Building With Strength

24/11/2025

🎄 TOMORROW! Christmas-Themed Alliance Meeting + FREE Lunch! 🎄

Don’t forget — our final Illawarra Support Coordination Alliance meeting for the year is happening tomorrow, and we’re going all-in on Christmas cheer!

A huge thank-you to Real Life Community Group, who are kindly sponsoring a free Christmas lunch along with some festive treats for everyone attending.

Here’s your reminder to come along, join the celebration, and connect with fellow Support Coordinators.

🗓 Tomorrow – Wednesday 26 November
⏰ 1:00pm – 2:00pm
📍 9 Old Springhill Rd, Coniston

Featuring guest speakers:
✨ Kylie Jones – Rock n Rollers
✨ Emma Kendall – Prescribe Exercise

We’d absolutely love to see you there — let’s wrap up the year with good food, good conversations, and a strong sense of community.

24/11/2025

Service Agreements Demystified
Every NDIS participant has the right to clear, fair, and transparent service agreements — but understanding them can sometimes feel like reading another language.

At Building With Strength, we help participants and providers break down what a service agreement really means, so everyone knows exactly what to expect.

Here’s what to look for before you sign:
📋 1. What’s included – Check the specific services, hours, and costs.
🕒 2. Cancellation terms – Understand the notice period and fees.
💬 3. Communication – Make sure you know how to contact the provider if something changes.
⚖️ 4. Flexibility – Agreements should adapt as your needs evolve.
🖊️ 5. Consent and choice – You have the right to negotiate or decline parts that don’t suit your goals.

A good service agreement is built on clarity, consent, and collaboration — not confusion.

Because when everyone understands their role, supports work better, relationships are stronger, and outcomes improve.

23/11/2025

19/11/2025

Why Every Provider Needs a Mentor or Peer Group
The NDIS landscape changes fast — and no one should navigate it alone.

Having a mentor or a strong peer network isn’t just about support; it’s about growth.
At Building With Strength, we’ve seen firsthand how collaboration lifts providers from surviving to thriving.

Here’s why mentorship matters:
🤝 Shared wisdom – Learn from those who’ve faced the same challenges (and found the shortcuts).
💬 Accountability and reflection – Honest conversations help you see your blind spots.
🧭 Clarity and direction – Mentors help you focus on the bigger picture when things get complex.
🌱 Confidence through connection – Knowing others have your back builds resilience.

Start small: join a local provider network, attend an NDIS Community of Practice, or simply reach out to someone whose work you admire.

Together, we can grow stronger, learn faster, and build a more ethical, connected NDIS sector.

18/11/2025

🎅 ONE WEEK TO GO!
Our next Illawarra Support Coordination Alliance meeting is just around the corner — and it’s going to be a festive Christmas-themed gathering!

Thanks to Real Life Community Group, everyone who attends will be treated to a complimentary Christmas lunch and some sweet holiday goodies. Perfect fuel for a cosy, collaborative mid-week catch-up.

Join us as we welcome our guest speakers:
⭐ Kylie Jones – Rock n Rollers
⭐ Emma Kendall – Prescribe Exercise

🗓 Wednesday 26 November
⏰ 1:00pm – 2:00pm
📍 9 Old Springhill Rd, Coniston

Come along, learn something new, connect with your peers, and enjoy a festive bite together.
Bring your Christmas spirit — we can’t wait to see everyone!

17/11/2025

What to Expect in Your First NDIS Plan
Getting your first NDIS plan can feel exciting — and a bit overwhelming.

At Building With Strength, we help first-time participants understand what comes next after their Access Request is approved. Knowing what to expect helps you make confident, informed choices from day one.

Here’s a quick guide:

📄 1. Meet your planner or LAC
They’ll talk about your goals, your current supports, and what you’d like to achieve.

🧭 2. Your plan is created
The NDIS will assess your needs and funding. You’ll receive your plan — either by email, post, or through the NDIS app.

🤝 3. Start connecting with supports
You can use your plan to access providers and services that help you reach your goals.

💬 4. Review and reflect
Plans usually last 12–24 months. You’ll have regular opportunities to check what’s working and what needs adjusting.

Your first plan is just the start — it’s a foundation to build from.
And with the right support, you can turn it into a roadmap for growth and independence.

16/11/2025

🌉 The gap between dreams and reality is action.

💭 So many people know what they want from the NDIS,
but get stuck in the ‘how’.

🛠️ At Building With Strength, we break down goals into manageable steps —
because ✨ small action is what brings dreams to life.

14/11/2025

🎄 CHRISTMAS-THEMED SUPPORT COORDINATION ALLIANCE MEETING! 🎄
We’re getting into the festive spirit early this year!

The Illawarra Support Coordination Alliance is meeting on Wednesday 26th November, and thanks to our friends at Real Life Community Group, attendees will enjoy a free Christmas lunch with some delicious festive treats.

This is the perfect chance to connect, collaborate, share ideas, and celebrate the end of a huge year together.

🗓 Wednesday 26 November 2025
⏰ 1:00pm – 2:00pm
📍 9 Old Springhill Rd, Coniston

With special guest speakers:
✨ Kylie Jones – Rock n Rollers
✨ Emma Kendall – Prescribe Exercise

If you’ve been meaning to come along, this is the meeting to attend!
Let’s kick off the Christmas season with great food, great company, and a great community.

12/11/2025

Creating a Culture of Continuous Improvement

We help providers see training and feedback as a growth tool, not just a requirement.

The best NDIS providers don’t aim to “tick boxes” — they aim to evolve.
Continuous improvement isn’t about finding faults; it’s about finding opportunities.

At Building With Strength, we encourage teams to treat reflection, feedback, and training as the foundation for excellence — not the paperwork that follows it.

Here’s how to build that culture:
📈 Normalise feedback – Make it part of everyday practice, not just annual reviews.
🧠 Invest in learning – Ongoing training keeps skills sharp and people confident.
💬 Ask, don’t assume – Invite participants and workers to share what’s working (and what’s not).
🤝 Celebrate progress – Recognise the small wins that lead to better outcomes.

Growth happens when curiosity replaces compliance.
Let’s build a sector where improvement is something we strive for, not something we have to do.

10/11/2025

Help shape the future of manufacturing.

TAFE NSW Manufacturing Centres of Excellence is running a short community survey to understand how people view manufacturing and how we can make careers and training more inclusive and accessible. No industry knowledge is needed, and we especially welcome insights from women, young people, Aboriginal people, people with disability, and multicultural communities. Have your say and help us build a stronger, fairer future for manufacturing.

Complete the survey → https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/tafensw-mcoe

10/11/2025

Rights and Responsibilities Under the NDIS
Understanding your rights is essential — but so is understanding your responsibilities.

At Building With Strength, we believe education is empowerment.
When participants know both their rights and their responsibilities, they can make informed choices, strengthen their independence, and build better partnerships with their providers.

Here’s what that looks like in plain language:

✅ Your Rights
• You have the right to be treated with respect.
• You have the right to choose your supports and how they’re delivered.
• You have the right to feel safe and have your voice heard.

🤝 Your Responsibilities
• Be honest and clear about your goals and needs.
• Treat your workers and providers respectfully.
• Use your NDIS funding as it was intended, to help you reach your goals.

Knowledge isn’t just power — it’s confidence, control, and choice.

09/11/2025

💪 Perseverance turns potential into progress.

✨ It’s not just about what’s possible — it’s about what’s pursued.

🌱 We work with people who have the vision, 💡 the ideas, and the 🚀 drive — but need a partner to help turn it into real, tangible steps.

🤝 That’s where Building With Strength comes in.