The National Disability Insurance Scheme or NDIS ensures that disabled people have access to the supports and services they need to live the life they choose.

The supports and services a A person who has been assessed by the NDIA as being eligible to receive supports and services through the NDIS.NDIS participant receives through the NDIS is based around their goals.

Every NDIS participant has their own unique goals, and the NDIS funding they receive is designed to support them to achieve these goals. Therefore, no two Every NDIS participant has their own NDIS plan. It is a document that has information about them, their goals and the NDIS budget they receive to pay for disability supports and services.NDIS plans are identical.

Boy with Down syndrome making cupcakes with a smiling woman

The NDIS supports disabled people to:

  • Learn new skills
  • Be independent
  • Get information about services in their area
  • Access services like doctors, sports clubs and art groups

The NDIS is designed to help people get the support they need so their skills and independence improve over time.

In this 4 minute video disabled young people share some of the NDIS supports they receive.

Reflection questions

What are your goals and how do you achieve them?

How do other people support you to achieve these goals? Friends? Family? Peers?

Think about how disabled young people are supported to achieve their own goals by the people around them.

What activities or events do you offer to young people? How can you offer these activities and events to disabled young people who are now supported by NDIS?

Further reading

YDAS created an NDIS guide for professionals that can be accessed here.

YDAS created Map Your Future as a tool for disabled young people, youth workers and other professionals to help work out their goals and tell the NDIS what supports they need.

Find out more about the NDIS by reading and watching resources produced by YDAS here.

You can find out how the NDIS works for young people by reading people’s stories here.

Previous: Inclusion and the Law

Next: Intersecting contexts of disability