Cooking is an essential life skill that not only provides sustenance but also promotes independence, self-sufficiency and creativity. For some members of the community, cooking can be a challenging task due to physical or cognitive limitations. However, with the right support and resources, anyone can learn to cook and enjoy delicious meals.

OnTrack Tasmania’s Making Tracks is a program designed to support people with a disability to achieve their goals and improve their quality of life. One of the streams of Making Tracks is the cooking classes. The cooking classes provides practical skills, social interactions, and a sense of accomplishment.

The cooking program at OnTrack Tasmania is a two-hour class that is tailored to our member’s individual needs and preferences. When a new participating member walks into the Hub kitchen, they will be cheerfully greeted by our program leader Gavin. Using his 25 years of experience in the industry cooking, Gavin can cater to different dietary requirements, cultural backgrounds, and cooking levels. Members may require assistance with physical tasks such as chopping, stirring, or serving up the freshly made food, while others may need support with reading recipes or measuring ingredients. The program is delivered in small groups, where members can learn about food sourcing, cooking techniques, cooking food from various nationalities and ways to stay safe in the kitchen.

To ensure the success of the program, it is essential to involve participants in the planning and evaluation process. Participants can provide feedback on their experiences, suggest dishes, and share their achievements and challenges. The classes are fun and full of discussion on various interesting food. Fresh herbs sit on the windowsill while everyone talks about how to make a healthy and delicious version of dishes they know like Kentucky Fried Chicken. The skills that members learn can be used in everyday living and knowledge that they express in the kitchen is celebrated.

At a recent class the menu was a beef stroganoff with homemade pasta. The lesson started with Gavin and participant Jessie writing down the recipe and discussing the Russian recipe including questions about measurements, where the ingredients are sourced and how ingredients effect the taste of the dish. Jessie was named professional pasta maker and proved his skill when feeding newly made pasta dough through a pasta maker.

Jackie soon joined the class and eagerly helped Jessie to flatten the pasta while Jessie turned the handle moving the pasta through. Jackie took a break soon after for a cup of coffee with her support worker. Jackie has been an OnTrack Tasmania participant for two years and usually joins the cooking classes on Friday. The class discusses likes and dislikes in tastes with talk about what will be on the next week. Seafood, sweet lemon tarts or maybe an apple turnover? Jackie has a lemon tree at home and she offered to bring some for the lemon tarts.

The rest of the ingredients including beef, mushrooms and onions were chopped to prepare for the sauce and thrown in a pot. As the pot was placed on the stove and the heat was turned on high, there was discussion on safety around the hot environment. Both Jessie and Jackie took turns keeping an eye on the pot, stirring and making sure the food doesn’t burn. Gavin measured out the cut pasta, measuring out portions for the participants of the cooking program, support workers and other OnTrack Tasmania participants who were taking advantage of the gaming sessions in room next door.  Once the pasta and beef stroganoff were cooked, it was served in bowls and topped with a small amount of parsley to those who wanted it.

During the class, Gavin stated that “This is the job for me!”  wanting to make a difference in the community and mentor the members to achieve goals and nurture the love for cooking. This program inspires members to apply newly learned skills in their own kitchen. Gavin has many ideas for the future of the cooking program, such as growing more ingredients outside the door from the kitchen and cooking a long lunch for members and staff to show what the cooking program can accomplish.

The Young Guns lunches are a meaningful way to create community and build relationships between our participants. OnTrack Tasmania provides one of the key components of building support networks around the individual, which includes friends, family, and other people in the community. The Young Guns lunches provides opportunity for people to connect with each other, build relationships, and have fun doing everyday activities. 

Each week, participants living in our Supported Independent Living (SIL) accommodation, and who participate in the OnTrack Tasmania Community Access (CA) program choose which restaurant or pub they want to sit, relax, and get a bite to eat. On one recent occasion the members of Young Guns organised to meet at the Shamrock Hotel in Hobart. A booking was made and transport was organised by our team to make sure everyone can come to the event. 

