My Plan Manager supports diversity and cultural identity

My Plan Manager acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders past, present, and emerging.

An understanding of culture, community and country is essential for providing National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) plan management that meets the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) peoples with disability. So too is an understanding of how NDIS funding can be used to support diversity and cultural identity.

The team behind My Plan Manager’s cultural engagement hub understands both.

What is My Plan Manager’s cultural engagement hub?

ATSI peoples with disability are among the most disadvantaged in Australian society. They often face multiple barriers to accessing services and support, and participating in the community. The cultural engagement hub is a free plan management service for ATSI participants in the NDIS. It exists to support ATSI peoples with disability to get the most out of their NDIS funding so they can live their best lives.

What does the cultural engagement hub do?

The team behind My Plan Manager’s cultural engagement hub can assist ATSI peoples with disability to use their NDIS funding to support diversity and cultural identity. This begins with an understanding of cultural considerations including:

• beliefs, practices, behaviours and preferences which can affect the choice to use formal support services;
• where and how people live;
• perceptions and attitudes towards people with disability and older people;
• expectations of family providing care, gender roles, and beliefs about health, mental health and disabilities; and
• language proficiencies, which can affect access to information and services, and the ability to communicate needs and preferences.

It isn’t always obvious how NDIS funding can be used to reach goals in a culturally appropriate way, but My Plan Manager’s cultural engagement hub team members are experts at identifying when funding can be used for things like returning to country, connecting with family, language and lore.

Ashley’s emu

Ashley* has a goal to expand his cultural learning and development. Together with his support worker, he has embarked on a project to achieve this goal by creating painted garden beds and a sculpture of an emu. The cultural engagement hub team at My Plan Manager identified that funding in Ashley’s NDIS plan can, and will, cover the cost of the paints for his project.

How can people access My Plan Manager’s cultural engagement hub?

NDIS participants and their providers can access the cultural engagement hub by telephoning My Plan Manager on 1800 861 272 or by emailing [email protected].