Plan My FutureYour planning workbook to get NDIS ready

Name:Date:People who supported me to get NDIS ready:

Get ready for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

Before the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is available in your area, it’s a good idea to start preparing for your NDIS plan. This workbook can support you to get NDIS ready by guiding you to think about the support you get now and any unmet needs. This will help you to create goals and identify how you’d like things to be different.

How Wimmera UnitingCare can support you

Wimmera UnitingCare can support you to learn about and prepare for the NDIS.

We are ready to answer your NDIS questions, and if we don’t have the answer straight away, we’ll work to find the right information for you.

We provide Plan My Future workshops that explain how to:

check your eligibility for the NDIS and apply for access

set, review and achieve your goals

use this Plan My Future goal planning workbook

access support from the community or advocacy organisations.

We can assist you to:

collect information and assessments to share with planners

complete forms set up online

systems such as a MyGov account, and

activate your account on the NDIS portal.

Contact us

Sign up for updates and register your interest in upcoming workshops or contact us to talk about your needs.

If you live in the Horsham areaPhone: 1800 195 114Email: intake@wuc.org.au

If you live in the Ararat areaPhone: 1300 UC NDIS (1300 82 6347) and ask for the NDIS teamEmail: ndis@ucare.org.au

Website: www.wuc.org.au

Contacting the NDIS

Contact the NDIS directly to ask questions about your eligibility, goals and needs.

Phone: 1800 800 110Email: enquiries@ndis.gov.au Website: www.ndis.gov.au

Your journey with the NDIS

The NDIS provides lifetime support to people with disability – this is the start of your journey

Understanding the NDISWhat is the NDIS?

The NDIS supports people with disability to access the services they need to live the life they choose. The NDIS provides funding for the disability-related supports people need to achieve their goals.

Who can access the NDIS?

Eligibility for the NDIS depends on the nature of your disability, your age, where you live and your citizenship status.

You may be eligible for the NDIS if you:

have a disability, condition or impairment that is permanent, and means you usually need support from another person or equipment to do everyday things

are aged under 65 live in an area where the NDIS is

available, and are an Australian citizen, permanent

resident or hold a Special Protected Category Visa.

Check your eligibility and when the NDIS is coming to your area on the NDIS website www.ndis.gov.au or call 1800 800 110.

Who can support me?

You can ask important people in your life, such as family, friends or an advocate to support you on your journey and communicate your needs to the NDIS.

What is covered by the NDIS?

The NDIS provides funding for ‘reasonable and necessary’ supports that are:

related to your disability good value for money likely to be effective and beneficial,

and take into account existing support

received from family members, carers and the community.

The NDIS does not pay for day-to-day living costs, such as food, bills, medicine, gym memberships, holidays and other personal expenses. These costs are paid for with your income or pension.

The NDIS does not replace support already provided by mainstream services in the health, education, employment and community sectors. These sectors will continue to provide support as usual.

How does planning work?

Planners, also known as Local Area Coordinators (LACs), work with each person to develop a plan based on their day-to-day needs and longer term goals. From this plan, funding is provided for reasonable and necessary support to ensure people can have their needs met and work towards achieving their goals.

What is My First Plan?

My First Plan is the start of a lifelong relationship with the NDIS. It aims to cover all your current supports and any unmet needs so you can transition smoothly to the NDIS. Your plan is reviewed every 12 months or sooner by request.

Over time, and as your goals change, you can review your plan to make sure you’re receiving the support you need.

What will happen to my current supports?

If you currently receive disability or mental health support, and you’re eligible for the NDIS, you will keep receiving these until you have an NDIS plan in place.

What if I don’t currently receive any disability or mental health supports?

If you currently don’t receive any or enough support, and you are eligible for the NDIS, the scheme provides an opportunity for you to talk about your needs and ensure they are covered in your NDIS plan.

What happens when I get my NDIS plan?

Once your plan is approved, it will be time to put it into action. You will have choice and control over the services you receive and how and when you receive them.

How can Wimmera UnitingCare help me with my NDIS plan?

Once you have your plan, Wimmera UnitingCare can support you to connect to and coordinate your services so you can get on with living.

