NDIS Community Access can help you get out, take part in community life and build skills for greater independence. IDS provides community access support across Melbourne for everyday outings, appointments, education, recreation, transport confidence and practical skill development.
NDIS funding may pay for the disability-related support you need to participate. It does not generally pay ordinary costs you would usually pay yourself, such as groceries, meals, event tickets, club fees or standard memberships. The important distinction is between the support you need because of your disability and the ordinary cost of the activity.
The part of your NDIS plan used for community access depends on the purpose of the support. Core Supports may help pay for a support worker to assist with social and community participation. Capacity Building may apply when the focus is developing skills, confidence or independence. Your individual plan determines which funding is available to you.
IDS is a registered NDIS provider, provider number 4050000327, and has supported Melburnians with disability since 1986. We use small, dedicated support teams and match workers around each person’s needs, preferences and location.
Looking for NDIS community access support in Melbourne? Make a referral or call IDS on 03 9340 5100.
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The IDS Difference
You will be supported by staff who have the qualifications and experience to meet your needs and goals, and the personal profile to meet your individual preferences.
The IDS Difference
You will be supported by staff who have the qualifications and experience to meet your needs and goals, and the personal profile to meet your individual preferences.
What Does NDIS Community Access Cover?
A useful way to understand NDIS community access is to separate the disability-related help you need from the ordinary cost of the activity.
Support That May Be NDIS Funded
Depending on your plan, NDIS funding may cover support that helps you:
- attend social and community activities
- go grocery shopping or complete everyday errands
- attend appointments or access education
- participate in recreational activities
- learn to use public transport
- build social, communication or daily living skills
- become more confident and independent in the community.
For example, NDIS funding may pay for a support worker who helps you attend an art class, community group or sporting activity. The ordinary class fee, membership or entry cost would generally remain your personal expense.
Costs You Usually Pay Yourself
NDIS funding does not generally cover ordinary expenses such as:
- groceries and personal shopping
- meals and drinks
- cinema, concert or attraction tickets
- standard gym or sporting memberships
- social club fees
- ordinary recreation and activity costs.
Your individual NDIS plan still matters. If you are unsure whether a particular support can be funded, check your current plan or discuss it with your NDIS contact, Plan Manager or Support Coordinator.
Community Access Services From IDS
Community access should reflect your interests, goals and support needs. IDS can provide practical assistance with everyday activities as well as support that helps you build confidence and participate more independently.
Everyday Outings and Appointments
IDS can assist with:
- grocery shopping and everyday errands
- transport to appointments
- accessing education
- attending activities in your local community
- navigating unfamiliar places
- completing practical tasks outside your home.
Community access does not have to involve a special event. Shopping, attending an appointment or learning to navigate your local area can all be important steps towards greater independence.
Social and Community Activities
IDS can support you to take part in activities that are meaningful to you, including:
- community activities
- concerts and events
- parks and beaches
- local attractions
- recreation and hobbies
- activities where you can meet people and develop social connections.
The activity is your choice. The role of community access support is to provide the disability-related assistance you need to take part.
Building Skills and Confidence
Community access can also focus on skill development rather than simply accompanying you somewhere.
IDS can assist with:
- building confidence using public transport
- understanding timetables and connections
- handling money while you are out
- developing communication and social skills
- building practical life skills
- becoming more confident completing parts of an outing independently.
Your support can change as your skills and confidence develop.
How IDS Community Access Support Works
Knowing what a provider can support is important. It is equally important to understand how that support will be organised.
A Small, Dedicated Team
IDS uses a small-team model designed to provide greater consistency.
Depending on your support arrangements, your team can include:
Disability Support Workers provide your day-to-day support.
Key Worker gathers feedback about your goals and helps new team members understand your support.
Service Coordinator assists with rostering, questions and expectations.
Client Services Team Leader works with the team to support consistency and service planning.
Workers are matched with consideration for their experience, your needs and preferences, personal profile and location.
This approach is designed to reduce reliance on a constantly changing group of workers and give you clear people to speak with about your support.
Planning Your Support
Each IDS client has an individual service agreement and support plan.
