NDIS Know-how

In the final episode of season two, Mel chats with tech entrepreneur, brand expert and NDIS participant Steve Ralph. At the end of 2017, Steve misjudged a jump into a swimming pool and sustained a spinal cord injury that saw him become a quadriplegic. Steve now needs significant support to go about his day and he’s got some very cool assistive tech to help him get out adventuring, like modified bikes and kayaks and an all-terrain wheelchair. He shares how he manages his NDIS funds with the help of a support coordinator and his advice for people who are new to the scheme. In very exciting news, Steve is hosting a new, soon-to-launch podcast for Hireup called Life Rolls On. This series sees Steve chatting with other people who’ve experienced life-changing injuries – and sharing the challenges and triumphs they've had since. Listen to the Life Rolls On trailer: https://omny.fm/shows/life-rolls-on/life-rolls-on-trailer-a-podcast-about-living-well Get in touch with NDIS Know-how topic and/or guest suggestions: melanie.dimmitt@hireup.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is part one of Mel's chat with Lisa Grech, a researcher, psychologist and proud mum to Hannah, her 20-year-old daughter who has a rare genetic condition and intellectual disability. Lisa herself has multiple sclerosis (MS) and chronic mental health issues. She co-parents and cares for Hannah with her ex-husband, Tim. Lisa uses what she calls an “aggressive” strategy when it comes to Hannah’s NDIS plan reviews – and she advocates more broadly around inequality issues within the scheme. In part one of Lisa and Mel's chat, Lisa shares how she assertively and effectively gets what her family needs from the scheme. Link to Lisa Grech and Carly Findlay’s article: https://hireup.com.au/news/who-has-the-right-to-talk-about-the-issues-facing-people-with-disability/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Mel chats with Jo Abi, a journalist, media commentator, author and autism advocate who has three children - two sons, Philip, 18, Giovanni, 15, and her daughter Kitty, 13. Philip and Giovanni both have autism and are on the NDIS - and it looks like Kitty will soon be joining them, as she’s currently being assessed for an autism diagnosis. Jo has a lovely new partner who also has autism - and who she met at an Autism Awareness Australia event - but for the past five years, she’s been a solo mum. Not an uncommon thing to be, in the disability family space. Jo shares her tips for fellow solo parents navigating the NDIS and explores how things change when kids on the scheme grow into young adults. Hear more from Jo at the Autism Awareness Australia's AUStism 2023 conference: https://www.autismawareness.com.au/events/austism-2023 Find top-notch support workers for your family: https://hireup.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Mel chats with Benison O'Reilly and Seana Smith - co-authors of what’s known as “the essential guide” for parents of children with autism - about their new, fully updated edition of The Australian Autism Handbook. Benison and Seana both have sons with autism and this conversation covers some of what’s changed in the years since they launched the first edition of The Australian Autism Handbook back in 2008. The NDIS, of course, has majorly shaken up the disability space - and Benison and Seana share their advice for autism families who are new to the scheme. Buy The Australian Autism Handbook from all good booksellers: https://www.simonandschuster.com.au/books/The-Australian-Autism-Handbook/Benison-OReilly/9781925183849 Read an interview with Benison and Seana: https://hireup.com.au/news/the-australian-autism-handbook-is-reborn/ Find top-notch support workers for your family: https://hireup.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NDIS Know-how is coming back strong after the holiday break with the woman who got Beyoncé and Lizzo to change ableist lyrics in their songs. Hannah Diviney is a disability advocate, writer, actor and creator of an incredible media company called Missing Perspectives. You might have seen her on the pages of Marie Claire magazine, which crowned her The Voice of Now, on ABC’s Q+A panel, or starring in her breakout acting role in the new SBS series, Latecomers. Hannah lives with her parents, two younger sisters and loyal border collie in Sydney. She has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to make her way through the world. In this chat she tells Mel about her experience as an NDIS participant, her hopes for the future of the scheme, and shares her tips on how to advocate for yourself or someone you love. Follow Hannah's work on twitter: https://www.instagram.com/hannahthewildflower/ And instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hannahthewildflower/ Visit her media platform, Missing Perspectives: https://www.missingperspectives.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Mel chats with Alexandra - or Alex - Browne, a senior support coordinator and recovery coach in the NDIS space. Having started out in occupational therapy, Alex has been working in the disability sector for a decade and her own son, Ethan, is on the NDIS. Alex is an expert on evidence - the reports, assessments, letters and information we need to provide the NDIS in order to paint a picture of who our family is and what we need to live an ordinary life. Part one of Alex and Mel's chat covers why we need to include something Alex calls a "comparison document" in our evidence, how to talk about our kids through a functional - rather than medical - lens, and the critical components of our NDIS evidence. Useful links: NDIS Act 2013 Section 34 Reasonable and Necessary Supports: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00332 NDIS Rules 2013 NDIS Rules 2013.pdf: