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Building With Strength

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Kiama Downs, NSW
Building With Strength

Michelle Garland
NDIS Support Navigator and Consultant
South Coast NSW.
(1)

04/06/2026

Check this out 🗣️

03/06/2026

Difficult conversations are part of the work… but how we handle them matters 💬

In the NDIS space, we’re often navigating emotions, expectations, and complex situations — with participants, families, and other providers.

Avoiding the conversation might feel easier… but it rarely leads to better outcomes.

✨ What we’ve found works:
• Be clear, not vague 🧠
• Be kind, not harsh 💙
• Stick to facts, not assumptions 🧾
• Listen as much as you speak 👂
• Focus on solutions, not blame 🎯

Kindness doesn’t mean avoiding honesty.
And clarity doesn’t mean being blunt.

It’s about finding that balance 🤝

When we communicate well:
• Trust is built 🙌
• Misunderstandings are reduced 📉
• Better outcomes are possible 🌱

At Building With Strength, we support providers to have these conversations with confidence — because strong communication is at the heart of good support 💙

Sometimes the hardest conversations… are the most important ones to have.

02/06/2026

NDIS Individualised Living Options (ILO) – What it is and isn’t

One of the most misunderstood supports in the NDIS is ILO—many people think it’s a set service, but it’s actually about designing a living arrangement that works for you.

Individualised Living Options (ILO) is:
• a flexible support to help you choose where and how you live
• focused on independence, choice, and belonging
• built around a mix of formal and informal supports
• designed in two stages – exploration/design, then implementation

ILO can include:
• support to plan and design your living arrangement
• personal care and daily living support
• support to build independence and life skills
• a mix of supports (e.g. housemates, hosts, drop-in supports)
• involvement of family, friends, and community supports

But ILO is not:

* housing, rent, or accommodation costs
* Supported Independent Living (SIL) or SDA
* funding for everyday living expenses (food, bills, etc.)
* supports outside the home (these are funded separately)
* paying family or informal supports

ILO is usually suited to people who:
• need moderate support at home (around 6+ hours per day)
• don’t need 24/7 rostered care like SIL
• want more flexibility and control over how they live
• are ready to explore and design their ideal living setup

Every ILO looks different—it’s built around your goals, your supports, and your life.

💡 Big takeaway:
ILO isn’t a service—it’s a way of designing supports around your life, not fitting your life into a service.

How we help
At Building With Strength, we help participants:
• explore whether ILO is the right option
• navigate Stage 1 (exploration and design)
• develop strong service proposals
• align supports with NDIS criteria
• build sustainable, flexible living arrangements

The power of ILO is in the planning—it’s about creating a home that actually works for you.

• Learn more at www.buildingwithstrength.com.au

01/06/2026

What sets us apart isn’t just what we do… it’s how and why we do it 💙

At Building With Strength, our approach is different 👇

✨ Lived experience
We don’t just understand the NDIS — we’ve lived it. That means real insight, not just theory.

✨ Flexible support
Support doesn’t have to fit into one box. We work with participants in ways that actually suit their lives — not the system.

✨ No Support Coordination? No problem
We help participants navigate their plans using existing funding — so support is still accessible.

✨ Clear, honest guidance
No jargon. No confusion. Just practical, straightforward advice you can actually use.

✨ Tailored, not templated
Every participant is different — so every approach should be too.

Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about ticking boxes…
It’s about helping people feel confident, informed, and in control of their supports 🙌

That’s what really makes the difference.

01/06/2026

NDIS Quarterly Report Q3 2025–26: Key Takeaways

The latest NDIS Quarterly Report highlights both the growing reach of the Scheme and the significant reforms on the horizon. As of 31 March 2026, more than 774,000 Australians were receiving NDIS supports, with over 18,500 new participants entering the Scheme during the quarter.

Some encouraging outcomes include:
✅ Increased community and social participation for participants who have been in the NDIS for two years or more.
✅ Improved employment outcomes, particularly for younger participants entering the workforce.
✅ More families and carers able to participate in paid employment.
✅ Continued improvements in participant choice, control, independence and wellbeing.

The report also confirms major reforms are underway, focusing on:
• Scheme sustainability
• Fraud prevention and integrity measures
• Clearer eligibility requirements
• A new planning framework, now expected to commence from April 2027
• The introduction of Foundational Supports (Thriving Kids) for children with developmental delay and autism who have low to moderate support needs.

