย Quirky Quentin).

The motorbike

Over the past year, Reagan has shown more and more interest in Garryโ€™s motorbike, and had started going on the back for short rides with his Dad. Itโ€™s been a pretty awesome bonding experience for the pair, as Garryโ€™s interest in watching Stuart Little with his son waned many years ago.

In May, Garry and I sat down to nut out some ideas on how to make the most of Reaganโ€™s NDIS plan. Traditional therapies werenโ€™t helping with hygiene, nor his chewing. We started talking about what were Reaganโ€™s genuine interests. When did they know he was feeling really good? And how could we make the most of that to help him reach his goals?

The motorbike. It was when he was on the back of the motorbike, away from his house and his little brother, with his Dad, on the back of bike on the road, that yanked Reaganโ€™s chain.

We can work with that, I said.

The big idea

The idea ballooned and grew into a month long trip across four states and a sea.

Garry grabbed the idea, built a plan, bought a trailer and some more safety gear and last week they launchedย ASD and a Kawasakiย with Reagan and a bunch of their friends at a local pub. Theyโ€™ve raised more than enough money to cover the costs of the trip (the rest is being donated to CountMeIn, a not-for-profit aimed at encouraging Universal Design in public spaces).

Meeting with his NDIS Plan Manager as well as his me, his Support Coordinator, we brainstormed further ideas about how Reaganโ€™s NDIS plan could be used to support the trip and Reaganโ€™s goals.

The NDIS

So, how does the NDIS fit in to all this?

  1. Without NDIS, Reaganโ€™s goals would never have been so clearly defined.
  2. NDIS paid for a Support Coordinator, who Garry used to help him think of creative ways to meet Reaganโ€™s goals.
  3. NDIS funds were used to purchase most of an Apple Watch with falls detection and GPS, so if the unthinkable happens and they come a cropper, emergency services will be notified within a few minutes, or if Reagan and Garry get separated at a petrol station, or accommodation, Garry will be able to track Reagan and find him (and Chrissa can track them both from home! Many thanks to Apple for a generous discount)
  4. Funds from the NDIS are paying some family friends, who are coming to meet them half way through the trip, to watch Reagan for a weekend to give Garry and Reagan a short break from each other.
  5. NDIS funds were used for Reaganโ€™s speechie to add a whole bunch of trip related PECS (Picture Exchange Communication Systems) to his AAC device, and to help build some social stories about using new toilets and sleeping in a different place almost every night.
  6. Funds from his little brotherโ€™s NDIS plan will be used to support Declan and his Mum, so he is well supported and she can keep working while Garry is away.
  7. NDIS funds from Declanโ€™s plan will be used for him to have a weekend at short term accommodation so Chrissa can come and meet Reagan and Garry along the trip (Chrissa is already missing her big boys so much!)ย 

Kicking goals

Theyโ€™re only at day five, and Garry and I have been on the phone tonight. Theyโ€™re tired โ€“ they crash early each night, and Garry forgot his pillow, which sounded like the worst thing that had happened so far!

Reagan isย ALREADY KICKING GOALS. Just a few days in, and his hygiene goals are getting smashed. Garry, despite his sore butt and aching bones, was just beaming on the end of the phone.

โ€œItโ€™s working Samโ€, he said.

As Garry broadcast at the pub last week, just a few nights before their adventure began โ€“ โ€œThis just wouldnโ€™t have been possible without the NDISโ€.

Indeed. Well done Reagan, and his family, and the NDIS.

Sam Paior

Director, Support Coordinator and NDIS Specialist,ย The Growing Spaceย 

Board Member,ย CountMeIn Foundationย 

Disability Advocate

Solo Mum of two sons with NDIS Plans