NDIS Liveability Forums Provide Insights

A new series of information forums will help make navigating the NDIS easier for people with disability, their families, carers and Illawarra businesses working in the community services industry.

Delivered in partnership with disability employment provider Workways Australia and disability home health services marketplace, tappON, The ‘Liveability’ forums aim to provide people with disability and their carers access to new and innovative providers in the Illawarra as well as empower with knowledge those businesses who are providing innovative services to NDIS customers, creating a strong, united provider network.

The first forum in the series will be held 14th November and will focus on ‘breaking barriers’ to employment and education for people with disability.

The evening will include information on what services are available and how to access them using NDIS funding, and will showcase stories of people who have benefitted from supported services that helped them reach their employment and education goals.

tappON is an online marketplace for home health supports that was developed in 2017 by Illawarra residents Maryanne Harris and Daniel Hillyer following their lived experience finding the right supports for home. It provides users with a centralised system to find trusted carers and domestic professionals and book at a convenient time for help in the home. tappON gives users tools to communicate with health professionals, allowing for choice, flexibility and transparency in the clients’ healthcare journey.

Maryanne Harris helped develop the Liveability forums when she identified a connectivity gap for community service providers, “Community led innovation and connection with individuals who have faced similar challenges helps as a circuit breaker for those wanting to take control of the NDIS plan to achieve their goals and be excited to plan for their future.” said Maryanne.

Workways has delivered employment services for nearly 30 years across Australia, and has recently launched an innovative employment service for NDIS participants in the Illawarra that provides supported employment and talent discovery to help build confidence and skills in the workplace.

Workways NDIS Services Manager, Justine Leonard said that the ‘Liveability’ forums will be delivered quarterly and will help providers to ‘connect the dots’ on the NDIS, “What we’ve found over the past six months is that there are providers who don’t have the resources or the time to easily connect to new and innovative services that will support their clients and the carers.

“The role of the NDIS is to provide funding for supports that make life easier to navigate for people with disability, so we see it as our role in providing the right connections that make this happen.

“The ideal outcome for us is that we see more NDIS participants connected to the right services that make a positive change in their lives.” added Justine.

The Liveability series commences Wednesday 14th November from 5.30pm in the Iaccelerate building at the UOW Innovation Campus and will be run quarterly. More information can be obtained from Workways and tappON.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/liveability-information-series-breaking-barriers-tickets-51384645859