Community collaboration is key
The NDIS is for all Australians with disability – no matter their cultural background or where they live. But these factors can present unique opportunities and challenges when it comes to NDIS service provision, so it’s important to have a plan in place.
The NDIA has released two new strategies to ensure the NDIS is delivered successfully for all Australians. One is to guide their engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the other outlines their approach in rural and remote areas.
The strategies were developed in consultation with local communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives, people with disability and their carers. They have also been informed by the knowledge gained from the NDIS trial sites.
The NDIA has promised to continue to work collaboratively with communities – to “listen, learn, build and deliver”.
In other words, there won’t be a one-size-fits-all model for the delivery of the NDIS. Instead, they want to learn from and work with local communities to build on their strengths and find local solutions to challenges.
This way the NDIS can be tailored to suit the specific needs of each community and ensure the services it provides are the best they can be for all Australians.
To achieve this the NDIA has committed to training all staff so they can engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a culturally respectful and supportive way. They have also promised to provide accessible and culturally appropriate information so that communities can understand the NDIS and plan for its arrival.
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