Fund helps Australians get ready for an NDIS

The Australian Government today announced the 73 successful projects that will share funding from the $10 million Practical Design Fund to help prepare for the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The Practical Design Fund identifies practical solutions and innovative approaches to assist people with disability, their families and carers and the disability sector get ready for the NDIS.

Minister for Disability Reform Jenny Macklin said the investment will help prepare people with disability and their carers, the disability sector and the workforce for new ways of accessing and delivering disability services.

“The Practical Design Fund will also help providers and suppliers of equipment make the transition to an NDIS, and help improve access to supports in remote and regional communities,” Ms Macklin said.

“The National Disability Insurance Scheme will fundamentally change the way we support people with disability.

“An essential part of getting the change right is to have practical strategies that will work in the real world and that’s what these projects will help us do,” Ms Macklin said.

The organisations receiving funding include Carpentaria Disability Service which will receive $172,000 to help increase the number of Indigenous people trained as disability workers in remote communities.

It will also help to deliver appropriate training materials to support Indigenous people attain their Units of Competency for the Certificate III in Disability Work.

Ability Technology Ltd also received $141,380 to develop an interactive website to allow people to explore the assistive technology options available to them.

It will use interactive scenes from a typical home and provide advice by highlighting typical household objects and the suitable assistive technology devices for operating them.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers, Senator Jan McLucas said the Australian Government is working to build an NDIS to make sure Australians with disability get the care and support they need, no matter where they live or how they acquired their disability.

“The Government has committed $1 billion to launch an NDIS from mid-next year,” Senator McLucas said.

“The first stage of an NDIS will benefit more than 20,000 people with a permanent and significant disability, their families and carers in South Australia, Tasmania, the ACT, areas in the Hunter region of NSW and the Barwon region of Victoria.

“This will give people with disability, their family and carers access to real choice and control over these supports-meaning more control over their lives.”

View the full list of the organisations receiving funding as part of the Practical Design Fund