Navigating the NDIS: Tips for First-Time NDIS Goal Setters

Are you uncertain about where to begin when it comes to setting NDIS goals for yourself or a loved one? The process of prioritizing goals can be challenging, particularly when approaching NDIS planning for the first time. However, don't worry, as this guide is designed to provide you with direction on how to get started, what actions to take, and how to create effective NDIS goals.

While this isn't an all-inclusive list of suggestions, it will offer you a framework for understanding what needs to be accomplished.

What are NDIS goals?

NDIS goals are a list of the things that you want to achieve with the support of the NDIS. They are included in your NDIS plan and are formed in conjunction with your Local Area Coordinator and finalised in your planning meeting.

The Importance of Goal Setting In NDIS Plan Development

If you, your child or someone special in your life is embarking on their NDIS journey for the first time, it's important to start from the beginning. It's normal to feel nervous about the initial NDIS plan preparation since you want to get it right. It is also understandable as it will help establish the groundwork for future NDIS plans.

As a first-timer, you will have an NDIS planning meeting prior to establishing the NDIS goals. During this meeting, an NDIA planner or Local Area Coordinator (LAC) will ask you about your objectives, what you would like to achieve and assist in determining which goals to include in the plan.

Prior to your meeting, you should have a clear understanding of your needs and what you hope to achieve through the NDIS for yourself or a loved one. The NDIS has created and recommends the completion of the planning booklet prior to the planning meeting. This can be completed by yourself or with the help of friends and family. It is also important to bring any relevant therapist reports or assessments as well as any other relevant information obtained from medical professionals. Completing the Planning Booklet and having this documentation ready ahead of time can help to clarify your goals and guide the conversation during the planning meeting.

What are good NDIS goals?

Good NDIS goals are goals that take into consideration all of your own personal circumstances, are described in your own words and most importantly focus on what is important to you.

Simple NDIS Goal examples:

The following are only a few examples of possible simple goals for your NDIS plan:

• Improved mobility for community access

• Obtaining and keeping employment

• Improving relationships and developing social skills

• More independence and self-sufficiency in daily life

• Building your skills and learning new skills

• Improving overall health and wellbeing

• Increasing confidence in daily money management

• Playing sports or taking part in other social and recreational activities

• Building and improving friendships or connecting with your family.

NDIS Goal examples expanded

When it comes to NDIS goals it's easiest to group them into physical goals, social goals and independence goals and link them to function and community participation.

Some examples of these types of goals may be:

Physical goals:

• I want to be able to walk so that I can go to the shops

• I want to develop my fine motor skills so I can handwrite

Social goals:

• I want to learn strategies to help me manage my emotions so I can be able to keep my employment.

• I want to learn how to communicate more effectively so that I can participate in social activities

Independence goals:

• I want to build my independence in my own home so that I am less reliant on support workers.

• I want to build up my independence by learning how to navigate transport

Setting Goals Using The SMART Framework

The SMART in SMART goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. The SMART goal approach lets you take all your NDIS goals and makes them clear, relevant and trackable.

• Specific: Are your goals specific and narrow for effective planning?

• Measurable: What evidence will prove you're making progress? How will you know if the goal has been met?

• Achievable: Can you reasonably achieve this goal within a certain timeframe?

• Relevant: Does this goal align with what you want to achieve? Will it improve your function and/or community participation?

• Time-bound: Goals that are concise and achievable within a time frame e.g 6 months? 1 year? 5 years?

An example of a physical SMART NDIS goal might be:

“I would like to walk 50 metres without assistance in 6 months so I am able to catch the bus independently to be to visit my friends.”

While NDIS goals do not have to be as specific as the example above it is a good way to think to ensure your NDIS goals cover all the relevant bases.

Short, medium or long-term NDIS goals?

Short-term goals are what you hope to achieve within the next 6–12 months. For medium-long-term goals, it is what you want to accomplish within two to five years. There is no maximum amount of goals you can have however, typically, an NDIS plan may have two short-term goals and five medium-to-long-term goals.

What does an NDIS goal look like in an NDIS plan?

An example of a short-term goal might be:

"I want to be able to ride a bike with my family in one year"

An example of a medium or long-term goal might be:

"I would love to get back to normal and be able to walk to the shops, play sports with my friends and access the community to be able to enjoy my social life again"

NDIS goals summarised:

Overall, The NDIS aims to give participants independence and control, which puts responsibility for goal setting on the individual. It is important that you have an understanding of NDIS goals and have all the relevant information completed and obtained prior to your NDIS meeting to ensure a smooth, personal and productive NDIS plan meeting.

Frequently asked questions

Are the NDIS goals I have linked to funding?

Goals are important because they are your personal desires about what you'd like to do and what you would like to achieve. However, your NDIS goals are not directly linked to your NDIS funding. Your NDIS funding is aimed at providing you with the supports you need for your disability

What are NDIS funded supports?

The types of supports that the NDIS may fund for participants include:

• Daily personal activities

• Transport to enable participation in community, social, economic and daily life activities

• Workplace help to allow a participant to successfully get or keep employment in the open or supported labour market

• Mobility equipment and assistive technology

• Therapeutic supports including physiotherapy

• Help with household tasks to allow the participant to maintain their home environment

• Help to a participant by skilled personnel in aids or equipment assessment, set up and training

• Home modification design and construction

• Vehicle modifications.

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