Building With Strength

Building With Strength Michelle Garland
NDIS Support Navigator and Consultant
South Coast NSW.
(1)

Getting the most out of your therapy reports isn’t just about having them… it’s about using them well 📄✨In the NDIS, rep...
18/05/2026

Getting the most out of your therapy reports isn’t just about having them… it’s about using them well 📄✨

In the NDIS, reports are one of the strongest pieces of evidence you have — especially at plan review time.

But not all reports are equal 👇

✨ To make your reports work for you:
• Make sure they clearly link to your NDIS goals 🎯
• Ensure recommendations are specific, not vague (hours, frequency, type of support) 📊
• Show functional impact — how your disability affects day-to-day life 🧠
• Include evidence of change (progress, regression, or new needs) 🔄
• Use multiple reports that align and support each other 🤝

💡 A strong report doesn’t just describe… it justifies.

It should clearly answer:
👉 What support is needed?
👉 Why is it needed?
👉 What happens if it’s not funded?

When used strategically, therapy reports can:
• Strengthen your case at plan reviews 📈
• Support funding increases 💰
• Reduce the risk of supports being declined 🚫

At Building With Strength, we help participants and providers make sure reports are not just written—but positioned in a way the NDIA understands 💙

Because the right evidence can make all the difference.

💙 Monday Motivation: You’re Allowed to Want MoreMore growth.More balance.More fulfilment.Wanting more doesn’t mean you’r...
17/05/2026

💙 Monday Motivation: You’re Allowed to Want More

More growth.
More balance.
More fulfilment.

Wanting more doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful.
It means you’re listening to yourself.

Growth is allowed to evolve.
Needs are allowed to change.
And it’s okay to outgrow what once fit.

You don’t have to justify wanting more.
You just have to honour it.

This week, give yourself permission to want the life that feels right for you.

THIS 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌
15/05/2026

THIS 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

Imposter syndrome in the NDIS space… let’s talk about it 💭More people experience it than you might think — especially pr...
13/05/2026

Imposter syndrome in the NDIS space… let’s talk about it 💭

More people experience it than you might think — especially providers with a visible disability.

There’s this unspoken pressure:
👉 “Will people take me seriously?”
👉 “Do I know enough?”
👉 “Am I doing this right?”

And when you also have lived experience, that doubt can feel even louder.

But here’s the truth 👇
Your lived experience is not a weakness — it’s your strength 💙

It gives you insight, understanding, and perspective that can’t be taught.

✨ What we see all the time:
• Highly capable providers questioning themselves 🤔
• People downplaying their knowledge and skills 📉
• Professionals feeling like they have to “prove” themselves more than others 😔

Imposter syndrome doesn’t mean you’re not capable.
It usually means you care deeply about what you do 💡

At Building With Strength, we see the value in lived experience every single day — and so do the participants and families we support 🙌

You don’t have to fit a “perfect provider” mould to make a real impact.

You already are 💙

NDIS Short Term Respite (STR) – What it is and isn’tOne of the biggest areas of confusion in the NDIS is Short Term Resp...
12/05/2026

NDIS Short Term Respite (STR) – What it is and isn’t

One of the biggest areas of confusion in the NDIS is Short Term Respite—many people think it’s a holiday, but it’s actually about supporting both participants and their informal supports.

Short Term Respite (STR) is:
• time away from your primary informal supports (family/friends)
• designed to give carers a break while maintaining your usual supports
• typically funded for up to 28 days per year (max 14 days at a time)
• focused on continuing daily support needs in a different setting

STR can include:
• accommodation (basic, accessible, no luxury extras)
• personal care and daily living support
• support to participate in social or community activities

But STR is not:

* a holiday or travel funding
* for cruises, flights, or overseas trips
* payment for activities, meals, or entertainment
* accommodation for family members
* general living costs (food, rent, bills)

STR is funded because it:
• supports sustainable caring arrangements
• helps you maintain independence and routine
• provides opportunities to build skills and social connections
• meets reasonable and necessary criteria

It’s important to know STR is not the first option—the NDIS will often look at other supports (like in-home supports or community access) before approving it. 

💡 Big takeaway:
STR isn’t about getting away—it’s about maintaining supports while giving everyone a break.

How we help
At Building With Strength, we help participants:
• understand when STR is appropriate (and when it’s not)
• prepare the right evidence to support requests
• use STR funding effectively without running out early
• explore alternative supports if STR isn’t approved
• build sustainable support arrangements around families

Understanding how STR actually works can prevent confusion—and help you get the right supports in place.