Our Support Coordination service works in partnership with you to:

develop actions to achieve your goals find the right providers for you connect to services, and build your confidence so you can

manage your supports independently in the future.

Contact us today for a free discussion about whether we are right for you. Phone: 1800 195 114 and ask for the NDIS team

Email: intake@wuc.org.au

All about you

The NDIS is all about supporting you to live the life you choose – so let’s learn all about you.

About you

What’s important to you?

What do you like about your life? What would you like to change?

Where do you live?

Do you like where you live? Are there things you would like to change?

Who are the important people in your life? Family, friends, people you care about.

Important person Relationship to me How they support me

Your supports

What support do you currently receive?

Think about all the different supports you receive and where you receive them.

What kind of funding do you currently get?

Friends/family Home Community Education

What supports do you need that you don’t receive?

What support is missing?

Your goals

The NDIS looks at your whole life and the support you need across 8 key areas.

When you think about your needs and goals, it’s a good idea to use these 8 areas to think about every part of your life. Some or all of these areas will be important to you.

1 Daily living

8 Choice and control 2 Home

7 Relationships 3 Health & wellbeing

6 Social & community 4 Lifelong learningparticipation

5 Work

NotesDraw or write about these areas and what they mean for your life.

Think about each day of your week and what it looks like.

What do you do? What support do you need? You may have lots of daily supports or only a few – let’s

explore what your week looks like.

1. Daily living My list of current daily supports:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Daily living is about your everyday life.

New daily supports I would like in my life:

Here are some more questions to help you think about and plan your daily living supports. These questions are prompts only. You can write your answers on the next page to help with your plan. Your answers will help you to identify your goals.

My transport

How do you get to and from your daily activities? (eg. drive yourself, taxi, family, public transport, modified vehicle)

Do you use public transport on your own or want to learn? (eg. train, tram, bus)

Do you need support when travelling? Do you have, or want to get, your

driver’s licence?

My general tasks

Do you need support with your daily routine?

Does someone help you with making decisions or do you make decisions on your own?

Where do you often need assistance? (eg. home, appointments, meetings)

My communication

Do you need support to communicate to other people or to be understood? (eg. interpreter, speech therapist, sign language)

What communication devices or equipment do you have or need?

Would you like more support to develop your communication skills?

When or where do you need communication assistance?

My mobility

Do you need support to move around? Do you have or need equipment to

help you move around? (eg. wheelchair, walking frame, guide dog, Hi-Lo Bed)

Do you receive mobility support when moving around your home or in the community?

Would you like to have therapy to improve your mobility?

My self-care and health needs

Do you have or need support with daily self-care? (eg. showering, eating, toileting)

Are there any special health needs that you need support with every day? (eg. epilepsy, medications, asthma).

Do you need help to attend medical appointments?

Do you have a health care plan? Do you need any medical equipment?

(eg. PEG feeds, continence products) Do you need support overnight?

My domestic life activities

Do you need support with domestic tasks in your home? (eg. meal preparation, cleaning, housekeeping, shopping)

Would you like to develop your skills to become more independent at home?

My emergency management

Do you have or need support in an emergency? (eg. bushfire, flood, illness)

Who can help you in a crisis? Do you have a carer that can help you

in an emergency? Who helps you when your carer is unavailable?

Have you been involved in any emergencies before? Which people helped you?

Do you have an emergency plan?

NotesUse this page to write down your thoughts and answers to the questions about your daily life.

My daily living goals

Based on your thoughts and answers above, write your goals for the short term (the next year) and the long term (the next 3 to 5 years).

Think about what you want to achieve, the support you need, and how you will get there.

My short-term goal is: ______________________________________________________________

My long-term goal is: _______________________________________________________________

2. HomeThe questions below are prompts to start you thinking. You can use the space on the next page to write down what is important to you about your home.

Where do you currently live? Do you feel safe and secure in your

home? Where do you want to live? Where would you like to live in 5

years? Who currently lives with you in your

home? Do you like to live alone or with other

people? Who would you like to live with? (eg.

by myself, family, friends, find a flat mate)

What type of place do you want to live in? (eg. unit, home, granny flat)

Do you want to buy, build or rent your own home?

