The NDIS aims to support people with a disability to achieve independence, social and economic participation. Social and recreation supports play a key role in this.
Social and recreation activities are part of everyday life. These are activities everybody does for fun and can help with your health and wellbeing. They can also help you meet new people and improve your skills.
When we talk about NDIS supports for social and recreation activity, we mean the extra help you need to take part in these activities because of your disability.
Social and recreation activities can include things like:
- visiting your friends and family
- active hobbies, like bike riding, skiing or kayaking
- playing sport, like tennis, surfing or basketball
- going out, for example to the movies or a concert
- going places for fun, like shopping or visiting a museum
- relaxing, like meditation or yoga
- learning new skills, like dance, art classes or quilting.
You’ll need to pay for the costs of the activity that everyone would pay for, such as membership or entrance costs. We may then be able to fund the NDIS support you need to take part in the activity because of your disability.
You may need short-term support to help you get started with your social and recreation activity. This short-term support may build your skills so you can participate independently. Or it could connect you with someone else who can regularly help you to participate.
You might also need ongoing support to participate in social and recreation activities. If you need ongoing NDIS support, we may fund this as well.
For example, you might need extra help to go to a pottery class because of your disability. You would need to pay for the cost of the class.
We might fund a support worker to help you operate the pottery wheel if you need help because of your disability. Or, to support you to attend a class if you can’t go on your own because of your disability.
You may already have funding for core NDIS supports in your plan. You can use this for the help you need to participate in social and recreation activities because of your disability.
Check with us if you aren’t sure how to use the funding in your plan for social and recreation NDIS supports.
We may fund social and recreation NDIS supports if you need them because of your disability support needs. Some examples may include:
- specialised equipment or modification to equipment to help you to join in social and recreation activities
- help to build your skills to take part in social and recreation activities
- a support worker to help you participate in activities, like help changing into sports clothes or setting you up to join the activity
- help to travel to a recreation event when you can’t use public transport, and it’s not reasonable for family or friends to take you.
Learn more about supports that are NDIS supports.
These are some examples of things we don’t fund:
- the basic cost of the activities that everyone would be expected to pay for, like entry fees, registration and membership fees
- standard equipment you need to take part in a social or recreation activity, like a standard tennis racket or soccer shoes
- participation in activities at professional or elite level
- support for a young child to attend or participate in social or recreation activities where parents would normally be expected to stay and support their child.
When we fund support for social and recreation activities, we’ll fund them so you can participate at an entry level.
If you want to participate in professional or elite level competitions, you’ll have to pay for the extra costs of competing at that level. For example, at State or National Championship level, or in competitions for prize money.
Learn more about supports that are not NDIS supports.