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MYMYMYMY LIFE,LIFE,‌LIFE,LIFE,IT’SIT’SIT’SIT’S I‌III CHOOSE!CHOOSE!CHOOSE!CHOOSE! — PAGE TEXT END —

My Story

I Grew Up In A Close-knit Family With My Single Mum, My Brother And My Sister. Before The Ndps, I Only Had A Couple Of Hours Of Support Each Week. My Family Did Almost Everything. They Helped Me Get Ready, Took Me Where I Needed To Go And Supported Me To Live My Life. It Wasn’t Easy, But We Made It Work And I Knew It Wasn’t Forever…….

As I got older, I wanted the same things as other young adults. A LIFE AWAY FROM MY FAMILY

I wanted to study,GET A CAREER, work, make my own decisions and eventually move out of home.

I NEEDED
PEOPLE
Submission 3453
TO GET
ME
THERE!
I NEEDED
TO CHOOSE

Choosing My Team

-One of the biggest decisions I made was choosing -independent support workers -instead of a large provider. That decision completely changed my life.

WhenWhenWhenWhen IIII WASWASWASWAS WITHWITHWITHWITH aaaa providerproviderproviderprovider ,,,, IIII oftenoftenoftenoften feltfeltfeltfelt likelikelikelike IIII hadhadhadhad totototo fitfitfitfit mymymymy lifelifelifelife aroundaroundaroundaround theirtheirtheirtheir system.system.system.system.

IIII hadhadhadhad totototo acceptacceptacceptaccept theirtheirtheirtheir rules.rules.rules.rules.

TheirTheirTheirTheir policies..policies..policies..policies..

WhoeverWhoeverWhoeverWhoever theytheytheythey decideddecideddecideddecided totototo send.Isend.Isend.Isend.I COULDCOULDCOULDCOULD NOTNOTNOTNOT CHOOSE!CHOOSE!CHOOSE!CHOOSE!

AsAsAsAs aaaa youngyoungyoungyoung adult,adult,adult,adult, mymymymy lifelifelifelife doesn’tdoesn’tdoesn’tdoesn’t NOTNOTNOTNOT FITFITFITFIT intointointinto aaaa boxboxboxbox OROROROR AAAA RULERULERULERULE BOOK.BOOK.BOOK.BOOK.

I want to discover who I am. I want to build a Career. I want to study and work. I want to make mistakes, learn and grow with the bpeople i choose. Most importantly, I want to choose who comes into my home and who helps me with my personal care. The people I have chosen aren’t just support workers. They are mentors. they have professional skills, education and lived experience that help me build my confidence, develop my career, succeed at TAFE and increase my independence. Because of them, I have achieved things I never imagined. I have gained employment in a mainstream workplace. I have been offered opportunities I never would have received otherwise. My confidence has grown beyond anything I thought possible. I have learned life skills that will help me live independently.

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This is what realThisbuilding is looks value capacity like. for money.

It Finally Happened

For the first time, I was able to move out of home.

In March 2025, I moved from the Gold Coast to Brisbane to be closer to TAFE, work and my support network. I moved into Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA).

My support team believed in me and took that journey with me.

For the first time, I felt like I was building a life that belonged to me.

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The new bill will take away my freedom, choice and dignity. I will have to go to a big provider where I will become a number in the system, with no choice about who supports me, their skills, their personality or whether I trust them. My life will decline. I will be left with only my basic needs being met. I won’t be able to choose who does my personal care, who comes into my home or who supports me with building my skills (IF THEY CAN EVEN DO THAT)

THE PROPOSED CUTS TO COMMUNITY ACCESS FUNDING MAKE ME SCARED THAT I WILL LOSE THESE OPPORTUNITIES.

I WORRY THAT I WON’T BE ABLE TO CONTINUE BUILDING THE LIFE I HAVE WORKED SO HARD FOR.

I WORRY THAT I WILL BECOME ISOLATED.

I WORRY THAT I WILL HAVE TO TURN DOWN WORK, STUDY AND OPPORTUNITIES BECAUSE I WON’T HAVE THE SUPPORT TO GET THERE.

THE NDIS HAS NEVER BEEN JUST ABOUT MEETINg MY BASIC NEEDS.

FOR ME, IT HAS BEEN ABOUT BUILDING AN ORDINARY LIFE.

A LIFE WHERE I CAN WORK.

STUDY.

GO OUT WITH FRIENDS AND EVEN DATE

CONTRIBUTE TO MY COMMUNITY.

CHOOSE THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT ME.

AND LIVE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS POSSIBLE.

THAT IS WHAT I AM AFRAID OF LOSING.

Nobody Should Have To Think About This Or Justify Their Freedom

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It has taken so much effot to build the team I have today. These are the people I laugh with. Cry with. Ask for advice. my achievements with. Celebrate CHOICE! AND IT MY

this

access

able

been

I have

that

privilege

and

pride

much

so I have felt

gone.

all

it could

bill,

this new

with

and

support,

kind

my plan,

over

control

with

managed

registration I fear that ill have to become agency

because the

registeredfear that my team won’t be able to become

and expensive.

lengthy

process

skilled sole traders who have so

highly

genuine,

about The NDIS hasn’t thought

much to offer beyond the basics.

I will be the one left with no choice and no control.

If they disappear,

support workers has given me more than

independent The option to have

support.

freedom.

It has given me

choice.

It has given me dignity.

to build a life that is truly nopportunity it has given me the Most importantly,

MINE

AND I CHOOSE!!

please
- don’t don’t take it
- it
  - please don’t take it
    - away
      - away