NDIS Categories Explained For Easy Access To Hear For You Programs

We get a lot of questions from parents looking to enrol their child into our Hear For You programs about how the NDIS works. It can be hard to navigate the NDIA requirements and we’re here to help you solve the puzzle.

Let’s start with the difference between NDIS and the NDIA.

Simply put, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) provides support for Australians with disability, their families and carers.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) is the independent Commonwealth Government agency responsible for implementing the NDIS.

Hear For You is a fully NDIS accredited provider, which means that if your teenager is eligible for NDIS funding, then you may be able to use it to access our programs.

What Do Hear For You Workshops Cover?

Hear For You is a community created to support and mentor deaf teens who are living in a hearing world. All of our mentors are successful adults who are deaf or hard of hearing themselves.

Our workshops are focused on:

• Setting teens up for the future
• Inspiring teens to think about what they really want out of life
• Opening teens’ eyes to what’s possible.

Workshop participants tell us they enjoy:

• having mentors who understand the challenges they face
• hanging out with other participants who ‘get it’.

Our Life Skills & Goals development workshops can play a large role in helping teens achieve their goals.

Here are some of the life skills and goals we cover:

• The best way to communicate in a hearing world
• Confidence, and how to build more of it
• Challenges that come with studying (and school in general)
• Tuning into your mental health
• Dealing with stigma, ignorance and bullying
• Career options and making plans post-school
• Relationships with family and friends
• Dealing with devices and technology.

As well as life skills and goals, we also offer programs covering:

• Rock My World – short workshops to get teens together and have fun
• Filmmaking and Editing workshops (leading to a national film festival with deaf teens from all around Australia)
• Primary2Secondary – transitioning programs for teens heading into high school
• Community Outreach

Check our full program overview to see the programs we offer.

Where Are the Workshops Held?

We have workshops in:

• Sydney
• Melbourne
• Brisbane
• Canberra
• Townsville
• Cairns
• Toowoomba
• Wollongong

Including other regional areas. We’re growing fast, so check to see if we’re in an area near you.

In March 2020 we also started offering mentoring programs online, via Zoom sessions. This enables teenagers from all over Australia to participate.

How does the NDIS funding cover the costs of Hear For You Programs?

There are two support categories that can assist you when applying for NDIS funding to cover Hear For You workshops:

• Support Category 9
• Support Category 15

Support Category 9: Increased Social & Community Participation

• Helps you participate in community activities that build your skills and independence.
• Funds all kinds of activities, such as study, life skills training or sports coaching.
• Can also fund the cost of a mentor to help you build your independence.
• Does not fund someone to support you participating in an activity. This is funded in the category ‘Assistance with Social & Community Participation’ (Category 4).

Support Category 15: Improved Daily Living

• Helps you develop basic skills you need to get more from your day-to-day life.
• Funds activities like physiotherapy and OT, speech therapy, early childhood intervention strategies and group therapy. 
• Some psychology and exercise physiology can also be funded from this category.
• Will also fund you for any assessments and reports you need during your plan or before a review of your plan to assess your developing needs.

How much does it cost to attend a Hear For You Program?

Tips for using your NDIS plan to attend Hear For You Programs

All of our programs are managed through EventBrite and have steps that guide you through the payment process. There are three ways you can pay for our programs and workshops.

Option 1: Upfront Payment

You can pay for the activity yourself, upfront.

Option 2: NDIS Funding (Agency Managed, Plan Managed or Self-Managed)

If you have NDIS funding, you may be able to pay for the program or workshop through your plan. To do this, you’ll need to buy an NDIS Participant ticket to the program or workshop of your choice via Eventbrite and fill in the required information we need regarding your NDIS Plan. e.g. your NDIS number and whether you’re NDIA Agency managed, Plan Managed, or Self-Managed.  

If you are NDIA agency managed, you should also know:

• This is when your NDIS is directly managed by the National Disability Insurance Agency.
• You need to let let Hear For You know you are NDIA managed, then Hear For You will process your registration via its NDIA provider portal  to use funds to attend a program/workshop. 
• This process is wholly managed by Hear For You and the NDIA.   If you need to find out how your plan is progressing or would like more information, please connect through your NDIS participant portal.

If you are plan managed (Third Party Provider), you should also know:

• This is where your NDIS plan is managed by an external Third Party Provider – a Plan Manager, NOT the NDIA or yourself. 
• When you receive a Hear For You Service Agreement, it is advised you consult and check with your Plan Manager  the correct cluster and the balance of funds in your NDIS plan to cover the costs of the workshop. Once confirmed, please sign and return your service agreement to us.  
• Hear For You can either directly email the invoice to your Plan Manager, or, send you the invoice to forward on to your Plan Manager for payment processing. 

If you are self-managed, you should also know:

• This is when your NDIS plan is only managed by you/your family. 
• The Service Agreement is for agreement with you, as you are responsible for the checking of funds available and in the specific categories. If you are unsure, you can check your plan in your Participant NDIS Portal. 
• Hear For You will email you, in your name, the invoice for the program/workshop, which you will be required to pay by organizing payment from the allocated funds in your NDIS plan. 

Option 3: Sponsored Placement via fundraising

If you are going through financial hardship you can apply to be part of our Community Fundraising Program, where we will fundraise through your local community clubs (RSLs, Rotary, Lions, Apex, etc) to cover your sponsored place.  To find out more about this option, please email us.

NDIS – Frequently Asked Questions

We answer the most commonly asked questions here.

If you have any further questions, contact our team.

Note: Even if your teen is not registered on or eligible for the NDIS, they are still welcome to take part in our workshops. Please speak to us about possible sponsored places funded by generous charity partners.