Tip #17 Barriers

Living with disability means facing many barriers in daily life. These can be physical things that get in your way, rules that make things harder, or people's attitudes that hold you back. It's important to know that while the NDIS can help with many barriers, it can't address all of them.

Start by noticing what gets in your way. Some barriers are personal and some affect everyone. For example, if the local footpath has dangerous trip hazards, that's a real barrier for you - but it's not something the NDIS can fix because it may be the local council's job. These community-wide barriers affect people with and without disabilities, but they're still real barriers in your life.

Similarly, if you can't afford to attend a local festival, having a support worker won't solve that money problem. However, your support worker could help you visit a financial counselor who can assist with your budget.

When including barriers in your NDIS goals, focus on what the scheme can actually help with. Be clear about what's stopping you, but also realistic about which barriers fall under NDIS funding and which need different solutions.

Your life changes over time, and so do your challenges. When you review your NDIS plan, talk about all barriers that you're facing - even if some need solutions outside the NDIS.

The Calendary is a helpful tool for keeping track. Write down all barriers you experience, whether NDIS can help or not. Record what you did, what worked, and what you learned. For non-NDIS barriers, note who you contacted (like the council) and any progress made.

By understanding which barriers the NDIS can address and finding other ways to tackle the rest, you can work toward removing obstacles in your life, regardless of where the solution comes from.

At the end of the day, people make a difference to barriers. Whether it's by using their voice, writing letters or coming together, it's people who matter and people who make a difference to barriers.