Home

New Bunbury-based community support initiative to help South West people navigate NDIS service

Ailish DelaneySouth Western Times
Hera Senior Support Coordinators Shizleen Aishath and Meisha Chalk.
Camera IconHera Senior Support Coordinators Shizleen Aishath and Meisha Chalk.

South West residents using the National Disability Insurance Scheme are set to benefit from a new community initiative aiming to help navigate the complexities of the scheme.

Hera aims to make the NDIS more accessible to people in need of disability services in the community, especially those who are Indigenous, culturally and linguistically diverse or live in regional areas.

The new community initiative, which officially launches in Bunbury tomorrow, is run by staff with personal lived experience of the barriers people with disability face when accessing services.

Senior support co-ordinator Shizleen Aishath said the NDIS had been a huge learning curve that posed a difficult landscape to navigate for many people.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

“While there are many good stories out there, there are also the stories of people not understanding their rights, or how to access and advocate for sufficient funding,” she said.

“Participants are often left on their own to negotiate the services and understand what they can and cannot do with their funding packages.

“Many of us who are trying to navigate these confusing landscapes are already trying to sort out other support systems and services for ourselves or our loved ones, making it an overwhelming process.

“Adding cultural differences, living in a regional area or language negotiation to that mix, makes it more difficult still.”

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails