Frequently Asked Questions
The iConnect Life team have come together to answer some of our most commonly asked questions. If you are unable to find an answer to your question, please get in touch with our team via our Contact Us page. We are here to help.
Our Top FAQ’s – please select a category to find your specific answer sooner.
The NDIS is the National Disability Insurance Scheme, Australia’s national scheme that funds the supports people with a permanent and significant disability need to take part in everyday life. It is run by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
If you are eligible, you and the NDIA agree on a plan based on your goals and everyday support needs. The plan includes funding for the “reasonable and necessary” supports that help you reach those goals, such as support workers, therapy, equipment and help to get involved in your community. You then choose the providers who deliver your supports.
To join, you generally need to be under 65 when you apply, be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or Protected Special Category Visa holder, and have a permanent disability that significantly affects your daily life (or qualify for early intervention). iConnect Life is a registered NDIS provider, and our team can help you understand your plan and choose supports that suit your goals. You can find the official information on the NDIS website.
There is a range of NDIS support types. Not all types of support required by a person living with a disability fall under the responsibility of the NDIS. Some supports are funded by other areas of government (e.g. state health systems) or existing public and community services.
In general, the NDIS will fund reasonable and necessary supports that help a person living with a disability enjoy an ordinary life. These supports and services fall into three categories.
CORE – A support that assists with activities of daily living.
CAPITAL – A support for an investment, such as assistive technologies; equipment and home or vehicle modifications; or funding for capital costs (e.g. to pay for Specialist Disability Accommodation).
CAPACITY BUILDING – A support that helps build independence and skills.
The NDIA is the National Disability Insurance Agency. It is a government agency and its role is to implement and manage the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) and make sure people with disability continue to get the support they need.
Eligibility for the NDIS depends on a few different things, such as:
- Age: You need to be under 65 years at the time of your application.
- Residency status: You must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen with a Protected Special Category Visa.
- Disability: You must have a permanent disability that significantly affects how you can communicate, move, care for yourself, or manage your life.
- Early intervention: Alternatively, you may be eligible if you have a permanent disability, or a developmental delay (for children under six years), and early intervention would likely help, for example by improving your functioning, or reducing or delaying a decline in it, so that you need less support in the future.
We recommend you confirm your eligibility via the NDIS website or by calling the NDIA on 1800 800 110. For more information, visit Am I eligible.
If you are 65 or over and not already an NDIS participant, aged care supports may be available instead. Our aged care and senior community access team can help.
There are several ways you can manage your NDIS plan, and you don’t have to choose only one of these options. You can use a combination that best suits your needs.
For example, you might self-manage some parts of your NDIS plan, while the NDIA may look after other parts.
The three options for plan management are:
- Your plan is managed by someone from the NDIA
- Your plan is managed by a Plan Manager
- You manage your NDIS plan
Absolutely! If you are not eligible for NDIS funding, you are still able to access a range of supportive services our team has to offer. To learn more about our services, visit Our Services page or give us a call on 1800 511 411 to discuss your options.
Supported Independent Living (SIL) is NDIS funding for help with everyday tasks at home, such as personal care, cooking and household tasks, so you can live as independently as possible in a shared home with support available when you need it. SIL pays for the support you receive, not for the house itself.
SIL (Supported Independent Living) pays for the support you receive at home, such as help with personal care, meals and daily tasks. SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) is NDIS funding for the home itself: specially designed housing for people with extreme functional impairment or very high support needs. Some people have one, some have both, and neither covers everyday living costs such as food and utilities.
Our current Supported Independent Living (SIL) vacancies are listed below. This list always matches our vacancies pages.
- Worongary, Gold Coast: A room is available now in a bright, modern Supported Independent Living home in Worongary on the Gold Coast, with 24/7 in-home support and a 1:3 support ratio. Available now · expressions of interest welcome.
- Tweed Heads South, Tweed: A Supported Independent Living home in Tweed Heads South with a spacious kitchen and dining area and an accessible bathroom, close to parks, beaches, public transport and shops. Expressions of interest welcome.
If you are looking for a SIL home in a particular area, call us on 1800 511 411 and we will talk through your options.
