Top tips for setting NDIS goals

How your National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan is created and what your goals are will determine what you can purchase through the duration of your plan.

If you can think ahead about the best goals and budget support categories for your NDIS plan, you’ll be able to access the products or services that will help you to make the most of your plan and live your best life. 

My Plan Manager’s top tips

1. Think about what you want to do and buy with your NDIS plan! 

2. Do your current goals allow you to access the service or item that you need?

3. Make/alter your goal to link to the service or item you need! 

Example 1: Personal Training 

Devon is 55 years old and wants to access personal training classes through her NDIS plan. Her NDIS goal is to improve her health and wellbeing and build her knowledge of diet and exercise advice.

Example 2: Cooking Classes  

Oliver is 18 years old and has just finished attending high school. He wants to learn to cook. His NDIS goal is to improve (or develop skills to build) his knowledge of healthy and nutritious cooking including identifying ingredients, managing a budget and preparing food/cooking in a safe and effective manner. This allows him to use his NDIS funding on cooking classes that will help him to achieve this goal.

NDIS Budget Support category: #09 Increased Social and Community Participation 

Example 3: Swimming Lessons

Ben is 15 years old and really wants to learn to swim. His NDIS goal is to increase his water awareness and water safety, as well as improving his core strength and social participation. Swimming lessons will help Ben to achieve this goal.

NDIS Budget Support category: #12 Improved Health and Wellbeing 

Example 4: Support Coordination    

Sophie is 35 years old, a mum of two children and wants to build her skills to be able to manage her own NDIS plan. Her NDIS goal is that she would like support to understand, implement and maximise her NDIS plan, including building skills to make connections in her local community and increase her confidence and capacity to connect with new providers.

NDIS Budget Support category: #07 Support Coordination  

Please be advised that it will depend on your personal circumstances as to whether the NDIS will consider a support to be “reasonable and necessary” and these examples should be used to assist you to create your own goals to access the services that will give you more choice and control over your life.