Anyone started with the NDIS?

Happy to be here for you @CheerBear and hoping some of what I suggest is useful. Our situations and NDIS arrangements are different so I'm probably getting some of it wrong for your case.

How have you gone today with looking at options?

ps A plan manager can train you to self-manage.

Hi @CheerBear that's really great about applying for volunteer work. Congratulations on making the move to do it. I've often thought that will be my next step, but my resume is from many years ago and I've been on the pension for a long time. No confidence in how to describe my skills etc. The one time I looked at volunteering at Red Cross op shop even for that you had to give examples of what you'd done in previous work etc. Even before I was on the dsp I was a disability carer at home for many years, just doing freelance massage therapy when I was able to, so I have no references for all that time.

I've been realizing that when I first started having the support workers 3 days a week it was huge for me, the busiest I'd been for some years, but now that I'm in the swing of it I don't need 4 days a week at home doing virtually nothing. On here and fb all morning and then tv all afternoon most of those days. Becoming aware that I could probably handle sws another 2 days of the week and looking for activities in the community to join. So I've asked for extra support when I saw my coordinator of supports on Friday. At least a half day on Mondays so I can go to learn bridge each week and possible some hours on a friday as well, maybe a 2nd tai chi class. Plus some occasional one-off days for things like the writing workshop or an art workshop at the womens centre that's coming up. I still want to keep Thursday free after psychologist on Wednesdays and Sunday free to maybe do something with family.

I hope the social worker is a good fit for you. It's great to hear your feeling a bit better with something to work towards - great self-care!

Have a good day and I hope you enjoy your evening, with or without your friend.

Hi @CheerBear just a quick note re something I found in the NDIS newsletter I get (which you might want to subscribe to also :

https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/using-your-plan/who-can-help-start-your-plan/support-coordination?utm_source=National+Disability+Insurance+Scheme+eNewsletter&utm_campaign=90c1763630-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_01_20_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_85b9cee0c8-90c1763630-50582197

"Can I change to a different provider if I'm not happy with the support I am receiving?

Yes. You remain in control of your plan and have choice and control over who your providers are. If you wish to change providers you should discuss it with your provider and review your service agreement. Depending on your service agreement, you may have agreed to give some notice before you change."

Hadn't heard back from the Coordinator of Supports for 2 weeks about the requests I made despite leaving messages on her phone asking her to ring me. Eventually decided to ring the support worker's team leader instead to be told the CoS has gone on leave (she didn't tell me). Because I hadn't heard back from her it pushed me into using Shebah rides again - which is a good thing in the overall scheme of things, reaching goals etc - but which I didn't feel ready for. Shebah is like Uber but only women drivers for women and children passengers. Sounds really good, right? But ... there app doesn't work for either booking in advance or booking immediate rides, constantly says no drivers are responding try again later. So for me there is huge anxiety about trying to rely on them. I had the phone numbers for 2 of their local drivers and luckily one of them got back to me and can do some of the rides I need. Some. So I've emailed their support office and they've put a message about what I need on their drivers' secret fb page - really hope I get a response soon.

So ... I used shebah on tues for tai chi with my sw with me as a practice run, then went with shebah by myself to psychologist on wed (sw was unavailable). On the tues I got talking with one of the women in the tai chi group and she offered to give me a lift to the 2nd class on friday afternoons. This is huge for me - meeting someone new and maybe starting a friendship.

Then I'll use shebah again on monday to go to the creative writing workshop and hopefully before the following monday I'll be able to book a regular shebah driver for mon morns so I can do the Bridge playing course.

Which all goes to say that due to a slack CoS not fulfilling my requests, I've taken a fairly big step towards independent mobility. However it's not cheap. My transport allowance is $62 per fortnight and just tuesday's ride was $24 each way.

It was because of the anxiety and the cost out of pocket that I was asking for support workers for mon and fri - I have a lot of funds in my NDIS budget to use.

CoS helped me go on the myplace (NDIS) portal of mygov the day I saw her a couple of weeks ago and I saw that I've used only just over 1/4 of my funds in just over 1/2 the year. So there is a lot more I could be doing if she would just help me organise it. That's her job.

Rant over!

@CheerBear @tisme @JasJac @Bunniekins @Queenie and anyone else following here ... I hope your NDIS journeys are going without the complications I seem to find at every turn. And without putting you on roller coasters with MH and emotions.

My ndis journey is complicated. I still have to find a psychologist for therapy who is willing to use ndis funds. That’s hard work. I have no CoS as it wasn’t funded and my plan managers are no help in letting me know exact funds available and allocated.

I do however now have a n awesome support worker for community access service. He’s very well matched to me and treats me as an equal, not someone who is lesser due to a disability. Together we have a lot of laughs. He even searched through thousands of books for a title I was searching for (and found it). He just graduated from the uni I’ll be attending and was able to give me tips in sourcing cheaper text books. I look forward to our appointments.

I also have regular respite too which has been a godsend.

Hi @Queenie great to hear about the excellent support worker you have and about your regular respite. I'm wondering if your support worker can help you go on the NDIS myplace portal on the myGov website. You can see your whole plan there and what funds are available in which categories (Core, Capacity Building and Consumables usually). Or you can ask your plan manager to do it with you. It's part of their job. They should also be sending you regular monthly budget reports that show funds spent and remaining and weekly spend allowances in all categories listed on your plan. I use My Plan Support and they are excellent. They also have a portal on their website where I can view the above and all invoices paid. If your plan manager can't/won't do these things I'd be considering finding a different one. You have the right to do this.

Hope it all starts to get a bit clearer for you soon.

Good morning @CheerBear hope your meeting with your CoS goes well this morning and that your 'request for a review of a reviewable decision' brings positive outcomes.