Grow Your Abilities

10/03/2026

Grounded Coordination & Support
Mindful Yoga Group Program for Teens & Young Adults
We are always excited to share programs that focus on building practical life skills in safe, supportive environments, especially for teens and young adults navigating emotional regulation and social connection.

Grounded Coordination & Support are offering a beautiful mindfulness based day program in the Tweed Heads / Coolangatta area designed specifically for young people.

🌱 What the Program Includes
This is not just a yoga class. It is a structured, skills based group that incorporates:

• Gentle yoga and movement
• Guided meditation
• Breathing techniques
• Emotional regulation strategies
• Mindful self compassion
• Communication skills
• Social skill development
• A supported shared lunch experience

The shared lunch is intentionally used as a practical space to practise communication, co regulation, and social confidence in a supported environment.

🧠 A Trauma Informed Approach
The program is facilitated by experienced practitioners with backgrounds in counselling, case management, and trauma informed wellbeing programs. The focus is on building transferable skills that support self regulation, connection, and confidence beyond the group setting.

📍 Program Details
• Tuesdays or Wednesdays
• 10am to 2pm
• Tweed Heads / Coolangatta
• Transport available if required
• Can be invoiced under Core or Capacity Building depending on goals

This may be particularly beneficial for participants working towards goals around emotional wellbeing, independence, social participation, or confidence building.

If you support a teen or young adult who could benefit from a gentle, structured, skills focused group environment, this could be a wonderful option to explore.

As always, if you would like support determining suitability or aligning this with a participant’s plan goals, reach out and we can talk it through. 🌿

08/03/2026

💜 International Women’s Day 2026 💜
Give to Gain

This year’s theme, Give to Gain, reminds us that when we invest in women, we all benefit. When we give women access to opportunity, education, leadership and support, we gain stronger communities.

When we give space for women’s voices to be heard, we gain innovation and progress.

When we give equity, we gain a fairer future.
As Malala Yousafzai says,
"We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back."
Michelle Obama reminds us,
"There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish."

And in the disability sector, we see this every day. Women advocating for their children. Women navigating systems. Women leading services. Women rebuilding after trauma. Women driving change quietly and powerfully.

When we give support, respect and opportunity, we gain resilience, leadership and collective strength.

Today we celebrate women of all abilities, backgrounds and identities, and recommit to building systems that are inclusive, accessible and equitable.

💜

06/03/2026

1. New Planning Framework Taking Shape
The NDIS is actively transitioning toward a new approach to planning.

Recent official updates confirm that:

A redesigned planning model is being tested with real participants.

The focus is on clearer needs assessments and more consistent, tailored budgets.

Live trials are underway to refine how plans are developed.

Public consultation on the framework continues until 6 March 2026.

This represents a major shift away from traditional plan reviews toward a more structured and evidence-based planning experience.

2. Thriving Kids Model Continues to Evolve
February saw further developments in the federal disability support reforms for children.

The Thriving Kids initiative, designed to reshape early supports outside the NDIS, gained momentum with new reporting and commentary about its implementation.

This reform will have long-term implications for how support for autistic children and other developmental needs is funded and delivered.

3. Integrity, Safeguards, and Consumer Protections
Sector integrity and safeguards remained in the spotlight throughout February.

Key activity included:

Public consultation and submissions on the NDIS Amendment (Integrity & Safeguarding) Bill 2025

Warnings from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission regarding misleading advertising by NDIS providers

High-profile media reporting on unscrupulous provider recruitment tactics and inducements in some remote communities

News of legal action against a former NDIS provider over alleged financial misconduct

These developments reinforce the ongoing focus on scheme integrity, safe practice, and consumer protections.

4. Wider Scheme Commentary and Pressure
Media and advocacy groups continued to highlight broader challenges within the NDIS, including:

Concerns about funding adequacy and decisions

Participant experiences of delays or cutbacks

Public debate over scheme sustainability and reform direction

While not formal policy changes, these narratives contribute to sector momentum for further reform and oversight.

5. Continued Growth and Strategic Focus
The scheme remains in a period of sustained growth, with participant numbers and funding rising. This ongoing expansion underscores the importance of clear planning, robust evidence, and proactive coordination to ensure participants get the supports they need.

03/03/2026

Back, Reconnected, and Ready for 2026 ✨

There is something really special about this time of year.

After the holiday pause, the inbox slowly starts filling again, phones turn back on, and diaries begin to book up. But more than anything, it is the face-to-face catch ups that make it feel like we are truly back.

Lunch meetings, coffee chats, relaxed check-ins… sitting across from participants and hearing about how their holidays went, what worked well, what felt hard, and what they are hoping for this year. These moments matter. They remind us that support coordination is not just about budgets and reports. It is about connection, trust, and walking alongside people as they build the life they want.

The start of the year is such a powerful time for reflection and reset.

For some, it is about tightening routines and building independence.
For others, it is about reconnecting with community, starting study, changing therapists, or exploring new supports.
Sometimes it is simply about slowing down and making sure current supports are still the right fit.

Whatever the focus, this is the perfect time to sit down and do intentional goal planning.

If you are one of our participants and have been thinking, “I really need to map out this year,” this is your sign. Reach out to your Support Coordinator and book in a catch up. Whether it is a lunch meeting, a quick coffee, a home visit, or a structured planning session, we are here for it.

Goal planning does not have to be overwhelming. It can start with simple questions:

• What felt good last year?
• What did not work?
• What do you want more of?
• What would make 2026 feel like progress for you?

From there, we can look at how your NDIS plan supports those goals, whether adjustments are needed, and what practical steps will move you forward.

