How we’re breaking down language barriers for NDIS participants

There are lots of barriers to inclusion for people with disability, let alone when there are language barriers.

And in a multicultural society such as Australia, it’s important to connect with different cultures in a way that resonates with them.

Here at
Feros Care, we’ve been working with organisations Purple Orange and CAaSSA (Community Access and Services South Australia) to present workshops to different communities such as the Bhutanese, Italians, Vietnamese and Arabic.

Purple Orange is a social profit organisation on a mission to create a world where people who live with disability get a fair go at what life has to offer.

CAaSSA is a not-for-profit organisation helping hundreds of culturally and linguistically diverse people in the northern and western regions of Adelaide. They are the service arm of the Vietnamese Community in Australia/SA. 

The workshops are based in South Australia and cover various aspects
of the NDIS, including:

• Access and eligibility to the scheme
• Plan types, NDIS reviews and support
• Life skills, such as booking appointments with allied health professionals

Tash Youngman, a Community Development Coordinator in South Australia, says that
the workshops aim to build capacity for individuals and increase their confidence, especially when it comes to seeking employment.

“We’re very flexible to the needs of the community – we don’t go out and talk at people,” Tash says.
“We look at where the gap is, and how we can assist.”

Workshops are highly specialised to include cultural elements, such as music and dancing, to engage participants between presentations. Interpreters are in attendance, along with our Local
Area Coordinators. 

Both Purple Orange and CAaSSA ran the catering, invited attendees and hosted the workshops at a central venue for local residents. They had received an ILC grant for this to occur. 

“We always get questions prior to the event so we know we can cover the things people are looking to understand. We add that value and
it’s exactly what the participants need,” Tash says. “We always get feedback from participants afterwards, they all say, thank you so much, this is brilliant.”

For example, through the Bhutanese workshops, Tash and the team have
identified that there can be a stigma within the culture about disability.

“We’re realised that we need to get a lot of access to NDIS resources for them,” Tash adds. “They have very little knowledge of the NDIS and very little
confidence.”

As a result, Tash is even looking to partner with one of the workshop participants, Krishna Basnet, to co-design the resources in his language.

“My concern is to give focus on people with disability and their carer,” Krishna
says. “How they can be empowered with self-help, control and more.”