This is the seventh instalment in our NDIS Funding Categories series where we discuss what plan categories are available and what they can be used for.
The first 4 blogs in the series covered Core Supports and we're now moving on to Capacity Building Supports. The third instalment is about Increased Social & Community Participation funding.
Part 7 - Increased Social & Community Participation
While often confused with Core Supports - Assistance with Social and Community Participation due to their similar names, Increased Social & Community Participation is a capacity building support and does offer some different support that's centred around skills development.
Increased Social & Community Participation funding can be used for:
- Life Transition Planning including Mentoring and Peer Support. This is based around assistance with developing a participant's capacity to attend appointments, go shopping, pay bills, take part in community and social activities and maintain contact with others.
- Skills Development and Training. This is support to assist a participant with developing individual life skills such as taking public transport and developing skills for community, social and recreational participation. This funding can also be used to provide training for participants in groups to increase their independence in daily personal activities.
- Innovative Community Participation. Funding for support that assists participants in accessing mainstream activities.
- Community Participation Activities. This funding can be used to cover the cost of tuition fees, art classes, sports coaching and similar activities that help build a participant's skills and independence. Can also include camps, classes and vacation activities that have capacity building components.
While there are some activities that can be funded under Increased Social & Community Participation that sound like they're being funded for fun purposes - it's important to make sure that the activity does have capacity building components and is required as a result of the participant's disability. Expenses for fun or sport are everyday expenses and may only be funded by the NDIS if they have a direct link to the functional impact of a person's disability.
Not sure whether it can be covered by your NDIS plan? Get in contact with your plan manager or local area coordinator for further information.
Questions? Contact us at admin@hbplanmanagement.com or on 07 4334 0002.