NDIS CALD Strategy update – Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District

The development of the new NDIS CALD Strategy for 2023-27 is nearing completion. The Strategy aims to improve outcomes for people with disability from CALD backgrounds to access the NDIS.

It has been developed through a co-design process with people with disability from CALD backgrounds, their families, carers and the multicultural community sector, including Shepparton.

Once the new Strategy receives formal endorsement from external stakeholders in August, it will go through a translation and design process and be publicly released in November-December.

NDIS Engaging CALD communities in the Develop phase

In November and December 2022, the NDIS CALD strategy research hosted 6 focus groups over 3 sessions with CALD people with disability, their family and carers. In these sessions we explored, built and tested potential solutions to the issues and priorities we learned in the Discover phase.

In February 2023 we conducted national engagement consultations with the CALD disability community, including deep-dive conversations with CALD community groups.

On 7, 8 and 9 February we also hosted information sessions for anyone interested in hearing about the development of the CALD Strategy.

In the session, we shared what we heard and learned about the issues impacting CALD people with disability. We also shared the solutions we proposed.

We recognise that in the past people from CALD communities may have found it difficult to engage with us. These engagement opportunities invited CALD people with disability to share their experiences, so we can understand how to improve the NDIS.

Summary of Discover Phase

The NDIA has released the Discover Report which details what we heard and learned from the experiences of NDIS participants from cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

As part of the Discover phase to co-design a new CALD Strategy, we held focus groups and meetings with participants, families and carers, as well as disability and CALD community representatives in 2021.

These sessions encouraged participants to share their experiences so that we can understand the challenges facing CALD individuals when accessing and using the NDIS.

Five key themes emerged from our consultations:

Infrastructure – Cultural and linguistic considerations should be consistently embedded into NDIA policies and procedures as well as our partner systems.
Staff capability – NDIA staff and partners should have the understanding and capability to provide a culturally safe and responsive service to participants and their families.
Accessible communications – Disability concepts and NDIS communications should appropriately reflect cultural contexts to meet CALD participants’ communication and language needs.
Markets – Improved availability and provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate NDIS services is needed in the marketplace.
Data – Improved availability and currency of data is required to support the understanding of CALD participants and their needs to improve services.

These discussions provided the foundation for us to develop agreed goals for a new Strategy. They also support the development of action plans that reflect the contemporary needs of people with disability from CALD backgrounds.

In the next phase of co-designing the Strategy, we will advance these themes into solutions that we will explore, build and test with CALD participants, families and carers, and the sector.

We are committed to addressing challenges and improving the experience and outcomes of participants with disability from CALD backgrounds.

Download the Discover Phase Report

Discover Phase report in other languages

Co-designing a new Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Strategy

The NDIS is co-designing a new Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (CALD) Strategy in 2022.

The CALD Strategy will be a three phased approach which will be released in mid 2023.

Discover phase: we have completed this stage. This is when we sought to understand the challenges facing CALD individuals when accessing and using the NDIS. These learnings will help us identify the focus of future co-design activities in consultation with CALD participants and stakeholders.
Develop phase: we will host co-design focus groups with CALD participants and stakeholders to explore, test and build areas of the CALD Strategy and possible actions. The groups will focus on what we have heard in the Discover phase and generate solutions to previously agreed goals.
Deliver and Evaluate phase: we will share a draft copy of the CALD Strategy 2023-2027 with External Advisory Group members and the Cohort Strategies Sub-Working Group for final feedback. We will use this feedback to refine the CALD Strategy and action plan before official launch in early 2023.

For more information on the CALD Strategy including ways to contribute, please email caldstrategy@ndis.gov.au

NDIS

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	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District acknowledges the Yorta Yorta People of the land which comprises the Goulburn Valley. We pay respect to tribal Elders, past, present and emerging and we celebrate their continuing culture and acknowledge the memory of their ancestors.
	The Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District is a peak body whose mission is to promote and represent the social, cultural and economic well-being of ethnic communities in the Goulburn Valley Region through the provision of quality and innovative settlement, refugee support, community development, and information and advocacy services.