Everyday, we see people post questions on Facebook like:
“Can I use my sons NDIS funds for self defence classes?”
and
“Can I purchase an Apple Watch?”
and
“Is it OK to use my funds for thickeners?”
and
“Can I pay for gym membership?
and
“Can I stay at an apartment in the city and use my ndis plan to pay?”
and
“Can I use a chiropractor and pay from my plan?”
and
“Can I pay for my support worker’s airfare to help me while on holiday?”
IF YOU ARE ANSWERING WITH a YES or NO on an online post, you are almost always doing it wrong.
The answers to all of these questions will sometimes be YES and sometimes be NO, and unless you know that person’s life intimately, have read all the goals on their plan, know what’s in their budgets and/or are the Federal Court, then you have no business giving a definitive answer.
It’s great when people help questioners work through the likelihood of a YES or a NO, but PLEASE, stop immediately answering as if there is a “NO” list at the NDIA.
There is no “NO” list at the NDIS, nor in the legislation.
Just because a planner or LAC told you a “No” does not mean the answer for someone else is “No”.
Every disabled person is unique and has unique needs, dreams and goals and will need different supports and services, paid and unpaid, to reach them.
Again, there is no blanket *NO* list in the NDIS Act. And every week we see the AAT say “Yes” to things a planner has said “no” to, so your planner or LAC does not always have the right answer for you.
This post if copyright of The Growing Space 2019. You’re more than welcome to share it here on Facebook with credit and no edits but if you want to copy and share it elsewhere, please ask first. Thanks.
Pic desc; two big buttons, side by side, one is green with a big “YES” and the other is red with a big “NO”.
Join Roland and Evie Naufal as they have the kind of conversations that come about when passionate people aren’t afraid to speak their mind and would rather start a fire than put it out.
EPISODE 9: 𝙎𝘼𝙈 𝙋𝘼𝙄𝙊𝙍 𝙊𝙉… 𝙀𝙑𝙀𝙍𝙔𝘿𝘼𝙔 𝙄𝙉𝙉𝙊𝙑𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉
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 🙂 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.
