How do we think about an ordinary life when deciding what supports to include in your plan?
To help guide us in our decision making about reasonable and necessary supports, we took advice from the NDIS Independent Advisory Council .
The Council represents people with disability and carers, bringing their own lived experience and expertise of disability. They give us advice on how the NDIS should work.
The Council advised us that all Australians, including people with disability, should have an ‘ordinary life ’. They also told us we should think about the idea of an ordinary life when we apply our principles and use the NDIS funding criteria.
An ordinary life is a life where you have the same opportunities as people without a disability. An ordinary life is one that is typical or usual for everyone in modern day Australia. It’s a life where you can pursue your potential and participate in society on an equal basis with others.
An ordinary life will be different for different people. We are all different, and come from different cultures and backgrounds. We each have our own values, experiences, beliefs and goals.
But there are some common things that can improve the quality of our lives and help us participate equally. These are the things, such as the following, that make up an ordinary life:
- Positive relationships – with families and informal support networks.
- Individual autonomy – being free and independent, and having the same opportunities as people without disability.
- Active involvement in decision-making – including the ability to make meaningful decisions, and exercise choice and control.
- Using your strengths in ways that provide a challenge and enjoyment.
- A sense of belonging – to our families, friendship networks, communities, workplaces and society.
- Active involvement and contribution to society and your community.
An ‘ordinary life’ in the context of the NDIS involves supporting you to:
- have and maintain good relationships
- belong and participate in your community
- be involved in making choices about your own life.
One way we can help you have an ordinary life is to support you to access mainstream, community or informal supports wherever possible. These are the usual supports that everyone in the community uses.
When we fund reasonable and necessary supports under the NDIS, we need to make sure they meet the NDIS funding criteria.
When we apply the NDIS funding criteria and make decisions about reasonable and necessary supports, we’re guided by the principles in the law for the NDIS. We also consider how the supports will best help you to live an ordinary life.