After a rainy start to the day, the skies began to clear just in time for lunch. The lunch was filled with conversation and plenty of laughter, as everyone got to catch up with old friends and made new ones. Keith, one of our members arrived early and was playing chess on his phone. As people arrived, there was curiosity from people wondering on what his next move would be. When everyone arrived, an OnTrack staff member took on the role of waiter, taking everyone’s orders as they chose from the menu. 

Ruby was laughing away with her support worker Kia about weekend plans and discussing going to see the regatta. Kia has been Ruby’s support worker since she started at OnTrack Tasmania two years ago. They both come to the Young Gun’s lunch regularly. Ruby began asking everyone “What gen (generation) are you?”. Many answers came out across the table from millennial to Generation X, Y and Z. It was discovered most people were of the younger generations. 

As food was coming out to the table, Gerard was chatting away about how he would spend his birthday. “I can’t decide if I’ll have either a barbeque or a party.” Ruby was checking the weather for the date on her phone to find it would be a very hot 30 degrees Celsius. Gerard would need more time to decide what type of event he would like to host.

OnTrack Tasmania Office Staff took advantage of the opportunity to catch up with our participants and support workers. Everyone expressed how they are and what has been happening in their lives. For many support workers this is a great opportunity to spend time with others in a similar role where they are networking and building up connections. 

After everyone had finished their food, it was time to leave. Everyone started to say their goodbyes, got up from their chairs and left the Shamrock Hotel. Some members went home with their support workers, while others went their separate ways. 

AS one of Tasmania’s largest
providers of NDIS supported
accommodation, OnTrack
Tasmania prides itself on
providing the highest quality
homes, which are fully
furnished and include modern
convivences like NBN, Netflix
and gaming consoles. 

“But that is the easy bit,”
OnTrack Tasmania Supported
Independent Living manager
Raf Patterson said.
“The hard work starts
with matching a participant
with the right location, right
support workers and the right
housemate.” 

That hard work has paid
off for Ruby, 25, and Britney,
18, who now live together in
a beautiful, sun-filled home
in a central Hobart suburb,
supported by OnTrack
Tasmania. 

When Ruby and Britney talk
about their experiences living
together, the conversation is
filled with cheers and laughter.
As two young women who
are making their own path
in life, Ruby and Britney are
thriving on the newfound sense
of independence that OnTrack’s
support provides them.
Ruby said the pair’s favourite
things to do at home are
“be silly and play Uno”. 

But
they also enjoy going on
outings. together, including
recently attending Party in the
Apocalypse music festival in
Hobart.
Ruby and Britney also enjoy
going to the gym together,
joined by their Support
Worker.
When Britney was asked
what sort of exercises she does
at the gym, she replied “getting
stuck on the bike!”, which led
to more contagious giggles. 

It’s obvious that Ruby
and Britney are not just
housemates. They’re the best
of friends, making memories
together from a home that is
filled with life and laughter. 

OnTrack Tasmania operates
more than 40 supported
accommodation properties
in southern Tasmania, all of
which are close to shops and
public transport.
To find out more about
OnTrack’s range of services,
phone 1800 ONTRACK
(1800 668 722).

Originally published in the Glenorchy Gazette. Republished with permission.

NDIS service providers are always thinking of how they can be more accessible to their participants, especially during quarantine. Many, if not most, participants often have to stay at home because they have a chronic illness or are immuno-compromised that they absolutely cannot get sick. Others don’t want to risk it as the probability of getting exposed to the virus puts their anxiety on high.

Thankfully Australia and many countries around the world have a telehealth system that is also available to NDIS service providers who need to monitor the progress of their participants even while the world is on lockdown.

What is Telehealth?

Telehealth refers to the communication between doctor and patient across different locations. These telecommunication techniques may  involve any or a combination of the following:

1. Video conferencing.
2. Patient portals that allow patients to take a look at their information, prescriptions and other data from their desktop or mobile device.
3. Remote patient monitoring through wearables and apps.

Because technology is always changing – even during COVID-19 – telehealth techniques will continue to improve and grow.

Benefits of Telehealth

Both NDIS service providers and participants can benefit from telehealth during quarantine. Not only does this promote social distancing between patient and doctor, it also encourages patients to check in with their doctors more frequently.

Here are some benefits if you still think telehealth is not for you:

1. Contact your doctors from home. One of the biggest pros of telehealth is its accessibility. Be it via phone or through online video streaming, you can have consultations in the comfort of your own home. This is perfect if you live in a remote location, such as a farm, or if you are home-bound and cannot always travel outside your community.

Which brings us to our next point…

2. Reduce your travel time. Telehealth greatly reduces time spent on getting ready for travel to and from your doctor’s clinic. This could take up to an hour or more, depending on your condition. It is possible that the only time you do need to go to your doctor’s clinic or a healthcare facility is when you have a scheduled procedure. 

Nevertheless, if you simply need to talk to your doctor about vital signs and to ask for a prescription, you don’t need to get ready and travel.

3. Improve your recovery time. There’s nothing more comfortable than recovering at home. Instead of being admitted to a hospital, you can recuperate in your own bed while your doctor regularly contacts you through online means. This reduces the stress of having to get ready for a physical consultation. 

4. Continuity of care. Doctors, especially during this time, want to check in with their patients to see how they are dealing with the ‘new norm’ and having to adjust to a life compressed into one’s home. This goes back to the first point of telehealth as a great way to access the healthcare that participants deserve. 

Through telehealth, doctors can pinpoint signs of a mental health condition early on or can continue to check the progress of their patients without skipping several months of not talking with each other.

OnTrack Tasmania is working with telehealth specialists throughout the area to bring NDIS participants closer to the doctors who help manage any conditions participants currently live with or have begun to develop. Talk to us on our website or give us a call at 03 9007 0593 to talk about telehealth and other services that we provide as an NDIS provider.

Supported independent living not only involves selecting the right home for NDIS participants. It also requires universal accessible design. Those with physical disabilities will need a home that makes their daily routines more manageable.

If you’re looking for, building, or designing a home for your NDIS participant, follow these quick tips to make sure the home is disability-friendly and fully accessible.

1. Find Functional Furniture

NDIS participants with physical disabilities may feel restricted with the furniture that’s available in the market, so it’s important to get pieces that are actually functional. Get furniture that does not make them exert too much effort to complete repetitive movements like sitting or standing.

For example: Having adjustable furniture – such as pull-out shelves – are perfect for those who are wheelchair-bound. 

2. Create Wider Entryways 

For easier wheelchair access, build wide doorways with gentle slopes or ramps and lever handles instead of doorknobs on doors – as doorknobs may be more difficult to turn for those with dexterity issues.

3. Use Two-Way Switches

This is a great boon for those who require crutches or have visual impairments – especially people who cannot see well in the dark. It’s typical to install one light switch by the door, but it’s worth considering putting another switch, connected to the same light source, by the bed for example. This eliminates multiple return trips between a single light source switch. 

4. Use Appropriate Flooring

The type of flooring required depends on the participant’s disability as well as their aesthetic requirements. Here are some ideas for the home with respect to one’s disability:

• Participants with dexterity issues: Vinyl flooring for their slip-resistant abilities and being affordable.
• Wheelchair-bound participants: Hardwood flooring for a flat surface. This can susceptible to scratching – maybe consider getting more robust quality material.
• Participants with Joint issues: Carpeted flooring for softer cushioning. Not ideal for wheelchair users.

5. Install Grab Bars

Those who may have issues balancing, standing up from their chairs, or simply need extra support will benefit from grab bars. Often seen in bathrooms, you can also install a riser on toilets for seniors who have difficulty standing up or bending over due to muscle dystrophy.

You can help your family member get disability housing in Tasmania through supported independent living. With OnTrack Tasmania, get access to the best NDIS Housing Packages with our Independent Living program. We offer other support accommodation services based on your funding arrangements with the NDIS. Contact us on our website and find a home with us.

NDIS mentoring can be one of the most fruitful activities for NDIS participants. However, there are some common myths surrounding the service, causing some participants to delay joining such a positive and beneficial programme.  