IDS also uses an emergency management plan and annual risk assessment, reviewed collaboratively. These documents help the team understand your needs, preferences, risks and the way you want your support delivered.
Disability Support Workers record shift notes through IDS's client-management system, helping maintain information across your support team.
Worker Screening and Requirements
Community access often takes place away from home, so worker suitability and safety are important considerations.
Current requirements for IDS support workers include:
- First Aid and CPR certificates
- an NDIS Worker Screening Check
- a Victorian driver's licence
- access to a reliable, comprehensively insured vehicle.
Community Access is a disability support service focused on participation, practical assistance and independence.
Where and When Does IDS Provide Community Access?
IDS delivers Community Access across Melbourne's inner and outer suburbs. Support takes place in the community rather than at an IDS centre or facility.
Day-to-day support is available from 24/7, 365 days a year. Evening, overnight and sleepover support can also be available by arrangement where it forms part of the person's agreed support.
Current worker availability and commencement arrangements should be confirmed when you make a referral.
How Transport and Travel Support Works
Transport can be one of the most confusing parts of community access because several different costs may be involved.
IDS Community Access can include help with:
- transport to appointments
- building confidence using public transport
- understanding routes, timetables and connections
- arranging taxi cards or vouchers.
It is useful to distinguish between four things:
Support Worker Time
This is the time a Disability Support Worker spends providing disability-related assistance, including support during travel where it forms part of the service.
Provider Vehicle and Travel Costs
Vehicle use, kilometres, parking, tolls or other travel costs may be treated separately from the worker's time.
Any applicable transport or vehicle charges should be confirmed and included in your service arrangements before support begins.
Your Own Transport Costs
Public transport, taxis, rideshare services and other fares may be separate from the cost of your support worker.
Some NDIS participants may also have separate transport funding in their plan. This is different from funding for a support worker who assists you while travelling or participating in the community.
Victoria's Multi Purpose Taxi Program
Victoria's Multi Purpose Taxi Program is a separate government transport subsidy for eligible people with accessibility and mobility needs.
IDS can assist with arranging taxi cards and vouchers where this forms part of your Community Access needs.
How Much Does IDS Community Access Cost?
IDS service rates can be found at NDIS Support Worker Rates.
Your individual service agreement sets out the supports being delivered and the charges that apply to your arrangement. IDS also provides monthly statements so you can see the services being delivered and charged.
Because transport arrangements can vary, ask about any applicable vehicle, travel, parking or toll costs before your Community Access service begins.
Rates and NDIS pricing arrangements can change, so the current IDS Pricing page should be used rather than relying on an old rate quoted elsewhere.
Which NDIS Budget Can Community Access Use?
IDS can discuss whether the Community Access services it provides fit your needs, plan and proposed service agreement.
Core Supports
The Assistance with Social and Community Participation category within Core Supports can help NDIS participants pay for disability-related assistance to get involved in their community and personal interests.
This may include a support worker helping you:
- attend an activity
- meet friends or family
- participate in recreation
- complete everyday community tasks
- become more independent while out in the community.
Core Supports have some flexibility, but funding still needs to be used for NDIS supports that are in line with your individual plan.
Capacity Building Supports
Increased Social and Community Participation is a Capacity Building category focused on developing skills, connections and independence.
It can include NDIS supports that help participants find and join activities, connect with people in their community or develop skills that make future participation easier.
Examples may include structured assistance to develop:
- public transport skills
- social and communication skills
- confidence in community settings
- money-handling skills
- other practical life skills connected to greater independence.
Not every NDIS participant has funding in every budget or category. Your current plan determines what funding you have available.
NDIS rules and budget structures can change, so check your current plan and current NDIS guidance before making funding decisions.
Do I Need to Be an NDIS Participant?
You need to be an NDIS participant with relevant funding in your plan if you want the NDIS to pay for your Community Access support.
However, IDS services are not restricted to NDIS participants. IDS is also a registered provider with TAC and WorkSafe, and fee-for-service support is not excluded. All IDS services attract a fee.
Why Social and Community Participation Matters
Community participation is not simply about attending more activities.
