How you can make the NDIS and your future your very own…
Independence, freedom from your parents, having the chance to pay bills, mortgages, having the chance to learn how to manage a whole household just like every other person your age. Are you currently reading these words relating to each one of them as a forever desire of yours? Are you just longing for a chance to be as independent as possible just like everyone else your age? Well here’s some tips I found the most useful on the way to my own independence and even negotiating my way around The National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Now before I go on, I feel it would be beneficial to let you know, especially if you are following my NDIS story, that after a huge battle with the NDIA I have finally got the outcome I wanted with my transport funding. The reason that i thought it was appropriate to put this in my blog is because throughout my process with the NDIA I found it important to remember that at the end of the day the NDIS was originally invented so that the participants can have access to the funding and supports needed to live life and access the community as though they weren’t disabled. In the case of my situation i feel that the key for me getting the transport outcome I wanted really was the fact that I was in a situation where there was literally no other way for me to get any independent transportation to my local place of study nor anywhere else, even when considering public transport. It was also necessary to remember that myself, my family, my local member Susan Templeman, my wider community and the incredible NDIA head office at Penrith (especially Ally), really battled our very hardest to get the outcome I really needed. It is by looking back now that I’m able to see the positive outcomes of my situation. It will hopefully help others in the situation I was in before or similar and also I was able to see how big my circle of supporters, particularly my family, went out of their way to fight for me and others like me.
So, if you are in a similar situation with the NDIS right as you are reading this these are some helpful tips you need to remember. Most importantly, the NDIA was originally solely designed so that the client gets exactly what they need which we all know it is your family, your main service providers and especially yourselves that know your needs the best. Secondly it is by keeping that in mind I advise you to seek out as much support as possible from your local community. Start with your local MP although it may look like they are too busy to worry about your issues I can definitely ensure you that your MP’s office will be working extremely hard behind the scenes to ensure you will receive the right outcome that you need. Lastly, just remember to keep all these things in mind and to no matter what KEEP FIGHTING!
To put another spin on this, I feel I need to mention my other positive aspects I also found on my NDIS journey. These are my plan management and support coordination company and Physio INQ and my carer company Hireup . I must say all along my NDIS journey it has been these two companies that have been all of our literal angels in this whole process. They have been absolutely amazing in every way possible. I guess the main parts I admire about these companies is their attitude to person centreness and the knowing that they are 150% “on my side”.
Firstly with Physio INQ, to be honest the thing I like most with this particular company is really their laid back attitude and their acknowledgement that we as their clients know exactly what we are talking about. I feel it is with this underlying understanding that has lead to the immediate expectation that they are really there for the clients and are obviously willing to do whatever it takes to represent us in anyway possible. I feel it is with this perfect values and relationship with Physio INQ that I have been able to sort out the rest of my NDIS experience as smoothly as possible.
This has lead me to my other company that has been just as amazing in my journey, and that is Hireup. For those who don’t know Hireup is an incredible service that acts as a platform where clients and employees can match up and organise shifts online having no communication with a coordinator at all. From my experience this really is the perfect situation. I feel that this is mainly because I know that the team at hireup respects both clients and workers in the best way and I have the freedom to use my support hours however I want and need to. In my short 10 months that I have been on this platform I have used Hireup for employing my favourite workers that I knew previously, meeting and working with brand new fabulous workers, organising my own roster, being able to choose the rate to which my carers get paid, being able to go to events like protests, rallies and especially most excitingly being able to organise nights away with my lovely friend who is also a Hireup worker, which will eventually lead to me house sharing with her and her awesome partner.
As you can see it has been with these two companies, my reviewed NDIS plan along with my amazing connections with my local political parties and my amazing family and friends that I now can easily say I see an amazing future with me and the NDIS as I go along the journey to find my independence just like my peers. At last a future that I see me emerging into my local community just like I’ve always dreamed of.