We’ve debunked the following myths so you can get the right mentor and to help you become more independent and confident in life.

Myth #1: My Mentor Should Be Older Than I Am

TRUTH #1: It’s a common belief that mentors tend to be older than their mentees but that isn’t always the case. What is often confused with seniority is experience. Your mentor could be younger than you and yet have the experience of working with countless other NDIS participants with conditions or situations similar to yours.

Myth #2: Mentors Should Be Smarter Or More Experienced Than I Am

TRUTH #2: The mentor-mentee relationship is actually a two-way street. You, as a participant, have your own life experiences where you can draw insights from, while your mentor can help you make sense of things and provide a road map. On the other hand, your mentor can learn a thing or two from you and open up something about themselves.

Remember, successful NDIS mentoring involves cooperation between the mentor and mentee. This often means sharing about yourselves to figure things out together.

Myth #3: I Could Get Stuck with a Bad Mentor

TRUTH #3: Toxic mentors do exist and if that’s your current reality, you should consider switching to another NDIS mentoring service. Some of the signs to watch out for are:

• Connecting with them is really difficult
• Speaking negatively about a mentee’s friends and professional life
• Refusing to give constructive feedback
• Believing they don’t need to improve either their mentoring profession or personal life

Good news – all our mentors at OnTrack are amazing. With over 10 years in the community sector, OnTrack has mentors who will really “get” you and be able to support you every step of your journey. 

Myth #4: A Mentor Always Has Their Life 100% Perfect

TRUTH #4: Just like the rest of us – mentors are human. They might not always have everything perfect and shining. But that doesn’t mean they’re any less worthy of offering NDIS mentoring or taking care of their mentees. Mentors are also constantly working on improving their own lives but will always be available to help their mentees out.

A good mentor needs to be good at taking care of you and your needs.

Myth #5: Mentors Dictate The Relationship

TRUTH #5: Connected to the previous point, any NDIS mentoring service involves trust between both mentor and mentee. 

Both mentor and mentee should be open and respect has to be earned. The space between mentor and mentee should be supportive and accepting. For example, if a mentor believes they have all the answers and the mentee is expected to believe them, it might not be a healthy or fruitful relationship.

Our mentors have ample experience in listening to and supporting their mentees. They understand the nature of the relationship is a two-way street.

We’re confident we can find you the right ‘two peas in a pod’ mentor. 

With OnTrack Tasmania’s NDIS Mentoring Service, we help you find the right mentor for your needs and help you gain the confidence you need to get you ready for more independent living. Goal Setting, Upskill Training, Confidence Building and Plan Reviewing are just some of the helpful aspects of Mentoring we provide.

Learn more about our Mentoring Program on our website today.

Leading a successful life is possible even with a disability. While it’s not an easy feat, you are more than capable of thriving on whatever path you choose. If you are an NDIS participant who would like to get ahead in life, here are some tips to remember when you want to thrive and be successful with your disability.

1. Learn More & Get Inspired

When you’re looking for a job or searching to level up your skills, but you believe your disability might be a hindrance to your progress, just keep researching. Focusing on the negative aspects of your condition can be counterproductive. Instead, do some further, positive research. Find out about people who live with a disability like yours and those who have excelled in their respective careers or lives. There are far more people in the world like you than you think and there are far more people in the world who have overcome incredible obstacles in life than anyone can imagine. 

Try to find some of these inspiring people, maybe follow them on social media, or if they’ve written a book, try reading it to better understand their journey and how they overcame their own obstacles. Maybe you’ll find some gems of inspiration to start you on your own path.

Just keep learning, inspiring yourself and eventually, you’ll thrive.

2. Focus on a Skill or Career that Works Well with Your Condition

Research and learn more about your condition and what skills or career paths that could be compatible with your condition. Depending on your situation, you might want to start with a low-stress job with a defined set of responsibilities, a fixed schedule or a calm environment. Find something you enjoy, that allows you to grow at your own pace and to discover even more skills. Start small and later on you can gradually take up new duties and responsibilities. 

