Life can be full of challenges and unpleasant surprises for people with disabilities. However, it can take a sweet turn if you have the right support coordinator in Sydney.
Individuals with disabilities may require intricate care and assistance. One can enhance the quality of their life immensely if one finds suitaible support. That’s where NDIS support coordination comes into the picture.
Support coordinators play a vital role in your journey of NDIS(National Disability Insurance Scheme). If you want to know how to pick the right one, keep reading this blog.
What is a Support Coordinator?
Before we dive into the factors you must determine before picking the NDIS support coordinator in Sydney, let’s understand the meaning of a support coordinator.
Definition and Meaning
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian social welfare program that offers disability support and services to individuals with disabilities. To enhance the quality of life for people with disabilities, it provides funding packages based on people’s disability and support requirements. NDIS support coordination is one of the support plans of NDIS under the ‘Capacity building supports’ category.
Support coordinators are specialised individuals who offer NDIS participants the benefits of the support coordination plan. They help you get access to the support you need and ensure you make the optimum usage of your NDIS plan and funding. Moreover, they assess your goals, needs and preferences and help you navigate the intricacies of the NDIS plan.
The Role of a Support Coordinator
Here’s how a support coordinator in Sydney can help you –
- Handle the paperwork and administrative tasks of your NDIS plan.
- Understand your NDIS plan and help you navigate its complexities.
- Connect you with the appropriate service providers, such as caregivers and therapists.
- Help you manage your NDIS budget effectively.
- Maintain reports of your condition and progress.
- Offer immediate assistance in case of emergency.
What Makes a Good Support Coordinator?
Choosing the right support coordinator is crucial to leverage the benefits of your NDIS plan –
- Knowledge, Experience and Expertise
A good support coordinator should have an understanding of the comprehensive parts of the NDIS plan so they can guide you in picking the right plans. If someone is new to the system, it can lead to confusion and uncertainty. Therefore, choose someone who has considerable years of experience as a support coordinator in Sydney. If they have been practising it for years, you can trust them to have expertise in this domain and have updated knowledge of the NDIS framework, its policies, guidelines and updates.
- Communication Skills
A support coordinator is the link between you and the NDIS system. Being a critical part of your support journey, they should be able to understand you clearly and effectively.
Therefore, look for support coordinators who have great reviews as active listeners and clear communicators (both in verbal and written forms). They must listen attentively to you and understand your needs effectively. Moreover, they must be able to decipher the complex processes of the NDIS plan in simple terms and articulate it well to you.
- Empathy
The life of a person with disabilities and their families deal with several hardships. It may take an emotional toll on them. Therefore, while browsing support coordination near me, prioritise someone who is emphatic enough to genuinely care about your well-being. They must be compassionate and have the willingness to advocate for your rights and needs. If they take time out to listen to your wants and needs, see you as an individual, and develop personalised strategies to make your life easier, you can lead a stress-free life.
- Organisation Skills
Your support coordinator is like the manager of your life. They will carry out multiple tasks for you, such as booking appointments, filling out paperwork, submitting documents before deadlines and more. Managing all the duties can become stressful, and only a support coordinator with brilliant organisational skills can handle it all without fail.
Therefore, choose a support coordinator in Sydney who is good at time and schedule management with top-notch managerial skills.
- Problem-Solving Skills
Challenges can often arise for support coordinators when they extend assistance to NDIS participants. There can be discrepancies in their NDIS plan, budget issues, paperwork errors or gaps in services. Whatever it is, a support coordinator should always have the resources to deal with such issues.
Therefore, prioritise a support coordinator who can deal with obstacles and excel in problem-solving.
- Continuous Learning
A good NDIS support coordinator must always be ready to learn and gain professional development. It’s a dynamic sea of NDIS plans and benefits out there. You or your family may not keep up with the changes and updates. Therefore, it is one of the primary duties of a good support coordinator to track the developments of the NDIS plan. They should always be working towards enhancing their skills and knowledge and staying up to date with the best practices.
Conclusion
A good NDIS support coordinator can revolutionise your life. If they possess the aforementioned skills and qualities, they can offer the best possible support to you by helping you use your NDIS plan effectively.
At My Disability Support Services (My DSS), we are a team of empathetic and specialised experts working with people of all ages and disabilities to help them navigate the NDIS system. If you want assistance, contact us at 1300 215 215.