Being back and connected again reminds us why we do this work. The relationships, the growth, the courage it takes to try something new. It is an honour to be part of that journey.

If you would like to reconnect and map out your next steps, reach out. Let’s make this year intentional, supported, and aligned with what matters most to you. 💛

01/03/2026

🌏 International Wheelchair Day ♿

Today we celebrate the freedom, independence and access that wheelchairs provide to millions of people around the world. A wheelchair is not something that “confines” a person. It is something that enables movement, participation, community connection and choice.

Language matters.
Instead of saying someone is “wheelchair bound,” we can say:
✔ A person who uses a wheelchair
✔ A wheelchair user
✔ A person who mobilises using a wheelchair

A wheelchair is not a limitation. It is a mobility aid. It is independence. It is access. It is autonomy.

On International Wheelchair Day, we also recognise the importance of:
• Accessible buildings and public spaces
• Inclusive community events
• Respectful language
• Listening to lived experience
• Ensuring appropriate funding for quality mobility equipment

We are committed to supporting participants to access the equipment, environments and supports that allow them to live life on their terms.
Because mobility is a human right, and inclusion starts with respect.

20/02/2026

REMINDERS:
NDIS Check-In Advice 📞

The NDIS may contact you for a “check-in” call during your plan, around 12 months in, or before a plan reassessment. These calls can feel unexpected or overwhelming, but you have rights and choices.

✨ Quick reminders:
• You can ask to reschedule the call to a time that suits you
• You can ask for someone you trust to join the call for support
• You can choose how you do the check-in (phone, online, or face-to-face)
• It’s always okay to ask why the NDIS is calling and what the call is about

If you would like support preparing for a check-in (or having someone with you), please reach out. You don’t have to navigate it alone.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

19/02/2026

If support coordination doesn’t work out, we’re opening a pottery studio. 🫣😂

17/02/2026

🧧✨ Happy Lunar New Year from Grow Your Abilities! ✨🧧

As we welcome the Lunar New Year, we celebrate a time of renewal, reflection, family, and fresh beginnings. 🌸

May this year bring strength, resilience, prosperity, and meaningful connection to all of our participants, families, providers, and community.

The Lunar New Year is a beautiful reminder that every new season brings opportunity for growth. In the NDIS journey, that can mean new goals, new supports, new skills, and new confidence.

Wishing everyone good health, happiness, and success in the year ahead. 🐉🏮

Gōng xǐ fā cái
From all of us at Grow Your Abilities 💛

16/02/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orjZDctkbHU&feature=youtu.be

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

13/02/2026

NDIS Updates Over December and January (What You Need to Know)
As we head into a busy 2026, the NDIS has been rolling out a number of updates and announcements over December and January. While some changes are already active, many of the biggest reforms are setting the stage for larger changes from mid-2026 onwards.

Here is a clear summary of what’s happening, and what it may mean for participants, families, and providers.

1) Big Planning Changes Coming (From Mid-2026)
The NDIA has confirmed that planning will shift to a new framework from mid-2026. The goal is to make planning more consistent, easier to understand, and based on clearer decision-making processes.

This includes changes such as:

new support needs assessment processes

adjustments to how plans are built and reviewed

changes to funding periods and plan structures

What this means in real life is that evidence is going to become more important than ever. Reports like Functional Capacity Assessments (FCA), therapist recommendations, risk considerations, and clear support breakdowns will continue to be essential to show why a support is needed.

2) NDIA Webinars and Education Sessions Running in January
Over December and January, NDIA has been running information sessions and webinars on changes to NDIS legislation and upcoming reforms.

These sessions cover topics such as:

legislative changes and updates

the new planning direction

what to expect over 2026

improvements to consistency in decision-making

It is a good time for providers and participants to keep an eye on these updates, as NDIA is regularly sharing information about the next phase of reform.


3) Mandatory Registration is Expanding
One important update is the ongoing expansion of mandatory registration requirements across the NDIS.

A key example is Supported Independent Living (SIL), with reforms confirming that SIL providers will need to be NDIS registered from 1 July 2026. This is part of a broader push toward stronger safeguards, clearer oversight, and improved accountability across higher-risk and more complex supports.

While not all providers are impacted immediately, this shift shows a clear direction of travel: the NDIS is moving toward tighter regulation, more oversight, and stronger compliance expectations over time.

4) Pricing and Service Agreements: A Growing Focus
NDIS pricing arrangements remain the key reference point for how services should be delivered and billed.

Over December and January, many providers have been reviewing their service agreements and internal processes to ensure they are consistent with NDIS expectations.

This includes tightening areas such as:

cancellation and notice periods

participant responsibilities and safety expectations

consent, communication preferences, and privacy

what happens if a plan changes mid-service

Service agreements may look similar on the surface, but many are being updated behind the scenes to reflect the changing environment and ensure clarity for everyone.

10/02/2026

The first NDIS Worker Screening Checks issued in 2021 have now reached their renewal period, marking an important milestone for the NDIS Commission.

Workers whose clearances are reaching expiry will receive renewal notifications from the state or territory authority that issued their Check. The NDIS Worker Screening Database (NWSD) is also notifying employers – including registered and unregistered providers, and self-managed participants – when workers linked to them in the NWSD need to renew.

Workers with Checks due to expire within 90 days must apply to renew so they can continue working in risk-assessed roles. Providers are required to remove workers from these roles if their clearance expires.

Workers who'd like to check the expiry date of their Worker Screening Check can either:

• Refer to the confirmation material sent to them by the state or territory authority that issued their Check
• Request this information from their employer (to which the worker should be linked on the NWSD)
• Refer directly to the state or territory authority that issued their Check

Check the comments for information relevant to providers and workers.