STORIES of the life-changing difference NDIS funding has made for individuals and their families are shared on the scheme’s website.
One of the recent stories recounted Joshua’s long-held wish to get a job.
The 18-year-old has Level 3 autism, an intellectual disability and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Joshua used his NDIS funding to engage Queensland disability support provider Feros Care. They linked him to Emily, a local area co-ordinator, who worked with him to get to know his likes, dislikes, interests and strengths.
Emily reported that Joshua made it clear that all he wanted to do was work, so they started looking for jobs he liked and would feel comfortable doing.
Any potential job also had to suit his strengths and interests while helping build his confidence, skills and independence.
Seeing a catalogue delivery job advertised, Emily discussed the role with Joshua and what it entailed.
He was keen, so she supported him to apply, and he was successful.
“For Joshua, the structured role plays to his strengths, and he’s really found a sense of pride and purpose in what he’s doing,” Emily said.
“He enjoys sorting all the different catalogues into separate piles. Then he rolls them up, puts them into his delivery cart and heads out with his support worker to deliver them.
“Joshua started out sorting and delivering catalogues one day a week, but as his confidence grew, his hours did too. Now he’s working 20 hours a week over three days.”
Laura’s story also underpins the value of the difference the NDIS has made in her life.
In January, she had just finished her psychology degree and was busy planning her ‘where to next’, which is undertaking her Masters degree in Audiology.
Laura identifies as deaf and has cochlear implants that connect via Bluetooth to her phone to help her hear.
“I’m going down the cochlear implant pathway,” she said.
“It will take two years to do my Masters, then I’ll be a qualified audiologist.”
Laura was 4-years-old when she underwent her first operation to have cochlear implants fitted.
An Australian citizen, Laura was eligible for government funding through a Hearing Australia program, and she is grateful it has helped to support her family to cover costs.
Now an adult, Laura is even more grateful to have NDIS funding, which will continue to support her for the rest of her life.
“‘Cochlear implants need replacing every 5 years, so it’s nice to know the funding is there to help me to continue to pay for them and the operations to fit them.
“It’s also a relief to know I’ll have funding for any other necessary hearing related supports I need to help me through life.”
Koen is a former gold and silver medal-winning Dutch Paralympian.
Competing in wheelchair basketball, he won gold in 1992 at the Barcelona Paralympics and silver in 2000 at the Sydney Paralympics.
Koen is an NDIS participant and his funding has helped him continue his passion to play and coach wheelchair basketball.
With support from a specialist therapy provider for people with a disability, he formed a wheelchair basketball team and is also their coach.
Sky used the employment assistance funding included in her NDIS plan to build her skills for work and to find a job.
The 24-year-old thought she was starting two weeks of work experience at a McDonald’s McCafe, but after proving herself in the fast-paced environment she was hired before her first shift had ended.
“I couldn’t believe it. I was so happy. Then that week the manager called to give me my shifts for the next few weeks. I thought wow, okay,” Sky recalled.
She is employed part-time to do regular paid shifts.
Sky has Fragile X, an intellectual disability and autism
She used the employment assistance funding included in her NDIS plan to build her skills for work and to find a job and credits her success to the support she received from Jess, her employment consultant at a local NDIS employment provider.
