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Goals form an integral part of the foundation of your NDIS plan. In fact, goals are what make your NDIS plan unique to you. Although it may seem like a daunting or overwhelming task, with the right tools and support setting NDIS goals can be easy.

What are NDIS goals?

If you want to achieve something, the NDIS can help you get there! You can set goals that are shorter-term, like working towards getting a job in the next six to twelve months, or longer-term, like working towards being more independent in three to five years.Whatever your goals, the NDIS can support you to make them a reality. So why not give it a go and see what you can achieve?

When it comes to NDIS goal setting, remember these three things:

Your goals should be personalized to you and your needs.

Your goals should be achievable and realistic.

Your goals should be flexible and adaptive, to reflect your changing needs.

To get started on setting your NDIS goals, ask yourself these questions:

What are the things that are important to me?

What are my hopes and dreams for the future?

What are my strengths and weaknesses?

What kinds of supports do I currently need?

What are my goals for the future?

Once you have a good understanding of your goals, it’s important to start putting them into writing. This will help you communicate your goals to your NDIS planner, and ensure that they are included in your NDIS plan.

If you need help setting your NDIS goals, don’t hesitate to ask our team at Better Life Community Service for assistance as we can make your goal-setting process easier.

Setting NDIS goals is an important step on the road to achieving your dreams and aspirations. With the right tools and support, it can be an easy and rewarding process.

Prepping & Setting NDIS goals

The first step in your goal setting journey should be to brainstorm. Take a piece of paper, your computer, or another way of noting down your goal ideas, consider what your goals in life are and just note anything that comes to mind. You can refine this later so don’t worry too much about having a perfectly worded goal.

Once you have some notes, have a look at the following categories to see if they inspire any further ideas:

• Choice and control
• Lifelong learning
• Daily living
• Relationships
• Health and wellbeing
• Work
• Social and community participation
• Home

It’s important to note that you do not need to have a goal that fits into every category. They are just there as a guide.

When you have a list of all the goals you can think of, break it down into short, medium, and long-term goals. From there it’s time to develop your list of goals. You should aim for three to five short term goals and two to four medium or long-term goals.

What makes a ‘good’ NDIS goal?

There really is no such thing as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ goal. However, writing your goals with the NDIA and how it works in mind, can help you to craft a goal that balances having a flexible goal with specific outcomes.

For example:

Goal Option #1 I want to take swimming lessons

Outcome: You may receive funding under your Capacity Building Supports for Health & Wellbeing, but the funding can only be used for its intended purpose as it relates to your goal – swimming lessons.

Goal Option #2: I want to increase my health, fitness, and wellbeing.

Outcome: You may receive funding under your Capacity Building Supports for Health & Wellbeing. This funding could be used for several purposes like:

• Swimming lessons or other sporting activities
• Physiotherapy to increase movement and flexibility
• Learning to cook healthy meals
• Access to adaptive sports or cooking equipment

Writing a draft goal like “I want to take swimming lessons”, can be a helpful starting point to develop a more flexible, broader goal that is still outcome specific like “I want to increase my health, fitness, and well-being”. Remember to take your time when developing your goals and focus on what is important to you.

If you need further assistance brainstorming or writing your goals, you can discuss this with your Support Coordinator (if relevant), your LAC, a disability advocate, or a private company that assists people with their NDIS application and goals.

Top tip: If this is not your first time developing goals in preparation for an NDIS meeting, you can use this helpful resource as a tool to make your goal-setting easier.

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) offers support for Australians living with autism. The NDIS offers tailored support plans for each individual, which can include therapies, equipment, and support services.
The NDIS helps people with autism to live as independently as possible. It can provide funding for therapies such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioural therapy. The NDIS can also provide funding for equipment such as communication devices, assistive technologies, and mobility aids.

NDIS eligibility & ASD

The first step in your NDIS journey is to determine if you are eligible to be part of the Scheme. This is especially important when it comes to ASD as there are different levels and the NDIS will need to consider your support needs to determine if you are eligible for a NDIS plan.

If you have level 1 ASD, the NDIS require evidence on the impacts that autism has on different aspects of your life including communication, mobility, social interaction, learning, self-care, and self-management. An occupational therapist, psychologist, or other medical professional may be able to provide written or documented evidence that you can share with the NDIA.

If you have level 2 or level 3 ASD, you are automatically considered eligible. However, it is always a good idea to have supporting evidence available to share with your Local Area Coordinator or the NDIA if needed.

Other eligibility requirements to be part of the NDIS:

• Aged between 7* and 65 (when first accessing the scheme)
• Australian citizen, live in Australia, and/or hold a permanent visa
• Permanent disability

If you fit the NDIS criteria, you can complete an Access Request Form.

*People under the age of seven can still access supports through Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI).

Support services offered through the NDIS can include respite care, social support, and transport assistance. This can help people with autism to participate in the community, connect with friends, and get to appointments.

The NDIS is available to people of all ages who have been diagnosed with autism. It is a flexible scheme that can be tailored to meet the individual needs of each person.

If you are living with autism, the NDIS can provide you with the support you need to live a full and independent life. To find out more about the NDIS and how it can help you, contact your local NDIS office.

What can the NDIS fund?

Every NDIS plan is unique to the person receiving it. The NDIS will consider your support needs and goals, along with their reasonable and necessary criteria to help determine the types of funded supports that may be included in your plan. Although each plan is different, there are some more common supports related to ASD that you may receive funding for. They are:

• Speech therapy
• Physiotherapy or occupational therapy to improve fine motor skills and concentration
• Behavioural supports for relationship building skill development and behavioural management
• Support work
• Sensory items/therapeutic aids
• Activities to support social development and interpersonal skills

Just remember that when it comes to the NDIS, evidence is everything. Make sure to be prepared for any planning meetings or plan review meetings with any supporting evidence that you can access, to help ensure your NDIS plan funding reflects your needs.

Children with autism & ECEI

Children with autism under the age of seven can access funding through the ECEI which just like the NDIS, ECEI works to provide the necessary support for people with ASD.

ECEI can:

• Provide early intervention for a child with developmental delay or disability
• Increase ability to do activities they need or want to do
• Increase inclusion and participation in mainstream and community settings like childcare or recreation
• Increase parent or guardian confidence and capacity to manage and respond to the child’s support needs
• Connect families to support services and parent support groups

To find out more about ECEI, you can contact your nearest ECEI partner.

Who can help?

If you’re struggling to prepare for your NDIS meeting, you can discuss this with you family, friends or even a disability advocate. They can also accompany you to any meetings to assist in explaining what supports you need and how your ASD impacts you in your daily life.

You can also contact your LAC or ECEI Partner to better understand the process.

It’s always a good idea to take notes, compile evidence, write down any challenges you have, your goals and aspirations, and what supports would be beneficial for you to live your life as independently as possible.