What is community participation and why does it matter?

What is community participation and why does it matter?

Community Participation is an important inclusion in many of our participant plans, as it supports them to connect with peers, build social connections, and establish a sense of belonging and participation in the community.

It’s also one of the core support categories we provide services for as a registered NDIS Provider, offering supports to increase your independence, build your support network, and access the community with the help of our support workers.

 

What areas can Community Participation assist with?

If you’re unfamiliar with Community Participation as a concept, there is often a lot of misinformation that can confuse newcomers to the NDIS on how it works.

The goal is to support you in getting out of the house and into the community, where you can try new activities, socialise and meet people, and expand your network.

Your support worker is funded to accompany you to places and activities and assist you to access these opportunities. However, the cost of classes and included materials is not included in the funding (unless it’s part of an existing program that your provider runs).

Because of this, it’s easy to view Community Participation as an overly complicated taxi service to and from activities, but there are many additional benefits that come from this service:

 

Develop essential life skills

Engaging in the community requires planning to coordinate a route to and from your desired location (be it via public transport or your own vehicle).

That planning can include following directions, budgeting the fare or fuel, and sometimes even transitioning from bus to train and managing multiple stops.

For some of our participants, this can feel overwhelming to coordinate alone or be a lot of information to process and manage. Getting support to plan a familiar route and practice getting to various locations can be a game-changer for building independence

For others, it can simply feel daunting to go out alone, and having to speak to other people to confirm or relay information (be it ordering in a restaurant, asking for directions, or even engaging with certain technologies) can cause a sense of panic.

The companionship of a support worker builds confidence in visiting unknown locations for the first time and engaging in social interactions throughout the process.

The value of having a support worker while you’re building these skills is knowing you have someone to guide you through social interactions and decision making while creating a safe and comfortable experience.

 

Build your support network

For many of our participants, feeling included and developing a sense of belonging is so important, especially for those who typically spend a lot of time alone or are working on leaving the house independently.

Community Participation invites our participants to meet new people and build relationships over time through attending regular classes or joining a local sports group.

This is something many of our participants were missing before they came to us for support because it was difficult for them to take first steps towards accessing the community and maintaining their attendance.

With a support worker offering emotional support and companionship, it’s a lot easier for our participants to work towards their social and recreational goals.

The other benefit is that forming social connections eventually leads to establishing a support network who you can lean on for emotional and practical support throughout life. These are people who will celebrate your successes, encourage your personal growth, and provide safety and stability during times of need.

 

Pursue meaningful hobbies

Pursuing personal interests and passions is often what gives our participants a sense of purpose and joy in their lives, depending on the kind of life they’re aspiring to live.

For many of our participants, they lives have been suddenly changed, or they have spent years unaware of what’s truly possible for them, eventually leading to a desire to find new hobbies or adapted passions that fit their abilities.

Additionally, many hobbies such as horse riding, photography, or even making jewellery, are skills that can’t be learned at home because they require access to the community, or to educators who can teach and guide them.

Community Participation can enable those opportunities to learn from others and get hands-on experience trying new things, and our support workers assist with connecting participants to aligned groups, resources and communities.

 

Community participation success story

Emma’s disability affects her ability to leave the house and participate in the community.

As a creative, Emma enjoys art and music but struggles to attend events and activities that not only align with her interests and passions, but also provide opportunities for her to further her skills and connect with peers.

Through Community Participation, Emma has been able to establish a sense of trust and security through the compassionate care our Support Workers provide, enabling her to achieve her goals (including performing music on stage and showcasing her artwork).

“I’ve been with Helping Solutions for about two and a bit years now, and if it wasn’t for them I would not be connected to my friends and family. It’s helped me have more confidence in myself and others. If it wasn’t for you guys, I’d be at home all the time.”

 

Enquire today about our Community Participation supports

If you’re ready to increase your independence, build your support network, and access the community with more ease, our Community Participation supports can help.

Get in touch today to learn more and get started.

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