https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2013L01063 The six functional domains: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:133077ec-7487-3022-b5ba-fa85787fafa4 Hireup's Navigating the NDIS portal: https://hireup.com.au/navigating-the-ndis/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Mel chats with Brisbane-based Sarah Thomas, founder of an incredible blended tube-feeding product called Wholesome Blends. Sarah is a single mum of twin, 14-year-old boys, Cohan and Lewis. When the boys were three, Lewis had a stroke that led to several diagnoses including cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Sarah knows the NDIS from both the participant and provider perspective. She shares advice around advocating for our kids, and making sure we secure funding for every ‘consumable’, as they’re called, that they need. Find Sarah's Wholesome Blends website here: https://wholesomeblends.com.au/ Vote for NDIS Know-how to be in the running for the Listener's Choice award at the Australian Podcast Awards here: https://australianpodcastawards.com/voteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Mel chats with Lisa Duffy who is, hands down, one of the loveliest people working in Australia's disability sector. Lisa started out as a physiotherapist before finding her true calling in complex case management and working with people with disability to navigate their support options in the 10 years prior to the NDIS rollout. Since the NDIS came along, Lisa’s been helping people gain access to the scheme and plan for NDIS reviews. You can currently find her at Disability Services Consulting (DSC) where she does support co-ordination, training and writing to build capacity and understanding around the NDIS. In this conversation Lisa takes us through the steps - or as she likes to describe them, the train stations - that we need to stop at on our way to accessing the NDIS. She also offers up some priceless pointers on how to get fluent in NDIS language and a bundle of useful links that you'll find below: NDIS Eligibility checklist:https://www.ndis.gov.au/applying-access-ndis/am-i-eligibleNDIS Operational Guideline around NDIS Access:https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/home/becoming-participant/applying-ndishttps://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/home/becoming-participant/applying-ndis/do-you-meet-disability-requirements#caused-by-impairmentNDIS Access Evidence:https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/home/becoming-participant/applying-ndis/how-do-we-weigh-evidence-disabilityNDIS List A conditions:https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/home/becoming-participant/applying-ndis/list-conditions-are-likely-meet-disability-requirementsNDIS List B conditions:https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/home/becoming-participant/applying-ndis/list-b-conditions-are-likely-result-permanent-impairmentNDIS Access Request Form/application:https://www.ndis.gov.au/how-apply-ndis/what-access-request-formSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Mel chats with her friend and Hireup colleague Briana Blackett. Bri is the sole parent of her two sons, Max, who is 15, and thirteen-year-old Freddy, both of whom have autism. Bri is also a senior journalist and seasoned advocate. This conversation covers how to advocate for our kids - especially those with autism - at an NDIS planning meeting, the liberating benefits of being plan managed, and what changes to our government and the NDIS could mean for our community.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Mel chats with Tara Thompson, the mother behind the wildly popular Willow’s CP Journey instagram account. Here Tara shares snapshots of her day-to-day life as a mum of three girls - Ava, who’s nine, four-year-old Indie, and Willow, who’s seven, and has cerebral palsy and autism.   This conversation covers the power of our community - something that is front of mind for Tara in her new role at Kindship, an app that connects parents in the disability space. Mel also gets Tara’s advice on how to make home therapy fun - something she’s an absolute master of. Link to the Kindship app: https://www.kindship.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aussies will soon go to the polls - so NDIS participants and their families want to know, how can we make our vote count toward a better scheme? My guest for this special federal election episode is disability rights campaigner Elly Desmarchelier, who is a spokesperson for Every Australian Counts and their Defend Our NDIS campaign.  Elly has been all over the media, hosting numerous campaign events and, as she says, finding new and exciting ways to get the NDIS on to the election agenda. In this chat we talk about Elly's own experience on the NDIS, why the NDIS needs defending, and ways we can educate ourselves before casting our vote.  For more information on how to defend our NDIS, head to the Every Australian Counts website: https://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Mel chats with Sabikah Rizvi, a Newcastle-based mother of four boys. Here middle two, Abid and Taha, who are 10 and 8, both have cerebellar hypoplasia and ataxic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, among other diagnoses. Sabikah shares how she manages the colossal amount of admin and organisation that comes with having two kids on the NDIS, how she’s fought for better plans - all the way to tribunals - and how she’s made time for her own mental health in amongst it all.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, part two of Mel's chat with Stephanie Wicks and Sandy Golder,  the duo behind Thrive Tribe & Co share their tips for how to look after yourself, as a parent navigating the NDIS on behalf of your kid. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.