In 2018, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) came out with its Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Strategy to assist people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds in accessing the NDIS. The ethnic diversity of Australia is among the highest in the world and therefore, the biggest disability support scheme in the country must consider that while
formulating its policies and procedures.
People with disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds will need person-centric assistance to understand the NDIS and to communicate their needs. Therefore, the NDIS has committed itself to build strong relationships with CALD communities and has been funding community outreach programmes. Translation services and the resources required to meet the language needs of CALD participants are available under the NDIS. CALD participants can access information about the NDIS in the language, media and format of their choice. Practice guides are available for Local Area Coordinators (LAC) and NDIA planners to make sure that their interactions with the CALD participants are productive and culturally positive. The NDIA staff and Partners in the Community (PITC) are also required to have the cultural competency to provide effective services to these participants. Being able to access the NDIS will allow CALD participants to
increase their social and economic participation and help them build a quality life in Australia.
Currently, the NDIS is in the process of developing a new Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (CALD) Strategy in collaboration with CALD participants and other stakeholders. Plan Guard plan managers are dedicated to providing culturally inclusive services that work well for CALD participants. We can assist you in accessing plan management services which will take the stress off of your shoulders concerning invoice payments and managing your NDIS funds. Contact us today to know more about the NDIS and our plan management
services.