If your application to become an NDIS participant has been approved, you’ll soon need to attend an NDIS plan meeting with your local area coordinator.
Your NDIS plan is unique to you and details your plans for the future and the support you’ll need to achieve your goals. The plan meeting is your opportunity to share what’s important to you and ensure your NDIS plan fits your needs. Here are some ways you can prepare to make sure you make the most of the NDIS.
1. Start preparing now
By starting to prepare now, you can make sure you’re ready to discuss your needs and future plans with your local area coordinator. Waiting until the last minute may mean you miss out on potential supports that could help you achieve goals you weren’t aware you had or that you forgot about during the meeting.
2. Start a daily diary
You may not realise which areas of your daily life could be improved with the right support, so actively writing down your daily challenges is a great way to prepare yourself. Once you’re fully aware of the barriers you face each day, you can begin to think about your goals for the future.
3. Take photos and videos
A visual diary of your day-to-day life can help your local area coordinator see the barriers you face firsthand. This often helps you get the most out of your NDIS plan
4. Write down your goals
Once you’ve thought about what you want for the future, it’s a good idea to write down your goals. Try to be as specific as possible and don’t be afraid to be creative. The NDIS is there to give you more independence and enjoyment out of life, so think big!
Some examples are:
- lose weight or gain weight
- improve my nutrition by learning how to cook healthy meals
- improve my mobility at home
- attend classes in the community to widen my social circle
- join a sporting group and attend regularly
- develop a manageable routine at home
- make meals easy with a meals delivery service
5. Match possible supports to your goals
Once you’ve noted down your goals, you can more easily see which support people or services would benefit you. For example, if you want to improve your art skills, an art teacher could be the perfect choice. Likewise, a dietician could help you plan your meals and lose or gain weight.
The NDIS Service Providers list is a great place to find supports that can help you achieve your goals and will help prepare you for discussing potential supports at your plan meeting.
6. Attend a pre-planning session
Some areas offer pre-planning sessions to help you prepare for your actual NDIS plan meeting. If you’re struggling to come up with appropriate goals and supports to discuss at your meeting, a pre-planning meeting might help get the ideas flowing.
7. Involve a friend or family member
Your friends and family can often see things about your life that you don’t see yourself. They can help you think of goals or supports that you may have missed otherwise. Bringing someone to your plan meeting will help make sure you don’t forget to include something important and helps give an outside view of your life to your local area coordinator.
8. Stay focused
Your NDIS plan and plan meeting is about you and your needs. Be sure to stay focused on what you want for the future and how you can best be supported. That way, you can be sure your NDIS plan will be tailored to you.
