Once you’ve been approved for NDIS funding, the next step is a planning meeting. As part of this planning meeting you will present your goals to an NDIS planner.
Goals are an integral part of your NDIS plan, as they outline your personal desires about what you’d like to achieve.
Your goals are like the building blocks of your NDIS Plan, but they are not directly linked to your funding. Your NDIS funding allows you to engage support to increase your independence which – in turn – can help you in pursuing and achieving your goals.
Although you may have some ideas about the goals you’d like to achieve, it is important to present clearly defined goals at your planning meeting to shape your NDIS plan.
We’ve got some helpful ideas and planners to help you out below.
What is an NDIS goal?
According to the NDIS: “Goals are things you aim to achieve with help from the NDIS and other supports and services. Your goals might include becoming more independent, getting or keeping a job, learning new skills, enrolling in education, becoming more active in your community, or improving relationships and making friends.”
What supports can I get to achieve my goals?
Defining your NDIS goals is important to think about before your planning meeting. There are many resources available to help you plan and define your goals.
Supports and services fall into three types of budgets within your NDIS plan. These are:
- Core Supports budget
- Capacity Building Supports budget
- Capital Supports budget
There are 15 broad support categories which the NDIS can give you funding for to pay a range of services and products. Each fit into one of the budget areas listed above.
We’ll explore which supports are ‘stated supports’, where the funds are allocated for a specific item, and the various flexible options you have for using your funds to pay for your disability services.
Download: Fact Sheet – NDIS budgets and funding categories (PDF 36KB)
Defining your NDIS goals
Defining your NDIS goals is important to think about before your planning meeting. There are many resources available to help you plan and define your goals.
1. Start by identifying what activities are important to you in the following timeframes:
- Daily
- Weekly
- Monthly
- Yearly
- Lifelong
2. Think about what type of supports you will need to do these activities.
Remember, supports will only be funded if they will help you achieve a goal.
3. Decide how many NDIS goals you will need.
You can have as many goals as you like, but it pays to understand exactly what the NDIS will fund.
What are some examples of goals?
- building your skills and doing more things yourself
- working or studying now or in the future
- doing social and recreation activities now or in the future
- building friendships or connecting with your family.
You can have as many goals as you like, but it pays to understand exactly what the NDIS will fund. The NDIS will include funding to help you achieve your short to medium term goals (up to 12 months, or longer if you have a longer plan).
Longer term goals might still be included in your plan, but they won’t necessarily be funded. So, it may be worthwhile breaking your long-term goals into shorter goals that represent the tasks you want to achieve to reach your ultimate aim.
Generally, each Participant has two to three goals included in each NDIS plan. If you have lots of goals, then think about how they may relate to each other or be grouped together under a broader goal. For example, if your goals include being able to feed, toilet and dress yourself then the goal may be “To achieve independence in daily living tasks and activities including A, B, C……”.
It’s important also to understand the NDIS approaches age groups differently. For Participants under 7 years old, there is a recognition of the importance of therapy and it may be delivered throughout the year, whereas for older Participants it may be worth developing mini goals as generally therapy support is budgeted at 10 hours per goal.
Get the NDIS Planning Booklet
Download the NDIS Participant Pathway Planning Booklet. This booklet gives you an opportunity to set your goals, and shows you how to create an NDIS plan to achieve those goals.
This booklet is the second of three participant booklets that help participants, their families, carers and the wider community learn about the NDIS, prepare for planning meetings and implement plans.
You can find all the booklets through the NDIS website.
- Download: NDIS Participant Pathway Booklet 2: Planning (PDF 680KB)
- Download: Easy Read NDIS Participant Pathway Booklet 2: Planning (PDF 7MB)
MyIntegra can help you achieve your goals
MyIntegra is a plan manager with expert knowledge of the NDIS. We help you to pay your providers fast and keep track of your budget.
No matter where you are in the process, give our friendly team a call on 1800 696 347 for Plan Management or 1300 937 187 for Support Coordination to find out how we can help you get the most from your NDIS plan, or sign up online today or get in touch.
