Engaging in the NDIS space

NDIS  News.. by Janelle

PARTICIPANT FIRST ENGAGEMENT – What is?  

I’ve been a member of the Participant First Engagement group since its inception, it’s a fantastic way to be involved with changes.  Through this group I’ve been a member of their testing panel which involves testing the portal and App during shutdowns prior to everyone else.  I’ve also been involved in focus groups, co-design, new guidelines etc. The bonus with being part of these groups are you are the first to hear and see prospective changes, you get to try the new changes with the testing team, you are also helping to make NDIS better for everyone else.  All of these groups I’ve belonged to have been in a paid capacity.

Here’s a brief description of the Participant first engagement:

We are working to deliver a better experience for participants. We know the best way to do this is to listen to people with lived experience of disability and first-hand experience of the NDIS. 

Participant First is a group of people who have signed up to help improve the NDIS through engagement activities such as:   

-Focus groups or interviews

-Co-design workshops on specific issues, processes or products

-Surveys, discussion papers and submissions

-Taking part in research projects. 

Join Participant First and help us make sure the voices of people with disability are at the centre of the way NDIS reforms are designed, implemented and monitored. 

We are prioritising co-design, consultation and engagement activities on the following topics: 

-Participant pathway experience 

-Assessments and budgeting  

-Navigator functions 

-Participant services 

-Psychosocial disability 

-Home and living 

-Integrity and fraud prevention 

-Workforce capability and culture 

-Participant safety 

What does it involve? 

As a member you will receive a newsletter every 2 weeks offering new opportunities for you to get involved in. You can register your interest for as many as you like. 

Some feedback opportunities are paid. 

You don’t have to take up any of these opportunities if you don’t want to. 

Your feedback is confidential and not added to your official NDIS participant record.  

If you change your mind, you can unsubscribe at any time. 

We are looking for a mix of participants, families and carers who have different levels of experience with the NDIS. 

Join Participant First today. For more details, contact participant.engagement@ndis.gov.au.

The other ways to be informed is sign up to receive the NDIS newsletter https://cloud.email.ndis.gov.au/newsletter-signup here you will be notified of any new changes.

NDIS also run online information groups on a variety of topics eg, Legislation changes, Intro to Self-Management, Plan-Management etc. etc.  At most of these sessions there is a question time.   https://www.ndis.gov.au/news/events