Do you need support to find a new home?

Do you need help with cooking, cleaning or other tasks in your home?

Can you move around your home safely?

Do you need to change any equipment in your home? (eg. ramp, wide doorways, accessible bathroom, bedding, hoist or other equipment)

Do you have enough support in your home to meet your needs?

Do you have any pets? If not, would you like a pet?

Home is about where you live and your living arrangements.

Think about your home and how and where you would like to live in the future.

NotesUse this page to write down your thoughts and answers to the questions about your home.

My home goals

Based on your thoughts and answers above, write your goals for the short term (the next year) and the long term (the next 3 to 5 years).

Think about what you want to achieve, the support you need, and how you will get there.

My short-term goal is: ______________________________________________________________

My long-term goal is: _______________________________________________________________

3. Health & WellbeingMental health

Do you need support for your emotional wellbeing?

What helps you feel mentally well? Do you feel safe? Would you like

support to feel safe? Do you need support with events that

have happened in your life that affect your mental health?

Do you currently receive mental health support? (eg. counselling, therapy)

Do you need mental health support? Do you need assistance to get to your

mental health appointments? Do you need support to understand or

communicate with your counsellor or therapist?

Would you like to explore other ways to manage your mental health?

What are the things that help you feel happy, safe and well?

What do you do every day to keep yourself feeling happy, safe and well?

What does a happy, safe life look like for you?

Physical health

Do you have any health conditions? Do you take any medications? Do you

need support to take medications?

Would you like to build your skills to manage your medications?

Think about all areas of your health and wellbeing. What is important for your mental, spiritual and physical health?

How would you like to improve your wellness and health?

Would you like to be more physically active? What support would you need?

What would help you with your physical health goals? (eg. nutrition, exercise)

Have you received support from a therapist in relation to your physical health and mobility? (eg. occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy)

Do you need support to get to your doctor or specialist appointments?

Do you need support to understand or communicate with your doctors or specialists?

Spiritual health

Is spirituality important to you? Do you need assistance to attend

worship, religious festivals or gatherings?

Would you like to find personal meaning in your life?

Would you like to connect with like-minded people?

NotesUse this page to write down your thoughts and answers to the questions about your health and wellbeing.

My health and wellbeing goals

Based on your thoughts and answers above, write your goals for the short term (the next year) and the long term (the next 3 to 5 years).

Think about what you want to achieve, the support you need, and how you will get there.

My short-term goal is: ______________________________________________________________

My long-term goal is: _______________________________________________________________

4. Lifelong learning What interests, hobbies and passions

would you like to explore? Are there any skills that you want to

develop? Are there people in your life who can

assist you with learning? Do you need help to learn or

remember new things? Do you attend education programs? If

so, where? What are your education or learning

goals? Do you need support to achieve your

learning and education goals? Would you like to learn more

independent living skills? (eg. managing money, cooking, shopping, cleaning, using public transport)

Would you like to go to TAFE or attend university? What would you like to study?

Think about your learning and education now and in the future. What would you like to learn?

NotesUse this page to write down your thoughts and answers to the questions about your lifelong learning.

My lifelong learning goals

Based on your thoughts and answers above, write your goals for the short term (the next year) and the long term (the next 3 to 5 years).

Think about what you want to achieve, the support you need, and how you will get there.

My short-term goal is: ______________________________________________________________

My long-term goal is: _______________________________________________________________

5. Work

Do you work? What do you do? Would you like to work? What would

you like to do? What jobs have you had? Which did

you enjoy? Do you need support to work? Do you need to develop any skills to

be able to work? (eg. social skills, travel training)

Does your workplace need to be set up in a particular way? (eg. ramp, wide doorways, accessible bathroom, modified equipment, supportive and understanding workplace)

Volunteering

Do you volunteer or would you like to? What do you do? What would you like

to do? What volunteer work have you done

and enjoyed? Do you need support to volunteer? Do you need to develop any skills to

be able to volunteer? (eg. social skills, travel training)

Does your volunteering place need to be set up in a particular way? (eg. ramp, wide doorways, accessible bathroom, modified equipment, supportive and understanding workplace)

Exploring my options

What is your dream job or volunteer position?

