Assistance navigating and applying for the NDIS

Hi I’m Indu, I’m the local area coordinator, delivering NDIS in your community. Local area coordinators supports participants and their family to reach all their NDIS goals. My name is Bevan, and in 2009 I was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome which completely changed my life around NDIS and 2017. It has really helped me with managing my disability in both my personal and public life, and it has helped me really overcome many obstacles that I never thought I’d be able to overcome at first. It was about three years ago I met Bevan and majority of the time I had to gather information more from his parents. Because I often have moments of social awkwardness it was awkward at first, but we managed to get a strong trust. And now I feel confident (when I meet with my LAC). It’s really important to have that trust. They should have confidence when they are sharing their vulnerability with you. My name is Sama and I am LAC planner. We do a lot of things. I’m involved in meeting participants, supporting them, do their plans, deal with the NDIA and be like a linkage between participants and the NDIA as well as supporting participants to utilise their funding and maximise the benefit out of their NDIS plan by just explaining to them what their support is for and how can they use it. The first time I met Hanan it was like I think two years ago, and as she has mentioned that she, she has really, really a hard life previously because with her disability she was living on a second-floor unit with seven family members. At first I was tired but now I get help from this girl (Sama Mansour). I saw you and you helped me; God bless you. I’m lucky that I’m bilingual. I can speak their language and as well, me coming from the same cultural background has helped understand the issues that Hanan let’s say faced in her family. I wish for them to come to you! You help the people and a help is the best help. My name is Shereena Townsend and I lead the intake team. So for participants that are unsure of what supports they need or to maybe even support them access the NDIS, we can point them in the right direction. My favourite part will probably be because I’m so passionate about supporting participants and helping them. Sometimes they don’t even know who to turn to and having that skill and knowledge even in intake team to support those participants or give them a bit more reassurance and they give receiving support that they need. If anyone in your family or in your community has disability and you’re unsure of how NDIS can help you, we run a lot of workshops and information sessions where you can get more information.