Always remember to give yourself time and space to learn and make mistakes. There’s no one true path in life and everyone has their own journey to travel. Just don’t stress trying to be perfect. The road to success is paved with mistakes, so let yourself make them and just make sure you’re having fun along the way. Having a job is important but don’t sacrifice your health or happiness for the sake of success.

The Making Tracks program offered by OnTrack Tasmania helps you build confidence and improve your life skills in a fun and safe environment. Whether you want to be the world’s next celebrity chef or an e-games expert, we’ve got your back and we’ll help you chase your dreams.

3. Focus on Your Strengths

Sometimes it can be hard to focus on your strengths. What might take minutes for you could take hours for somebody else. But everyone has their own unique strengths. Maybe sit with a close friend, family member or co-ordinator and try to list your strengths and the things you’re good at. You might be a people person, a great listener and know how to make people feel good about themselves, or you could be a creative genius with a flair for imagining new opportunities and ideas. 

Write it all down.

Then try to list possible ways you could help share those strengths with the world. Find a way to tap into them and see yourself excel. Asking those around you for support in doing this or asking how to best achieve this can be a good start.

Making Tracks is that one NDIS program that appreciates and hones your strengths so that you can set yourself apart from other people. While you can do these things on your own, setting yourself up for success takes time and you may need additional support. At OnTrack Tasmania, we offer NDIS participants with the Making Tracks program, which allows you to achieve your dreams and make the most out of your life. Learn a new skill, boost your career or start your own business – we can help you excel in a judgment-free and safe environment. Switch now to OnTrack Tasmania – call us up at 03 9007 0593 or visit our website to learn more.

Are you thinking of pursuing independent living in Hobart? It comes easily to some, a challenge for others. If you are an NDIS participant, you’ll most likely encounter some challenges with your funding, particularly with managing your budget. 

It’s an important life skill for anyone and if this is something you want to improve or need extra guidance on, you could take part in a Supported Independent Living programme and learn how to better handle your money. If this sounds interesting to you, here are some tips on how to better budget your money. 

1. Educate Yourself with Your Plan

If you’re trying to understand your NDIS plan, you might be overwhelmed with the information you’re reading, especially if this is your first time availing of a plan. After all, there are so many details to a plan that you need to take note of and you certainly want to learn more about how to get the most out of yours.

The trick is to partner up with an NDIS provider that can clarify everything for you so you know how to spend your budget – and finding the right provider means you’re spending your plan through the right organisation. They’ll help you on the road to supported independent living faster than you would if you decide to do it on your own. 

2. Set Some Money Goals

Now that you have a clearer idea of your unique NDIS plan, it’s time to set some money goals. Even with a plan in place, it might still be hard for you to know if you’re over or underspending. So creating goals can help you focus on your expenses and use your budget wisely.

For example, you want to manage your bills and utilities on a monthly basis while being able to spend a bit on your favourite hobby or pastimes. You can tell yourself that if you pay your bills on time and meet your budget goals for the month, you could reward yourself with a new book, enroll in a music class or even get some cooking lessons. So your goal can be staying on top of your financial responsibilities while still investing in yourself.

3. Download a Budgeting App

Budgeting and taking note of your expenses can be a chore. Tracking your finances in a notebook is painstakingly slow and tiring.

But it’s super easy with your smartphone. There are dozens of budgeting apps available in the market. They do away with the nitty-gritty calculations – all you have to do is key in your daily expenses and the app does everything else. You can check your records anytime to cross-check and review. 

4. Get a Support Coordinator

If trying to understand your NDIS plan, setting money goals or tracking your budget still feels daunting for you, don’t worry. You can get a Support Coordinator to act as your budgeting buddy and guide you through your budgeting activities.

In fact, staying in touch with your Support Coordinator will greatly benefit you. You’ll often sit down together and talk about your goals and how you can achieve them. This is particularly helpful if you’ve never really handled money yourself and have had primary carers do the accounting for you.