What support do you need to work or volunteer now or in the future?

Would you like ‘on the job’ training or work experience opportunities?

How many days would you like to work or volunteer?

Do you have a resume? Do need help to make a resume, build your interview skills or apply for jobs?

Think about the types of work you like to do.

NotesUse this page to write down your thoughts and answers to the questions about work.

My work goals

Based on your thoughts and answers above, write your goals for the short term (the next year) and the long term (the next 3 to 5 years).

Think about what you want to achieve, the support you need, and how you will get there.

My short-term goal is: ______________________________________________________________

My long-term goal is: _______________________________________________________________

6. Social & community participation

What do you do for fun? What things would you like to do for

fun, play or adventure? How do you like to spend your free

time? Do you prefer to spend time on your

own or with other people? Do you have friends? Do you see as

much of your friends as you would like?

Would you like more or new friends? What social activities do you like the

most? (eg. sport, art, animals, snow, beach, music, festivals, camping, fishing)

Are you part of any community groups? (eg. sporting clubs, art groups)

Would you like to play a sport, musical instrument or learn a new skill?

What celebrations or events are important to you? (eg. religious days, long weekends, festivals)

Do you go on holidays? If so, where do you go and what support do you need?

Would you like to go on a holiday? If so, what’s your dream travel adventure? What support would you need?

Do you vote at elections, write letters to your newspaper, speak at events or voice your opinion in the community in other ways?

Do you feel connected to your community? If not, how would you like to be part of your community?

Think about your community and social life and how you would like to connect to people, groups and activities in your community.

NotesUse this page to write down your thoughts and answers to the questions about social and community participation.

My social and community participation goals

Based on your thoughts and answers above, write your goals for the short term (the next year) and the long term (the next 3 to 5 years).

Think about what you want to achieve, the support you need, and how you will get there.

My short-term goal is: ______________________________________________________________

My long-term goal is: _______________________________________________________________

7. Relationships

Who are the most important people in your life?

What is their relationship to you? Do they support and understand you? How do they support you? Who or what helps you to feel safe? What can people do to keep you

feeling safe and calm? What are the things that people do

that are not helpful or make things worse for you?

How do people who support you know that you would like to make some changes?

Would you like to meet new people? Does anything stop you from keeping

or making new friendships? Would you like to build your

confidence in meeting and talking to new people?

Would you like to have a Circle of Support made of people who can assist you?

Do you need help to express your feelings and emotions in a safe way?

Do you need support or reassurance when feeling upset?

What do you do when you are upset or angry? Do you need assistance to manage your feelings?

Think about your relationships with important people in your life – these people might include your

family and friends.

For adults

Are you in a romantic relationship and would like to have some support to share experiences together? (eg. going on dates, to the movies, festivals)

Would you like to meet someone special?

What support would you need to meet new people or go on dates?

NotesUse this page to write down your thoughts and answers to the questions about relationships.

My relationship goals

Based on your thoughts and answers above, write your goals for the short term (the next year) and the long term (the next 3 to 5 years).

Think about what you want to achieve, the support you need, and how you will get there.

My short-term goal is: ______________________________________________________________

My long-term goal is: _______________________________________________________________

8. Choice & control

Do you make decisions about your life?

Are there any areas of your life where you would like more control?

Do you share your opinions with people?

Would you like some support to increase your confidence in sharing your thoughts?

Do you have people in your life who listen to you?

Do you feel that people listen to you? Who needs to listen to you and what

do you want them to know? Would you like the support of an

advocate? An advocate is someone who can support you and assist you to tell people what you want.

Would you like more people in your life to support you, such as an advocate or a Circle of Support to help you make choices and decisions?

How would you like your NDIS funding to be managed? (eg. self-managed, NDIS managed, plan manager)

Would you like assistance to manage NDIS funding or would you like to manage it yourself?

Do you know what services and supports you want to use?

