Work and the NDIS (Easy Read)

National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding can help you find and keep a job.

It can help you with your employment goals.

You can get support to:

• find out the kind of work you would be good at

• find a job that suits your skills and interests

• start up and run your own small business, this is called a microenterprise

• do your job

For example, if you can’t get the support you need from a Disability Employment Service (DES) provider.

• change your job

For example, if you work in an Australian Disability Enterprise (ADE) but want a job in open employment.

• keep working in an ADE.

Your NDIS pays for your supports in the ADE so, you have more choices and can make changes.

You must be 15 years old or older to get NDIS supports for employment.

High school students can get NDIS supports to help them move from school to work.

You need goals about employment in your NDIS plan.

A long-term goal could be to find and keep a job.

A short-term goal might be to find out the kind of work you would be good at.

You can read more about Learning what you are interested in.

To add new goals to your plan, you need a planning meeting.

If it is a long time until your next NDIS meeting, you can ask your Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or Planner to apply for a plan review.

You will need to show that things have changed for you.

Before your meeting it is good to think about:

• what you want and
• write down your goals.

Here are some things to take to your NDIS planning meeting:

• your list of goals, including your employment goals

• any:
  • training certificates
  • school reports
  • feedback from work experience or volunteer work
  • references you have.

The good thing about using the NDIS for employment is that the supports are just for you.

You decide what your employment goals are

and

You are in charge of how you use the supports.

You choose who provides your supports and what they help you with.

You do not have to fit into a program or share supports with other people.

There are other kinds of government support to help people with disabilities find and keep a job, like the DES.

The support you use depends on things like:

• the kind of work you want

• how many hours a week you can work

• the supports you need.