What Does Social & Community Participation Look Like at Real Community Services?
Here at Real Community Services we work with our participants to design tailored support programs that allow our participants to access the support and care they need for their specific needs, while also ensuring that they are getting the most value out of their NDIS funding.
An important part of all our participants support plans is ensuring that their NDIS funding is being used to help them enjoy more social activities, while building and strengthing friendships and relationships to prevent loneliness or isolation.
Social and Community Participation funding is included as a separate line in both the NDIS’ Core Supports Budget and the Capacity Building Support Budget, and can be used for a wide range of activities.
But what exactly does Social and Community Participation mean?
Well put simply it means the funding can be used to help you engage with community groups, events, or activities. It’s designed to help those needing extra support to access recreational activities, socialise and build friendships, learn a new hobby or skill, and simply be more involved within their community.
What are some activities I can use my social and community participation funding for?
There’s a long list of activities and ways your Social and Community Participation funding can be used for including:
- support to help access public transport
- playing sport or going to the gym
- assistance with attending appointments and shopping
- going to school or university
- identification of local groups and activities
- help running everyday errands
- going to community programs and playgroups
- extra support while on holidays and vacations
Activities or support programs can also be tailored to a participants age, for example as part of our Young Adult Support program we may assist participants to go to the movies, catch a live music gig at their local pub, or even arrange for them to go to a night club.
For our younger participants and children, it might include support when going to a Wiggles Concert, the local playground, or simply just joining a community playgroup.
And then for adults and seniors, it could be as simple as taking them to visit friends, grabbing a coffee, or watching their favourite sports team play.
Do you have any real-life examples of Social and Community Participation support?
Our wonderful team of support workers are out every day helping participants become more involved within their local communities, helping them build new friendships, and making sure they’re enjoying themselves. Have a read of just a couple of our participants stories below.
“Suzanne suffers from Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and is a woman of strength and knowledge
Suzanne indulges in holistic lifestyle is an amazing artist (just check out her paintings!). As well as her swimming Suzanne attends art workshops with Anna from Gold Coast Art Therapy.
Suzanne’s RCS support workers are amazing with anything she needs assistance with. Although it took Suzanne a while to accept help, she is now in her flow zone and enjoying the help and support that our support workers can provide to make her life a little easier
Suzanne has a pet lizard, and his nails now get clipped by support worker Malorie as is now too challenging for her to accomplish”
“The Jamie’s Ministry of Food Australia online cooking classes (made possible through The Good Foundation) has been a huge success.
Meet Vanessa who recently completed the course, and is also signed up for the next one beginning later this month.
Her cooking skills are ‘WOW’ and we are so impressed and proud of the delicious dishes that Vanessa created
Vanessa who recently completed the course, and is also signed up for the next one beginning later this month.”
With a brilliant team of support workers across south east Queensland, we are there to help realize your goals, let us help you build a life full of possibilities, to live a fulfilling life. Talk to one of our friendly team about how we can assist young adults with community participation 1300 007 270.
