National Community Connector Program

The National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA)and the Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils (FECCA) will each select and fund experienced organisations to provide these outreach services. NEDA will require up to 40 FTE “Community Connector” staff that will operate across 18 identified priority Local Government Areas (LGAs) in New South Wales, Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory. FECCA will require up to 42.5 FTE “Community Connector” staff that will operate across 27 identified priority Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and the Northern Territory.

Community Connectors will receive training and resources on navigating the NDIS and provide education and access support to people in their region who would benefit from but otherwise have difficulty participating in the NDIS. Funded organisations will ensure Community Connector services are delivered in accordance with NDIA quality and safety requirements and provide performance reports to NEDA or FECCA.

Project Objectives

Support CALD people with disabilities living in the specified LGAs to engage with the National Disability Insurance Scheme

1. Increase community members understanding and awareness of the NDIS
2. Soundly monitor and evaluate the program
3. Engage with community members and program participants in a respectful and satisfactory way.

Role of Community Connectors
1. Implement engagement activities, including:

• providing Assertive Outreach to CALD communities in a culturally sensitive manner, including breaking down barriers to accessing the NDIS and developing trust and rapport;
• providing education and awareness about disability to CALD communities in a culturally sensitive manner;
• linking potential Participants to their PITC and/or the NDIS including through the use of online platforms and resources; and
• supporting potential Participants and their representatives to attend appointments to get functional assessments and other evidence (e.g. Psychiatrist reports).

2. Implement connection activities, including:

• linking potential Participants to their PITC or NDIS to help complete Access Request Forms (ARF), Verbal Access Request (VAR) and psychosocial disability evidence forms and supporting these potential Participants in obtaining updates with respect to submitted forms from the relevant PITC and/or NDIS;
• linking CALD people who are not eligible for NDIS to community mainstream supports and/or refer them to their PITC to support linkages to the community and mainstream supports;
• supporting Participant handover to PITC and/or NDIS by:

a. assisting Participants or potential Participants build a positive relationship with local PITC and/or the NDIS;
b. supporting local PITC and/or the NDIS to understand the needs and circumstances of Participants or potential Participants; and
c. working together with PITC and/or the NDIS to develop trust and rapport with the Participants or potential Participants.

• supporting CALD Participants and their representatives to link positively with PITC and/or the NDIS.

3. Implement collaboration activities, including:

working collaboratively with already existing NDIA community engagement activities, including but not limited to:
• community and mainstream engagement activities;
• ILC grant recipients;
• Health Liaison Officers;
• Justice Liaison Officers;
• remote Community Connectors; and
• Partners in the Community;

ii. supporting CALD Participants and their representatives to understand the processes required to set goals, to understand their Plans, ensure the Plan is culturally appropriate and link positively with PITC and/or NDIS and/or a culturally capable Support Coordinator;
iii. supporting CALD Participants and their representatives during planning and review meetings (if required) by providing non-biased, cultural support;
iv. supporting CALD Participants and their representatives to connect with NDIS Complaints and/or NDIS Participant Critical Incident processes (if required); and
v. assisting CALD Participants and their representatives with submitting a request for a Plan review (if they don’t have a Support Coordinator).

4. Provide advice to the NDIA staff and PITC regarding:

• access to language services and culturally appropriate services;
• shared knowledge on barriers to accessing the NDIS for CALD Participants as well as barriers to implementing and utilising the Plans of CALD Participants; and
• shared cultural knowledge and strategies to overcome barriers.

Key Deliverables

1. Engagement of Community Connector staff in agreed location(s)
2. Monthly reports on engagement of Community Connector staff
3. Quarterly reports on Community Connector Services provided for CALD people with disabilities

Download the (draft) Multicultural Community Connector Model