How to Develop Your First NDIS Plan

Thinking about your upcoming planning meeting? Want to make sure you’re prepared? We’ve got you covered. Start pre-planning today by asking yourself these five key questions.

1. What’s important to you?

Your NDIS plan is about you. It should reflect who you are, what you value, and the life you want to achieve. Sharing your experiences and interests will help you and your planner create a plan that’s right for you.

Think about some of the great things about you, and what you need to feel your best.

• What are some things that you like and are good at?

• What are some things that you need to stay safe and well for?

• Are there any things that make you unhappy, anxious or stressed?

2. What are your support needs?

In your planning meeting, you’ll be asked to describe how you manage your everyday activities. This helps your planner understand what your abilities are and what equipment, accommodation or help you need to take care of yourself or your home.

Think about what your week usually looks like, and the activities that you do each day. It can be helpful to create a timetable showing what you do and when you do it. You can also take photos of your activities and equipment and bring them to the planning meeting.

• Do you need any equipment, aids or consumables (e.g. bed protectors, incontinence pads)?

• Do you need assistance with transport or vehicle modifications?

• Are there any home modifications that you need?

• Are there any areas in your life where you feel unsafe or where you might need extra help?

3. Who are your current supports?

You’ll also be asked about the support you currently receive. This includes paid support like health services and help for work and social activities, as well as unpaid support from friends and family.

If possible, bring quotes from your service providers to your planning meeting to help guide your budget.

Think about who the important people are in your life and how much support they provide.

• Do you get help from a support person to participate in your daily activities?

• Who are your current service providers (e.g. speech therapists, occupational therapists, doctors, teachers)?

• Are there any changes you’d like to make to the type or amount of support you currently receive?

4. What are your goals?

The next step is to think about the goals you want to set for your NDIS plan. Goals are things you want to achieve with the support from the NDIS and other supports and services. You should focus on what you need right now, as well as what you might need in the future.

Your goals might involve:

• Learning and education,

• Finding and keeping a job,

• Becoming more active in your community,

• Improving your housing options and living arrangements,

• Improving your health and wellbeing,

• Improving relationships and making friends,

• Becoming more independent, and/or

• Increasing control and choice in your life.

Think about what you enjoy about your life right now, and if there is anything you would change.

• What are your interests or the things you love doing?

• What currently works well and what doesn’t?

• Are there new things that you would like to try?

• What are your dreams and is there anything preventing you from having the life you want?

5. How will you manage your plan?

During your planning meeting, you’ll need to specify how your NDIS funds and supports will be managed.