Using capacity building supports to help make individualised living a reality

The NDIA and Scope completed a research project and wrote a report called ‘Having a go: Exploring the use of supports to make individualised living a reality.’

We did this research to explore what supports NDIS participants use to build their capacity to work towards their own home and living goals.  

Download the research report 

Having a go: Making individualised living a reality report 

• Having a go Report (DOCX 1.67MB)
• Having a go Report (PDF 1.35MB)

The report summary 

• Having a go Summary (DOCX 68KB)
• Having a go Summary (PDF 307KB)

Easy Read version 

• Having a go Easy Read (PDF 6.74MB) 
• Having a go Easy Read (Text only) (DOCX 70KB) 

What we did 

A panel of NDIS participants and their families and carers advised us to make sure the research methods, tools and findings were important to NDIS participants. 

The research focused on adult NDIS participants with: 

• Autism 
• Cerebral palsy 
• Down syndrome 
• Intellectual disability 
• Psychosocial disability 

We did interviews and focus groups with adult NDIS participants, their family and carers, and disability service staff.  

We also did online surveys with NDIS participants (or their family, carers, or other informal supporters) and formal supporters such as NDIA planners, Local Area Coordinators (LACs) and disability support workers, and service staff. 

We looked at NDIS data to see if participants with funded capacity building support reached their goals. 

What we learnt

We found that NDIS participants want to: 

• have privacy and to feel safe and secure at home 
• live near family, friends, transport, shopping, supports and community activities 
• have support available when needed 
• choose who they live with. 

We identified 4 key areas for action that can help participants work towards achieving their home and living goals: 

1. It is important to provide opportunities for NDIS participants to explore home and living options early and at different life stages, and with clear and accessible information. 
2. Enabling NDIS participants to have a go at trialling different options increases their confidence and shifts expectations and helps them to understand what best meets their needs. 
3. Formal and informal supports to build, practice and maintain skills increase the home and living options available to participants. 
4. Flexible NDIS plans can support participants to build capacity at different stages in their life.  

How we will use this research 

This research will be used to support our new approach to home and living with the goal of supporting capacity building of NDIS participants.