How to Fulfil Your Employment Goals Under The NDIS

If you’re an NDIS participant thinking with the goal of finding work under NDIS, you may be able to access funding to help you achieve that goal. The NDIS covers a wide range of supports related to finding work, categorised under the ‘Finding and Keeping a Job’ section of your NDIS plan.

Job-related supports funded by the NDIS

The NDIS can help you find work by funding:

Counselling to help you successfully acquire and engage in employment
Ways to help you overcome employment barriers
Workplace assessment
Resume writing assistance
Support during and before a job interview

The NDIS can also help you find and keep a job in less direct ways. You can use the ‘Increased Social and Community Participation’ category of your NDIS plan, for example, to help you develop independence and social skills, increasing your chances of finding employment.

How to obtain employment-related funding

To obtain funding to help you achieve your employment goals, you’ll need to discuss these goals with a planner during your NDIS planning meeting.

Make sure to prepare a list of your work-related goals before attending the meeting. Let your planner know what kind of work you’re looking for and which supports you’ll think you’ll need to help you achieve your goal.

At your meeting, your planner will ask questions including:

Have you completed any courses?
Do you manage your own money?
What’s your education level?
Do you have any specific qualifications, work skills, or experience?

These questions will help your planner determine the best funding options for you.

NDIS assistance during work

You can also receive funding to support you while at work. This funding can assist with:

Personal supports, such as support workers.
Commuting to and from work
Specialised on-the-job training to help you manage your job’s demands

While at work, it is your employer’s responsibility to maintain an accessible workplace and to provide you with specialised equipment and aids, such as large-key keyboards and screen readers.

Work experience and volunteer work

If you’re not quite ready to search for work but would like to learn more about finding employment, you can chat with your Support Coordinator or NDIA planner. You may also use part of your NDIS funding to find work experience or volunteer work, which will help you to discover your skills and what you enjoy.