For people living with disability in remote and regional parts of the Northern Territory, accessing NDIS support can be a significant challenge. In the communities surrounding Katherine, many participants are unaware of the services available to them, resulting in a lack of essential supports.
Over the past six months, the uLaunch NDIS team in remote Katherine has been working tirelessly to address this issue through extensive outreach efforts across the communities of Barunga, Beswick, Binjari, Kybrook and Pine Creek.
Despite the challenges, the NDIS remote team has remained steadfast in their mission to raise awareness and educate community members about the life-changing benefits of the NDIS.
The Introduction of NDIS Navigator Roles
One crucial part of supporting the efforts to engage and assist people living in remote communities was the creation of the NDIS Navigator role. This new role was designed to operate in and around communities, providing culturally appropriate activities and information about NDIS services.
It was important that the role reflects the communities it operates in, and through partnership with RISE Ventures and Nyirrunggulung RISE, uLaunch proudly welcomed Mathias and Jeffrey to the team working as NDIS Navigators.
The introduction of Mathias and Jeffrey not only provides a sustainable employment path for them but allows them to work with and for their local community. They have strong remote connections and speak the local language, and with English often being a second language in the area, it removed this barrier and allowed for information of NDIS services to be shared.
To support Mathias and Jeffrey in their roles, Sarah Hanson, uLaunch National NDIS Manager, led training sessions and adapted the training format so the NDIS service delivery could be better understood. Sarah’s approach reduced the complexity and simplified the supports, equipping Mathias and Jeffrey with the tools and resources they needed to make a difference in the community.
The Impact
The NDIS Navigators join a growing team dedicated to delivering core supports and support coordination which are an integral part of building community independence. Our partnership with RISE Ventures has also allowed for our new NDIS support workers to thrive in meaningful employment, which you can read more about here.
The uLaunch NDIS team is working with diligence helping community access the NDIS and so far, the team has submitted 35 Access Request forms to Government Authorities and have secured 9 NDIS plans for participants.
The integration and acceptance in the community has been instrumental and the uLaunch NDIS team looks forward to continued work with our First Nation partners to strengthen the community and build a long-term presence of supports throughout Katherine.
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