Zest!a space for your questions and answers

The NDIS participant portal has recently made changes and several upgrades to the site which helps to explain the terminology of your plan and what you can use it for. Please see the following taken from the portal if you haven't come across it or are unfamiliar.

Understanding your support budgets and categories

• Core supports
• Capacity building
• Capital supports

Core supports help with your everyday activities. It also helps with your current disability related needs and to work towards your goals. Your Core supports budget is the most flexible. In most cases, you can use your funding across the support categories in Core. However, there are times where you do not have flexibility in your funding, mostly for transport funding.
The Core support categories are:

Daily Activities:

This may be support to care for needs each day. For example cleaning and or yard maintenance.

Consumables:

This may be using Interpreting services. It could also be used for continence products. It may also be used for low-cost assistive technology. Consumables could also be used for equipment to help mobility

Social, community and civic participation:

This might be a support worker to help you engage with things out in the community. Shopping, going to concerts and shows etc.

Transport:

Helps you to travel to work or other places that will help you achieve the goals in your plan.
How transport funding is paid will be different for each person. It may be deposited into your bank account on a fortnightly basis.

Capacity building

Capacity Building (CB) supports can help you build your independence and skills to help you reach your long-term goals. Your CB budget cannot be moved between the categories. Funding can be used flexibly to get approved supports that falls within that CB category.

Capacity building encompasses things like therapy, training of skills, occupational therapist, orientation and mobility training etc.

Capital supports

Capital supports include higher-cost pieces of assistive technology, equipment and home or vehicle modifications and Specialist Disability Accommodation. Capital supports funding cannot be used to pay for anything else.

It is important to remember that funds within the Capital supports budget can only be used for their specific purpose and cannot be used to pay for anything else.

The Capital supports budget has two support categories:

Assistive Technology:

This could be items for mobility, personal care and communication. It could also be for wheelchairs or you may need your car modified.

Home modifications:

This could be installing a hand rail in a bathroom. It may be for participants who need special housing because of their disability.

We recently conducted a survey of Zest and participants. Thank you for those who took part. The uptake wasn’t as high as we had hoped but we appreciate that everyone has lives to live. Please see the main findings of the survey results below.

· Many of the people who took part were unaware that Zest existed before the survey went out.

· A significant amount of participants aren’t particularly interested in blind and low vision online forums.

· The current layout, set-up and usability of the Zest site aren’t ideal for some users at the moment and seem to function better as a blog rather than a conversation space to some users.

· The ability to privately connect with other users, have guest speakers and share events is welcome going forward.

· Zest would be ideal if accessible from a mobile device and was part of a larger Vision Australia website and Vision store.

Thank you for giving us your thoughts. We really appreciate all feedback as it is the only thing that allows us to build a clear picture of client’s thoughts and wishes.

Using wearable smart glasses or a smartphone that beams live stream footage, Aira connects people who are blind or have low vision to a trained professional
agent who then becomes their ‘eyes’, helping to navigate the built environment, colour match clothes, read a whiteboard, navigate a work-site, travel with
confidence and so much more.
You can trial Aira for free by downloading the app and using it between a Vision Australia office and it's nearest train station.

Please see the Aira site below for more information.

Job accessFind a job and access workplace modifications if needed.

My future websiteexplore tasks, skills and qualifications for particular job occupations and careers

National companion cardAccess 2 tickets for the price of 1 for you and a companion to selected events and venues.

Photo idProve your age, anytime, anywhere.

disabled parking permitPark with ease and with less restrictions.

My govYour point of entry for the NDIS, Centrelink and other government related programs.


NDISFind out how the NDIS can help you.

Contact ministers, members and senatorsContact your local representatives to advocate for yourself or your community.

Blind gamers.comsee a comprehensive list of computer games and their respective ratings by users.

Blind sports AustraliaFind out what sports are available in your area and how to get involved.

On Zest you will find navigating by heading your best friend. Simply press the letter H on your keyboard and each time you do so you will be moved down the page to the next main area.
You will also find pressing the letter E on your keyboard will transport you through the text boxes that allow you to create forums, enter replies or other content.
If there is anything else you find hard while navigating or using the site please let us know by emailing us at