NDIS research on social inclusion and community access found three things that matter here. First, skilled, individualised support, including support workers who understand a person’s needs and interests, is vital to enable participation. The lack of accessible transport remains a barrier. Negative community attitudes and poor understanding of disability can limit participation even when formal barriers are removed. Those findings describe my life exactly. It is support workers, not a better taxi app or a generic “community group”, that make my participation in life possible. They do not just “assist with transport" but bridge the gap left by the system. The fact that I can rehearse and maintain my health and mental health is directly tied to that support. The reforms focus on efficient funding and on aligning budgets with needs. However, “need” is being defined in a way that strips it of context. The need is not just “to get to an appointment but to arrive without burning so much energy on navigation that the appointment becomes another trauma. The need is not just “to attend rehearsal," but to be able to participate musically and socially, as a full member of an ensemble, in a way that honours the years of training and work that got me there. The NDIS itself acknowledges that community access and inclusion increase independence, confidence, and quality of life. It funds Assistance with Social and Community Participation as a core support, and Increased Social and Community Participation as a capacity-building activity.
Plans will be longer, and assessments will be standardised. Foundational supports will eventually be available nationwide. I remember the pre-NDIS life. I would once again struggle with the taxis that did not arrive, the appointments I effectively missed while physically presenteawith rehearsals becoming tests of endurance instead of joy. I know exactly what it would mean to lose my Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday support. The government says these changes will make the scheme fairer, more consistent, and more sustainable. Maybe some aspects will. Longer plans could mean less constant paperwork, and standardised assessments could fix some inequities. Foundational supports could help children who currently fall through the cracks. But none of that is guaranteed and does not justify ignoring the people whose lives are most directly on the line. When I say I am scared, it is not because I am resistant to change. I know what it cost me to get from that first version of my life. #NDIS #DisabilityRights #DeafBlind #CommunityAccess #LivedExperience #NeurodivergentRights #AutismAustralia #DisabilityAustralia #FoundationalSupports #ThrivingKids #InclusionMatters #AccessForAll (2/2)