Do you need a support coordinator?
What is a support coordinator and when do you need one?
If you’ve recently received your NDIS plan, you might have heard the term NDIS support coordinator being mentioned. According to the NDIS, a support coordinator is someone who will help you make the best use of your plan.
Here we speak to Five Good Friends Support Coordinator Ralph Morling. He explains how a support coordinator can help you and what you can expect if you choose to use one.
What does a support coordinator do?
Put simply, a support coordinator coordinates your supports. That means they will connect you with the services you need to help you achieve your goals and live your life.
When I start with a new Member as a support coordinator, I firstly like to get to know you. I then connect you with mainstream and community providers so they can help you build your skills. I also help you understand the NDIS and your NDIS journey. We need you to understand your funding so you can build on your abilities and gradually become more independent.
Ultimately, my goal is that one day you might coordinate your support yourself. I’m almost trying to get myself out of a job!
Of course, not everyone will do it themselves, but many of my Members end up coordinating their supports themselves.
Who needs a support coordinator?
When you first get an NDIS plan, I think everyone should have a support coordinator. If only to help you understand the payments of the NDIS, which can get very confusing. You need to know where the invoices go and how to pay them. And it’s important to understand how the NDIA works as well and how to contact services.
How do you pay for support coordination?
Your NDIS plan will fund support coordination and it will depend on your plan and your individual needs and circumstances, such as your disability or your personal situation. If you don’t have that funding, we can put in a request with the NDIS if we think it’s needed.
What should you expect from your trusted support coordinator?
As a support coordinator, my job is to make sure you always have choice and control over your goals and supports. For me, the key is about being open. That's what I tell everybody about being a trusted support coordinator. I don't do anything without the member knowing what I'm doing. ‘Nothing about you without you’ is my motto.
I always treat Members with respect and communicate with you in your preferred communication style. I do like using email so it’s all in writing, but I often talk to Members over the phone, on zoom or we can even meet in person, if location allows.
I can help you by breaking down the information so it’s easier to understand. I go through each bit of the plan and funding so you know how you can best achieve your goals. I also keep up to date with NDIS processes, so I can share with you the latest information.
Under the NDIS funding rules, I’m not allowed to advocate, but I can certainly advise people of where to go for advocacy. It’s important to note that you don’t need to be receiving services from Five Good Friends to use our support coordination. It’s completely separate and ethically I think it should be. When I’m recommending support, I will give the Member the option to choose whatever service provider they want.
If you’re interested in NDIS support coordination from Five Good Friends, get in touch with us to find out more about our services.
Learn more: The benefits of using a NDIS approved provider
