The NDIS is here to support people of all abilities achieve their goals – the success of accessing community.
All too often we hear about long term NDIS Journeys, the more complex individuals who perhaps require years, if not their lifespan, receiving and accessing supports. It is because of this, that we perhaps sometimes forget about the individuals who use the scheme to access just one key goal they have had for a long time.
Karl was with Maple Community Services from November 2021 until May 2022, when he felt he had built up enough capacity to achieve his one goal – to attend the Men’s Shed Group in Penrith by himself.
Whilst this may not seem like a massive achievement to most, particularly those who are unfamiliar or ignorant to the disability industry – this was a significant goal for Karl, and one that he successfully achieved using the support of the NDIS and Maple Community Services.
Karl’s disability is Psychosocial – meaning he mainly struggled with social isolation and social interactions. The idea of attending Men’s Shed by himself gave Karl considerable anxiety but this was something Karl had been keen on attending for years prior, and so he knew it was time to reach out for support and ‘crack this egg’. So, he and his wife Ange explored what options were available to them, and after successfully applying for the NDIS, Karl stumbled across Maple Community Services.
The key motivators for Karl to attend where to meet other people, make friends, learn practical skills and to build his social capacity. So, his supports mirror this, Community Participation and Capacity making up the most of his schedule of supports.
“So, our first trip out to the Men’s Shed was to attend a course on how to set up an electric saw. After the course, Karl and I had a chat with the manager, got Karl a proper name tag, and found out more information on what he needs to do in order to be able to start doing more practical work.” Adama, Support Worker at Maple Community Services.
The wonderful Support Workers at Maple Community Services built up a strong rapport with Karl each shift before leaving, to ensure he felt comfortable and ready to tackle another exciting session.
Some days were easier than others, with Karl sometimes not having the motivation to go – an impact from his psychosocial disability. However, through the supports from Maple’s staff he was persuaded to attend consistently: “Karl wasn’t too keen on heading out. He said that there wasn’t much to do at the Men’s Shed and wasn’t sure he wanted to go anymore. Karl was reassured that the more consistent he is with his visits, the easier it will be for him to make friends and become more comfortable with the environment. His wife Ange was also a strong motivator for Karl – prompting him to attend.” Said Raja, Maple Community Services Support Worker.
Karl gained the confidence to attend the Nepean Men’s Shed with his Support Workers. Following this, Karl built up enough capacity to be social at the Men’s Shed and communicate appropriately without the need for a Support Worker to advocate or support him in periods of strife or heightened anxiety.