NDIA research with NDIS participants found that meaningful social and community participation can support a sense of belonging and connection, stronger relationships, larger social networks, reduced isolation and greater confidence.
The same research found that barriers can include inaccessible transport, low confidence, difficulty finding suitable workers and limited opportunities to connect with people who share similar interests.
This is why IDS Community Access can combine practical assistance with skill building and support around your individual interests rather than focusing only on group outings.
Preparing for a Funding Discussion
If you are seeking new or changed NDIS funding, clear evidence can help explain your disability-related support needs.
Depending on your situation, useful information may include:
- your NDIS goals
- examples of barriers that limit community participation
- relevant allied health reports or assessments
- information about the functional impact of your disability
- the outcomes you want the support to help you work towards
- information showing progress or ongoing support needs.
Clear outcome measures can help explain what the support is intended to achieve. They do not guarantee that the NDIA will approve funding.
For Support Coordinators and Carers
If you are helping someone arrange Community Access, IDS can work with the person and their support network while keeping the client's goals, preferences and choice at the centre of the service.
Before support starts, useful information to discuss can include:
- the person's Community Access goals
- the activities or appointments they want support with
- transport requirements
- communication and personal preferences
- risks or support considerations
- preferred days and times
- relevant NDIS, TAC or WorkSafe funding arrangements.
For NDIS Support Coordinators, IDS's Supporting Partners pathway provides a dedicated referral channel.
IDS uses individual service agreements, support plans, emergency management plans and annual risk assessments as part of its service arrangements. Support Coordinators can also discuss current capacity and proposed commencement arrangements directly with IDS.
How to Get Started With IDS
Make a Referral or Enquiry
You can refer yourself, have a family member make an enquiry or ask your Support Coordinator to refer you.
Use the IDS referral form, call 03 9340 5100 or email support@idsa.org.au.
Discuss Your Needs and Preferences
Talk with IDS about the activities you want to do, your goals, transport needs, preferred support arrangements and other information relevant to your Community Access service.
Agree on Your Support Arrangements
IDS will work through the individual service agreement, support plan and relevant safety documentation with you.
Worker matching can then take your needs, preferences, experience requirements and location into account.
Begin Your Community Access Support
Once your arrangements and support team are in place, Community Access support can begin.
Your Key Worker, Team Leader and Client Service Manager provide clear contacts if your needs, preferences or arrangements change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does NDIS Funding Pay for Social Clubs, Sport or Art Classes?
NDIS funding may pay for disability-related support that helps you find, join or participate in community groups, sport, outdoor recreation, arts activities or other interests when the support is appropriate to your plan.
That does not mean the NDIS automatically pays ordinary entry fees, class fees, club fees, sporting costs or memberships.
Can Community Access Include Shopping or Medical Appointments?
Yes. IDS lists shopping assistance and transport to appointments as part of its Community Access service.
The disability-related assistance may be funded where it is appropriate to the person's plan. Groceries, medical fees and other ordinary personal expenses remain separate.
Can My IDS Support Worker Drive Me?
Transport can form part of IDS Community Access arrangements. IDS Disability Support Workers are required to hold a Victorian driver's licence and have a reliable, comprehensively insured vehicle.
Exact transport arrangements and any related charges should be confirmed before the service begins.
Can Community Access Help Build Social Skills?
Community participation can provide opportunities to practise communication, develop social skills, build confidence and connect with other people.
Where structured skill development is required, the relevant funding will depend on the participant's NDIS plan and the purpose of the support.
What if I Want Different Support Arrangements?
Tell IDS about your preferences or concerns.
IDS uses a small-team structure with a Key Worker, Team Leader and Client Service Manager. Your team can discuss your current arrangements and what changes may better reflect your needs and preferences.
Talk to IDS About Community Access Support
IDS provides Community Access across Melbourne's inner and outer suburbs, alongside Personal Support and Domestic Support.
For participants and carers: make a referral or call 03 9340 5100 to discuss the Community Access support you want.
For Support Coordinators: use the IDS Supporting Partners referral pathway or call 03 9340 5100 to discuss the participant's needs and current service capacity.
Email: support@idsa.org.au