School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) are NDIS supports that help young people with disability prepare for work and gain real-world experience before or just after finishing high school. At iConnect Life, our SLES program is tailored to the individual and delivered alongside you, your family, carers and school.
An NDIS plan manager looks after the financial side of your plan so you do not have to. They pay your providers, claim from the NDIS, keep track of your budget and send you a monthly statement showing your balance. You still choose which providers you use.
There are three levels of NDIS support coordination: Support Connection, Support Coordination and Specialist Support Coordination. Which one is in your plan depends on your needs and how complex your situation is. Level 1 helps you connect with supports, level 2 helps you understand, implement and use your plan, and level 3 is a higher level of support for more complex situations.
For NDIS participants, group activities are paid from the Core – Social & Community Participation funding in your NDIS plan, which covers the Support Workers who run each activity. For private clients, please contact our team for individual group activity costing and participation. Our activities are suitable for a range of abilities and ages.
Travel / Transport: This service can also be provided upon request. The service includes pick up from home to the hub or activity and return. This service is charged at $1 per km and when there is another client in the car the cost is split between them e.g. fifty cents per km per client. Some NDIS plans include funding for this.
Depending on the group activity you wish to participate in, some additional costs may be required. All costs will be discussed with the client and their family prior to participation. Most additional costs are associated with the provision of meals, the purchase of souvenirs or additional entry fees when visiting a venue or attraction e.g. theme parks. Feel free to visit our What’s On activity page for more information on the groups available.
This will depend on the activity you select and the venue you are attending. Our Support Workers will ensure that the items you need are communicated clearly prior to your activity. As a general guide, the below items will be required:
. Video Gaming Activities: $5 for chicken nuggets and chips or your own food if you would prefer. We also recommend bringing your own water bottle for hydration.
. Social Groups – including Movie & Boardgame Activities: You will require some additional money for food or your are welcome to bring your own food. A water bottle is required also.
. Outdoor Adventure Groups: There may be an additional charge for your activity (location/group dependant) and occasionally you will need to bring items such as swimmers, a backpack, and a water bottle. This is always discussed beforehand.
There will be one Support Worker for three clients. If any of the clients have behaviours that require more attention or the activity requires more in-depth supervision the Support Worker ratio will be adjusted to suit.
Our schedule of Group Activities is extremely varied. At this time, only a portion of our activities is wheelchair accessible. To learn which activities are suitable, please call our team on 1800 511 411.
The number of participants varies from one group activity to the next. Group size depends on the space or venue we are using, the type of activity and how many Support Workers are available. We run at one Support Worker for every three clients (see our Support Worker ratio).
To find out the group size for a specific activity, call our team on 1800 511 411.
It depends on the group. Some of our group activities are centre-based in the Tweed, at our Connection Hub in Tweed Heads, and others are outdoor activities on the Gold Coast and in the Tweed. Scheduled activities can run anywhere from Ballina to Brisbane, so check the What’s On weekly program for where each group meets, or call us on 1800 511 411.
Our team also organises camps and trips across Australia. The NDIS may fund the support you need on a trip, such as Support Worker costs, but it does not pay for the holiday itself (travel, accommodation and activities). We always talk through costs with you and your family beforehand.
NDIS Social & Community Participation is a funded support category for goals relating to your social participation, involvement in recreational activities and participation in your local community. At iConnect Life, we have a range of activities available, including social networking events, overnight camping, adventure programs, movie days, plus so much more. Each activity is tailored to suit the needs of the people joining us, and they are an excellent way for you to get out there and meet new friends!
At iConnect Life, we work to match you with participants and team members that share your interests and understand your needs so you can get the most out of your experience.
Our group programs are for people with lower support needs who want to have fun, make friends and build their social and communication skills. NDIS participants need Core – Social & Community Participation funding in their plan, and private clients are welcome too. Some groups are split by age; our Outdoor Connection Group, for example, runs one group for 13–17 year olds and another for people 18 and over.
Need More Information
Our team are available for any questions you have about the services we offer, the NDIS or our community participation activities. Feel free to get in touch with us today. We are always happy to answer your questions. Phone: 1800 511 411 • Email: [email protected]