• Learn more at www.buildingwithstrength.com.au

Want to work but not sure how the NDIS can support you? 💼✨Employment goals can absolutely be part of your NDIS plan — it...
11/05/2026

Want to work but not sure how the NDIS can support you? 💼✨

Employment goals can absolutely be part of your NDIS plan — it’s about knowing what to ask for and how to use your funding 👇

✨ Here’s how the NDIS can support employment:

• Job coaching 🤝
Support to build skills, confidence, and get job-ready (resumes, interviews, routines)

• Capacity Building supports 🧠
Funding to develop independence, communication, and work-related skills

• School Leaver Employment Supports (SLES) 🎓
For younger participants transitioning from school into work

• Workplace supports 🏢
On-the-job assistance, support workers, or adjustments to help you succeed

• Training & skill development 📚
Courses or programs that build your ability to gain and maintain employment

💡 The key?
Your goals and reports need to clearly link employment to your disability support needs.

At Building With Strength, we help participants understand what’s possible and how to structure their plans to actually reach their employment goals 💙

Because work isn’t just about income — it’s about independence, confidence, and opportunity 🌱

💙 Monday Motivation: You’re Allowed to Take the Long WayThere’s no deadline on becoming who you’re meant to be.Life isn’...
10/05/2026

💙 Monday Motivation: You’re Allowed to Take the Long Way

There’s no deadline on becoming who you’re meant to be.

Life isn’t a race, and growth isn’t linear.
Some journeys take detours, pauses, and unexpected turns — and that doesn’t make them wrong.

Taking the long way allows space to learn, recover, reflect, and evolve.
It’s not falling behind — it’s moving at a pace that honours who you are.

This week, give yourself permission to take the path that fits you.

09/05/2026

Sometimes the strength of a community really shines through in difficult times 💙

I’m reaching out to my wonderful network to see if anyone has, or knows of someone who may have, a roller walker or a forearm gutter walker that is no longer needed.

One of my absolutely awesome support workers was involved in a very serious motorcycle versus car accident in Oak Flats on 21st April, and we are trying to help make things just a little bit easier during recovery.

If anyone has equipment sitting unused, or can point us in the right direction, it would be so appreciated. Please feel free to message me privately.

Thank you for always being such a caring and supportive community 💙

Collaboration over competition — every single time 🤝In the NDIS space, no one provider can do it all… and they shouldn’t...
06/05/2026

Collaboration over competition — every single time 🤝

In the NDIS space, no one provider can do it all… and they shouldn’t have to.

The best outcomes happen when we work together 💙

✨ What collaboration actually looks like:
• Open communication between providers 📞
• Respecting each other’s roles and expertise 👥
• Sharing knowledge (not gatekeeping it) 📚
• Putting the participant at the centre of every decision 🎯
• Supporting—not competing with—each other 🙌

When providers compete, participants feel it.
When providers collaborate, participants benefit 🌱

At Building With Strength, we work alongside providers, not against them—because strong teams create strong outcomes.

There’s enough work in this space for everyone… but more importantly, there are people relying on us to get it right 💭

NDIS Housing – What is SDA (and what it isn’t)One of the biggest misconceptions in the NDIS is that housing automaticall...
05/05/2026

NDIS Housing – What is SDA (and what it isn’t)

One of the biggest misconceptions in the NDIS is that housing automatically means SDA—but it’s only one small part of the bigger home and living picture.

The NDIS includes a range of home and living supports, such as:
• Supported Independent Living (SIL)
• Individualised Living Options (ILO)
• Home modifications
• Assistive technology
• In-home supports

SDA (Specialist Disability Accommodation) is:
• specialised housing for people with very high support needs
• designed to improve accessibility, safety, and independence
• focused on the physical home, not the supports delivered inside it
• one of the highest threshold supports in the NDIS

But SDA is not:

* for most participants
* a replacement for supports like SIL or personal care
* standard housing or rent support
* automatically approved without strong evidence

Eligibility requires:
• evidence of extreme functional impairment or very high support needs
• clear reports (often allied health)
• proof that SDA is better value and more effective than other options

Most participants will be better suited to other housing and support models, even if SDA initially sounds like the right fit. 

💡 Big takeaway:
SDA isn’t the starting point—it’s about finding the right combination of housing and supports that meet your needs and goals.

How we help
At Building With Strength, we help participants:
• understand all home and living options (not just SDA)
• explore what actually fits their needs and goals
• prepare the right evidence for housing supports
• avoid chasing options that are unlikely to be approved
• bring all supports together into a clear, workable plan

The best housing outcomes don’t come from one support—they come from the right strategy.

• Learn more at www.buildingwithstrength.com.au

Preparing for your NDIS planning meeting doesn’t have to be overwhelming — a little preparation makes a big difference 💡...
04/05/2026

Preparing for your NDIS planning meeting doesn’t have to be overwhelming — a little preparation makes a big difference 💡

Here’s a quick guide 👇

🗓️ 2–4 weeks before:
• Review your current plan 📄
• Gather reports 📑

🗓️ 1–2 weeks before:
• Set clear goals 🎯
• Identify what’s not working 🔄

🗓️ A few days before:
• Write notes + questions 📝❓
• Make sure your evidence supports your requests 📊

🗓️ On the day:
• Be clear and honest 💬
• Don’t downplay your needs 🚫

Good plans come from good preparation 🙌

Address

Kiama Downs, NSW
2533

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm
Sunday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

+61414837752

Website

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