THE fundamental aim of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is to improve the quality of life of people with significant and permanent disability.

The scheme provides funding to people who meet the eligibility criteria so they can gain more time with family and friends, greater independence, access to new skills, jobs or to volunteer in their community.

It also assists in connecting people with disability to services that are available to them in their community.

Making those connections can change people’s lives.

Establishing connections to doctors, community groups, sporting clubs, support groups, libraries and schools may seem a simplistic aim yet helping make those connections for people who are not accustomed to going about in their community or have moved into a new community can be invaluable.

The NDIS also serves to keep people with a disability, and their carers, with information about what support is provided by each state and territory government.

When the scheme was rolled out to all eligible Australians in July 2020, it represented a major shift in how support was offered under the previous program, agencies and community organisations that offered disability support services were funded by the government. Now, the funding goes directly to the eligible participants to access the support and services tailored to their needs.

The NDIS now supports more than 700,000 Australians with disability in gaining access the services and supports they need.