Reference Group members connected with their communities to find out about issues that affect them.

Members shared reports about these issues with the NDIA.

Reference Group members talked about First Nations people with disability who passed away recently.

These people passed away after they were arrested by the police.

Members said the police use violence against First Nations people when they don’t need to.

Violence is when someone:

• hurts you
• scares you
• controls you.

Members also said that people in First Nations communities don’t trust the police.

Foundational supports are disability supports for all people with disability.

This includes people with disability who don’t take part in the NDIS.

Reference Group members said people are confused about how foundational supports will work.

Reference Group members said some First Nations participants are getting letters from the NDIA.

These letters tell participants that the NDIA wants to check if they can still get support from the NDIS.

Members feel that First Nations participants don’t get enough support to understand these letters.

This includes support from:

• local area coordinators – someone who helps you find and use supports and services

• plan managers – someone who can manage the money you get for your NDIS supports

• First Nations organisations.

Members are also worried that these organisations:

• don’t know how these letters affect First Nations participants

• don’t tell the NDIA what the community thinks about these letters.

Members said it can be hard for participants to collect information about why they need NDIS support.

For example, some participants have to wait 3 years to:

• see the right health service

• get the information they need.

This can also be harder for participants who live far away from cities and towns.

Members said this might mean some participants can’t get the support they need anymore.

Reference Group members said there aren’t enough First Nations people who work in health services.

Members also said that many providers are part of religious organisations.

For example, they might be part of a church.

Providers support people with disability by delivering a service.

First Nations participants can feel uncomfortable about using these providers.

Members also said there aren’t enough therapists in places far away from cities and towns.

Therapists use different types of support to help improve how:

• you think and feel
• your body moves.

This means participants might have to:

• travel a long way to get these supports

• use their NDIS supports to pay for travel.

The NDIA shared that 234 First Nations people work for them.

The NDIA’s goal is for 5% of their staff to be First Nations people.

This means they are nearly at their goal.

Reference Group members asked for support to hear from more people in the community.

They said it is hard to let people know about what the NDIS can do for them.