Provider Capability for First Nations Australians in Rural and Remote Communities

Overview

This grant aims to build the capacity and cultural responsiveness of NDIS providers to support First Nations Australians with disability in rural and remote regions of Australia, including those with complex needs and/or behaviours of concern. This grant also aims to build provider capacity and capability to engage with First Nations Australians and provide access to more appropriate disability services within community or to assist them in returning to community. The overarching objective of the grant is to build the capacity of providers to meet NDIS registration obligations and deliver culturally responsive supports for First Nations Australians (NDIS participants) in rural and remote communities. Feedback from NDIS providers and states/territories’ authorisation agencies express a lack of providers’ capacity and capabilities to respond to First Nations Australians, particularly in rural and remote areas. They have also expressed a lack of providers offering services in these geographical areas. Through the development of resources and training modules, the grant will assist providers to develop and increase their capacity by: assisting providers to understand the requirements for providing safe and quality supports to First Nations Australians assisting providers to drive improvements and innovation in the provision of NDIS supports and services in collaboration with First Nations Australians in rural and remote areas developing a sustainable support and service model to meet the needs of First Nations Australians reducing the cost of providers in developing their own resource and training developing support and service models that are in accordance with the purposes of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (Provider Registration and Practice Standards) Rules 2018.