How else can a Support Coordinator help you? Here are some other advantages:

• Connect you to communities and other agencies that can help you improve your financial literacy.
• Provide advice and assistance to further build your skills.
• Assist you in negotiating with service providers and make sure to complete service agreements and bookings.
• Ensure that you can control and choose between providers and have access to your community.

OnTrack Tasmania provides the right supported independent living plans and coordinators to give you the opportunity to live your best life. Ready for independent living in Hobart? Call us up at 03 9007 0593 or visit our independent living services to learn more.

There are different kinds of anxiety, some less problematic while others can be disruptive and crippling to everyday life. The NDIS mentoring community are well aware that no matter how simple or serious these triggers are, they can be difficult to manage.

If you are an NDIS participant dealing with anxiety, know that you are not alone and help is always within reach. Working with a mentor can make it easier for you to handle your emotions and actions.

Here are 5 ways that a mentor can help you manage your anxiety.

1. Identify Your Anxiety Triggers

With the help of a mentor, you can identify certain events or people’s actions that can trigger your anxiety. These can be:

• Any kind of trauma
• Mental illnesses such as Depression, PTSD or Bipolar Disorder
• Specific phobias
• Other everyday events that can be stressful
• Other stressful environments such as a toxic workplace

You and your mentor can work together to avoid these situations as much as possible or apply coping techniques such as:

• Take a quick break from the situation – walk around for a while, take 5 minutes to meditate or journal the emotions and thoughts you are experiencing.
• Create a routine or schedule so you don’t feel nervous about running out of time for activities.
• Do your best to accept that you sometimes cannot change a person’s behaviour (it’s hard to do, but with practice, it gets easier)

Sometimes, it can be extremely difficult to manage your triggers so your mentor will find more ways to support you on your journey to healing.

2. Seek One on One Mentorship 

Are group mentorships not working for you? It happens and what you’re feeling is valid. You can talk to your mentor about this and ask them for a 1-on-1 mentorship session instead. Your mentor will often use various methods and techniques that range from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to general counselling. Each person’s journey is unique as will the recommended methods or techniques.

3. Write Your Thoughts Down

Journaling helps externalise our thoughts and manage our priorities. You can either buy a notebook dedicated to expressing your anxieties and track your day-to-day moods and thought patterns or use a computer program to jot down everything you’re feeling.

Some people living with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and other mental health conditions use a journal method called bullet journaling (sometimes called BuJo). This is a favourable option for you if you do not enjoy writing in long-form. These are just some of the benefits:

• Helps you stay organised – You can create a colour-coded chart the track your general mood daily.
• You get stuff done – A bullet journal can help you work on tasks for the day from attending a meeting to cleaning your bookshelf.
• Boosts your creativity – One reason why people love doing bullet journals and enjoy tracking their activities and moods is that they can create their own design on a blank notebook. This helps you channel your anxiety through more creative means

If you regularly meet with a mentor, you can show them your journal to gauge how you are improving.

4. Challenge Negative Thoughts

The mind can sometimes be your worst enemy and can make you imagine situations that may almost never happen. You might also run mental repeats of the day and your mind might highlight those moments where you may have had your feelings hurt or even events that have caused you stress. It’s a totally normal thing. This is a common symptom and outcome of anxiety and one way to manage your mind is to challenge these negative thoughts. 

You can talk to your mentor about these unnecessary thoughts. Together, you will recognise these mental disruptors and see what’s black, white and everything else in between. When you acknowledge these distortions, you can evaluate, see if you are just assuming the worst in possible scenarios and assess possible, more realistic outcomes.

5. Focus on What You Can Change

There are many aspects of life that we simply cannot change such as a friend’s mannerisms or stressful environments outside of our control. Instead of concentrating only on these realities, focus on what you can change. These can range from your behaviour towards events to dietary habits that you can leave in the past.

Managing your anxiety is not a solo act and seeking an NDIS mentoring service does help you cope and make you feel comfortable and confident with yourself as you go about your everyday life. Always remember that it may be hard to deal with but it does get easier. Give it time and work with someone who will support you at all stages of your journey.

