Advocating for your needs in the NDIS: A guide for CALD individuals with disabilities.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is designed to provide funding and support to individuals with disabilities, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. While the NDIS can be a valuable resource for CALD individuals with disabilities, navigating the system can be challenging. One way to ensure that you are receiving the supports and services that you need is to advocate for your needs within the NDIS. This article will provide a guide for CALD individuals with disabilities on how to advocate for their needs in the NDIS.
What is Advocacy?
Advocacy is the act of speaking or acting on behalf of someone else to promote and protect their rights and interests. In the context of the NDIS, advocacy involves speaking up for yourself or someone else to ensure that their needs and goals are being met by the NDIS.
Why is Advocacy for CALD people with Disabilities Important?
Advocacy is important because it can help to ensure that CALD individuals with disabilities are receiving the supports and services that they need to achieve their goals. Without advocacy, individuals may not be aware of all of the supports and services that are available to them, or they may not know how to access them. Additionally, advocacy can help to ensure that individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and that their cultural beliefs and practices are taken into account when developing their NDIS plan.
How to Advocate for Your Needs in the NDIS
- Know Your Rights: The first step in advocating for your needs in the NDIS is to know your rights. The NDIS is designed to provide funding and support to individuals with disabilities, and you have the right to access these supports and services. Additionally, you have the right to be treated with respect and dignity, and to have your cultural beliefs and practices taken into account when developing your NDIS plan.
- Identify Your Needs: The next step in advocating for your needs in the NDIS is to identify your needs. This involves thinking about your goals, the supports and services that you require to achieve those goals, and any barriers that you may be facing in accessing those supports and services. Once you have identified your needs, you can start to develop a plan for advocating for them.
- Seek Support: Advocating for your needs in the NDIS can be challenging, and it is important to seek support from disability support organisations and advocacy services. These organisations can provide you with information and advice on how to advocate for your needs, and can help you to navigate the NDIS system.
- Communicate Clearly: When advocating for your needs in the NDIS, it is important to communicate clearly. This involves being clear about your goals, the supports and services that you require, and any barriers that you may be facing. It is also important to communicate in a way that is culturally appropriate, taking into account your cultural beliefs and practices.
- Keep Records: Keeping records of your interactions with the NDIS and any support organisations or advocacy services can be helpful in advocating for your needs. This can include keeping notes of phone conversations or meetings, and keeping copies of any correspondence.
- Review Your Plan: Once you have received your NDIS plan, it is important to review it to ensure that it meets your needs and goals. If there are any areas where your needs are not being met, it is important to raise these with your NDIS planner or support coordinator.
Advocating for your needs in the NDIS can be challenging, but it is an important step in ensuring that you are receiving the supports and services that you need to achieve your goals. By knowing your rights, identifying your needs, seeking support, communicating clearly, keeping records, and reviewing your plan, CALD individuals with disabilities can advocate for their needs in the NDIS and achieve their goals.
How Maple Community Services is leading the way with CALD Clients.
Cultural and linguistic barriers are a major challenge for CALD individuals with disabilities in accessing NDIS support. Despite efforts by the NDIS to address these barriers, there is a need for ongoing efforts to improve access to support and services for CALD individuals with disabilities. Maple works tirelessly day in and out to ensure ours supports and services are accessible to the who community. This includes the development of culturally and linguistically support networks, having a diverse group of management staff from all walks of life, and ensuring that staff are culturally and linguistically aware and have the necessary skills and training to support CALD individuals with disabilities.