Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012

From: To: Community Affairs, Committee (SEN); Subject: Submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 Date: Sunday, 23 December 2012 2:59:32 PM

Please consider this email a formal submission by me to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012.

The current disability system has many problems that need to be addressed.

It has been my experience that funding for services previously offered to me has gone to a Service Provider to manage, whose particular service hasn’t met my needs: these particular services have offered programmes which have been great fun, but to be honest they mainly just were there to give me something to do and to fill in my time. Although I am intellectually disabled and lack a lot of comprehensive skills - I knew I wasn’t doing anything important with my life. I was offered no practical programme to help me get through a normal day living in my community and learning to looking after myself. When I decided to cease the programme my funding moved on to someone else - when I could have used it - and felt I was entitled to use it for a suitable programme to match my needs.

I love my job at Yumaro Industries - I don’t want that to change.

I like to participate in Arts programs when they are offered and I would very much like to continue with those.

But what I NEED is to learn the skills of daily living and hopefully get support to live as independently as I am able in a home of my own: sharing with friends maybe. I’d like that very much.

I am HOPING that the NDIS will give me choices whereby I will be able to use my funding to help me on the way to living (surviving!) on my own (with suitable support) when mum and dad can’t look after me anymore - which won’t be long now - they’re getting old and wrinkly!

The main features of the NDIS that will make a difference to the community are:

• People with a disability can choose the types of support to use,
• Better access to mainstream support and services,
• More opportunities to participate in the community,
• People with a disability can plan their lives and pursue their goals and dreams,
• People with disability can choose who comes into their home,
• The ability to receive services when needed and in the way that suits the person,
• Minimising the number of times people have to tell their story in order to get support,
• Less red tape, with planning done locally by people who know their community,
• Access to reliable information about support options,
• People with disability/family will influence the types of support and services offered,
• Older parents and families will not worry what happens when they can no longer provide support.

The most important services for the NDIS to provide are:

• Life-skills,
• Employment support,
• Recreation and community access,
• Accommodation options,
• In-home care and domestic assistance,
• Crisis and emergency support.

I support the introduction of the NDIS.

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I TRUST that with good management the NDIS will enable me to achieve independent living with appropriate and suitable support; and I would like to feel secure in the knowledge that the funding would be ongoing and would not suddenly cease, alternatively leaving me financially insecure, alone and unsafe; I also hope that I can achieve independent living in my own community, where it has taken me a long long time to integrate into and where I feel comfortable and happy. I’m only asking that funding to support my very basic needs be insured, and I would like to trust that the NDIS can do this for me. Any extras like having my civil rights met would be a bonus!

If this is what the NDIS can offer me, then I Support the NDIS wholeheartedly.

I agree for my submission to be made public

Regards,

Mr James Gillett