What NDIS goals are
Every NDIS plan starts with a statement of goals and aspirations. By law it is prepared by you, and it sets out your goals and the context of your life: where you live, who supports you, and how you take part in the community and work.
The NDIA writes your goals down in your own words. It can help you choose words if you want, but it cannot change your goals or choose them for you. You, your plan nominee or your child representative set them.
Short term and long term goals
Goals can be big or small, simple or complex. You can have as many or as few as you like. Many people find it useful to pair a long term goal with smaller steps:
- Long term: I want to live in my own place with friends
- Short term steps: I want to learn to cook three simple meals, and to catch the bus to the shops on my own
Goal examples by area of life
- Daily living: I want to shower and dress myself in the mornings so I am not relying on Mum
- Home: I want to move out of the family home within two years
- Health and wellbeing: I want to build my strength so I can walk to the park with my kids
- Learning: I want to finish my TAFE certificate in hospitality
- Work: I want a part time job where I can use my computer skills
- Social and community: I want to join a local sports club and make friends there
- Relationships: I want to manage my feelings better so I can keep my friendships going
- Choice and control: I want to learn to manage my own NDIS budget
How goals link to funding
Goals matter, but they are only one part of how the NDIA decides funding. Every support must also meet the reasonable and necessary criteria, such as being related to your disability and being value for money. So:
- Setting more or bigger goals does not mean more funding
- Naming a specific support or number of hours in a goal does not oblige the NDIA to fund it
- You do not need a separate goal for every support in your plan
- Some goals are best met by other services, such as Inclusive Employment Australia for job seeking
Tips for writing good goals
- Use your own words, in first person: I want to
- Say what you want to do, not just what support you want
- Add why it matters to you, which helps planners and providers understand you
- Make it specific enough to tell if you are making progress
- Think across your whole life, not only therapy or care
- Ask family, friends, your support coordinator or providers to help you think it through
Changing your goals
You can tell the NDIA about new or changed goals at any time, not just at a reassessment. If that is the only change, the NDIA records your updated goals and sends you a new copy of your plan with the same supports.
If your new goals mean you need different supports, that is a plan variation or reassessment, and you will need evidence of what has changed.
Goals and your providers
Providers should know your goals and show how their supports help you work towards them. Therapy progress reports usually measure progress against your goals, and those reports are useful evidence at your next reassessment. Share your goals with providers when you start, and ask how they will track progress.