At OnTrack Tasmania, we collaborate with different mentors who specialise in a variety of conditions – including anxiety in NDIS participants. We’ll match you with the right support worker who you can trust and confide with. Take a look at our NDIS mentoring services in Hobart and join our community of participants ready to help you achieve the best in life.

OnTrack Tasmania and other NDIS providers recognise that families should be the primary carers of participants. Their main role is to offer the first line of support to people living with disabilities by showing love, care and respect for their loved ones. 

However, it can be quite challenging to take care of a person with disabilities. Through OnTrack Tasmania’s Support Coordination program, both families and NDIS participants can get the right support they need to have a successful relationship even if the latter decides on supported independent living in the future.

Are you a family member who would like to be more active in supporting your loved one who’s an NDIS participant? Follow our tips to help yourself and the NDIS participant prepare for independent living in Hobart and beyond.

5 Ways Family Members Can Help NDIS Participants

Fostering a caring and loving environment is a crucial element in helping an NDIS participant become more independent. If you would like to help your loved one, you can do the following:

1. Get Training. Taking care of an NDIS participant who prefers supported independent living will be easier if you get the proper support training, in relation to the participant’s age, capabilities and your own family circumstances as well. 
2. Talk to Support Coordinators. It’s important that you engage with support coordinators who have taken care of participants with conditions similar to your relative’s. They can help you with building plans that encourage a participant to become more independent or hone your skills in managing the impact of the participant’s conditions within the family. Additionally, they can also provide NDIS supported living options where you can be more accessible to your relative should they want you to be close to them.
3. Request for Additional Support. If you are going to a social gathering with your family member, you may help them be more confident by bringing a support specialist to help you supervise and give your relative the opportunity to participate more in society.
4. Make Them Feel Comfortable Asking for Help. People with disabilities do a balancing act of asking for help or asking for nothing at all – and learning how to find that sweet spot in between. Some NDIS participants may feel overbearing if they ask for things, no matter how simple, and will try to do most things by themselves. Creating an open and safe space where the NDIS participant can confidently decide on this matter, and ask for help if/when it might be needed, helps them prepare and become more enthusiastic about what’s ahead in life for them.
5. Seek part-time SIL programs. NDIS participants don’t have to live independently at all times. There are programs that offer part-time supported independent living that eases transitioning from living with the family to being on their own. It’s good practice to spend time researching this and find good SIL programs that support this structure.

3 Things NDIS Participants Can Do

If you are an NDIS participant who may feel hesitant in asking for what you need or want, we understand that this may be a challenge for you if you decide to enrol in a supported independent living program. We know it can be hard to ask for help as you might feel you’re being overbearing or asking for too much. 

That’s okay, but don’t believe for a second that you are overbearing. We encourage our NDIS participants to communicate what they need – and more so to families. In order to overcome shyness and ask for more support, you could try the following:

1. Write It Down First. If it helps, you can write down what you want to say and practise it over and over until you feel confident when talking to your family. You may also want to have that piece of paper with your notes beside you when you talk to them. What’s important is that you convey what you’d like, no matter how simple or complex.
2. Talk to Someone Who Understands Your Situation. It’s perfectly normal and all right to be more open to someone outside your family before discussing matters with them. Be it a friend our your own support coordinator, you can talk to someone else to discuss how you want to talk to your family. They’ll listen to you and give you friendly advice, or simply let you know that you’re doing the right thing. 
3. Remember: It’s Okay to Make Mistakes. If you’re afraid that you cannot fully get your point across, it’s fine. Like us, your family is always thinking about your welfare and they will understand you and your needs. If you need a support worker to help you articulate your feelings more effectively, you can always ask them to join you as you sit down with your family. This can help you boost confidence.

Families with NDIS participants can enjoy a great relationship with each other through open, supportive and loving communication. We have supported independent living programs where relatives can help participants thrive and be successful in their lives. With the help of our support coordinators, we help all families take care of each other.OnTrack Tasmania is an NDIS provider that helps participants prepare for independent living on their own terms. For more information about our NDIS independent living options for participants, please visit our SIL services on our website.