Would you like some support to find, connect to and coordinate your services?

Would you like to manage your services independently? If not right now, would you like some support to build your confidence so you can manage services yourself in the future?

Do you want to manage your funding? If not right now, would you like support to manage your funding independently in the future?

Think about the choice and control you have in your life and the decisions that you want to make.

NotesUse this page to write down your thoughts and answers to the questions about choice and control.

My choice and control goals

Based on your thoughts and answers above, write your goals for the short term (the next year) and the long term (the next 3 to 5 years).

Think about what you want to achieve, the support you need, and how you will get there.

My short-term goal is: ______________________________________________________________

My long-term goal is: _______________________________________________________________

Your NDIS goalsNow that you’ve thought about each area of our life, let’s work out what goals are the most important to you right now. You may want to join some of your goals together under one broader goal.

My NDIS goals summary

My most important short-term NDIS goals My most important long-term NDIS goals

1 1

2 2

3 3

Your NDIS planning meeting

Your NDIS planning meeting is a conversation between you, other important people who support you, and your NDIS Planner or Local Area Coordinator.

Your NDIS meeting can be:

in person, or over the phone.

When you are contacted, you can ask for the option that suits you. You can request a face-to-face meeting if that is your preference.

When you have your planning conversation you can bring important people along with you such as family members, friends, staff or an advocate.

When you have your planning conversation you can bring important people along with you

Your NDIS planning checklist

When you have your NDIS planning meeting,

it is a good idea to take:

your Plan My Future workbook that will assist the planner to get to know you, what’s important to you, and your goals and needs

any other recent client, person-centred or lifestyle plans

health and behaviour support plans therapy assessments letters from doctors or specialists any other recent information about

you or your disability.

My First Plan

Now you have your NDIS plan, how do you make it happen?

You will need to set up a MyGov account, which is a central online access point for Medicare, tax, Centrelink, Child Support and the NDIS. If you already have a MyGov account you can connect your NDIS service to your account. If you don’t yet have a MyGov account you will need to create one.

Once you have a MyGov account, you can use your login details to access the myplace portal on the NDIS website. You will be asked to enter your NDIS activation code, which will be provided to you once your plan is approved.

More information about the portal and the steps to follow is available on the NDIS website.

We can support you to set up your MyGov account and activate your NDIS plan.

Support Coordination

Wimmera UnitingCare’s Support Coordination service can work with you to get your NDIS plan up and running quickly and easily.

We can support you to make the most of your plan. We start by getting to know you at a face-to-face meeting at a time and location that suits you.

From there, we’ll work in partnership with you to:

access and understand your NDIS plan create a MyGov account on the

internet and use your NDIS activation code to start your plan

provide access to the internet and a computer if you need

develop actions to achieve your goals find providers who offer value for

money and quality services connect to services and develop

service agreements build your confidence to self-manage

supports in the future turn your goals into outcomes.

If you require more intensive support our experienced staff can also work with you and your support network to:

coordinate your supports from a range of mainstream and disability services providers

increase your capability to coordinate your services

resolve issues during times of crisis, and

build your ability to overcome challenges independently in the future.

Your life with the NDIS

My First Plan is the start of a lifelong relationship with the NDIS. As your needs change and grow, your plan can too.

Annual plan reviews are available to each NDIS participant to make sure that their goals and needs are being met and achieved.

If your needs change, or something is missing from your plan, you can request a Plan Review at any time. It’s best to get started with your plan immediately so you can start receiving most of your supports and then apply for a Plan Review so anything that is missing can be addressed.

Notes

If your needs change, or something is missing, you can request a Plan Review

Wimmera UnitingCare

If you live in the Horsham areaPhone: 1800 195 114Email: intake@wuc.org.au

If you live in the Ararat areaPhone: 1300 UC NDIS (1300 82 6347)Email: ndis@ucare.org.au

Website: www.wuc.org.au

Wimmera UnitingCare is one of the founding agencies of Uniting (Victoria Tasmania) Limited

© Copyright Uniting (Victoria Tasmania) 2017

Information sourced fromwww.ndis.gov.auand ‘My NDIS Pathway’