NDIS ACCESS: With Melissa Antoun – Bridging the Gap: NDIS Access for Multicultural Communities

Описание: Accessing and navigating the NDIS is challenging for anyone, but for people whose first language isn't English, it's even more daunting. A 28 page application is just the start. Applicants also need multiple specialist assessments and reports to prove eligibility. If you make it that far then there is the challenge of how to access supports and services.

In this episode of Community Matters, Nicky speaks with Melissa Antoun, Disability Services Manager at Illawarra Multicultural Services (IMS), about the barriers facing people with disability from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, and why this results in lower NDIS uptake.

"People from CALD communities are significantly underrepresented in accessing the NDIS," Melissa explains. This underrepresentation is identified in the NDIS’s own CALD Strategy which found “while 30% of all Australians identify as being from a CALD background, only 10% of participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) identify as CALD.” To address this gap, the NDIS is funding programs like the IMS BRIDGE program. BRIDGE: Building Responsive Inclusive Diverse Group Engagement, uses peer support and capacity building to help people with disability "increase their knowledge and skills, understand their rights, and access more services."

Melissa and her team have created an inclusive, safe, and culturally appropriate hub where community members can access support through workshops and one-on-one sessions. All BRIDGE workers are themselves from multicultural and CALD backgrounds, bringing deep understanding and empathy to their work.

"You need someone to support you, to be with you," Melissa says, addressing the language and cultural barriers participants face. "There's a lack of trust, many people don't feel safe accessing services due to past negative experiences."

Beyond navigation support, BRIDGE helps participants use their plans effectively to achieve life-changing outcomes. This has led to better fund utilisation, progress toward developmental goals, and protection from fraudulent providers who have previously exploited vulnerable participants.
The impacts extend beyond individual participants. BRIDGE is building trust across the community and fostering collaboration with other services, demonstrating how culturally appropriate, in-language support can transform lives.

Links and Resources:
IMS BRIDGE Program: BRIDGE – https://ims.org.au/our-programs/peer-...
NDIS Cultural and Linguistic Diversity Strategy: https://www.ndis.gov.au/strategies/cu...