For those of us working alongside participants every day, these changes reinforce the importance of staying informed, understanding how reforms may affect people differently, and continuing to advocate for supports that help individuals achieve their goals and live meaningful lives.

The NDIS continues to evolve. The challenge for all of us is ensuring participants remain at the centre of every decision as these reforms are implemented.

ChoiceAndControl DisabilityLeadership

31/05/2026

💙 You don’t have to be unshakeable to be resilient. 💙

Feeling tired, frustrated, or uncertain doesn’t cancel out resilience —
it proves you’re human. 🤍

Resilience isn’t about holding it together all the time.
It’s about continuing, even when things wobble.
It’s about showing up imperfectly and giving yourself permission to feel. 🌱

If today feels shaky, that doesn’t mean you’re weak.
It means you’re still here — and that counts. ✨

Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing more than you realise.

31/05/2026

Stay hungry, stay focused 🐾✨
Growth doesn’t happen by accident—it comes from showing up, staying curious, and keeping your eyes on what matters 🎯💙

One small step at a time… you’re getting there 🌿🌟

29/05/2026

Collaboration over competition — every single time 🤝

In the NDIS space, no one provider can do it all… and they shouldn’t have to.

The best outcomes happen when we work together 💙

✨ What collaboration actually looks like:
• Open communication between providers 📞
• Respecting each other’s roles and expertise 👥
• Sharing knowledge (not gatekeeping it) 📚
• Putting the participant at the centre of every decision 🎯
• Supporting—not competing with—each other 🙌

When providers compete, participants feel it.
When providers collaborate, participants benefit 🌱

At Building With Strength, we work alongside providers, not against them—because strong teams create strong outcomes.

There’s enough work in this space for everyone… but more importantly, there are people relying on us to get it right 💭

27/05/2026

What does a good progress note actually look like? 🤔

Not long. Not complicated. Just clear, relevant, and useful 👇

In the NDIS space, progress notes aren’t just “something to tick off” — they protect you, support the participant, and tell the story of what’s actually happening.

✨ A good progress note should:
• Be factual (not opinions or assumptions) 🧾
• Clearly describe what happened during the shift 👀
• Link back to the participant’s goals 🎯
• Highlight any changes, concerns, or wins 📈
• Be written in plain, professional language ✍️

And just as important… what it’s not:
🚫 A diary entry
🚫 A copy-paste template
🚫 Vague (“participant was fine”)

Because when notes are too general, they don’t help anyone.

Strong progress notes:
• Support plan reviews 📊
• Provide evidence for funding 📁
• Help the whole team stay informed 🤝

At Building With Strength, we support providers to improve their documentation—because small changes in notes can make a big difference in outcomes 💙

If someone else picked up your note… would they understand exactly what happened? 💭

26/05/2026

NDIS Supported Independent Living (SIL) – What it is and isn’t

One of the biggest areas of confusion in the NDIS is SIL—many people think it’s housing, but it’s actually the support you receive in your home.

Supported Independent Living (SIL) is:
• daily support to help you live as independently as possible
• for people with higher support needs
• typically includes support throughout the day and overnight
• focused on building skills and maintaining independence

SIL can include:
• personal care (showering, dressing, medication)
• help with daily tasks (cooking, cleaning, routines)
• supervision and safety support
• skill-building for independence and social skills

But SIL is not:

* rent, housing, or accommodation costs
* groceries, bills, or everyday living expenses
* healthcare or nursing supports
* supports provided by other systems (hospital, justice, etc.)
* a “one size fits all” solution for living arrangements

SIL is usually funded when you:
• need significant support across the day (often 24/7)
• may share supports with other participants (not always)
• require consistent, structured support at home

It’s important to know SIL is not always the first or best option—the NDIS will consider other supports (like ILO or in-home supports) first to make sure it’s the right fit.

💡 Big takeaway:
SIL isn’t about where you live—it’s about the level of support you need to live there.

How we help
At Building With Strength, we help participants:
• understand whether SIL is the right option
• explore alternative home and living supports
• gather the right evidence to support SIL requests
• review rosters of care and support levels
• ensure supports are aligned with goals and funding criteria

The key to SIL isn’t just getting it approved—it’s making sure it’s the right support for your life.

• Learn more at www.buildingwithstrength.com.au

Address

Kiama Downs, NSW
2533

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 3pm
Sunday	10am - 3pm

Telephone

+61414837752

Website

https://www.buildingwithstrength.com.au/

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