Grow Your Abilities

25/11/2025

25/11/2025

Provider Spotlight:

🌿 Who Are Tribes Adventure Group?
Tribes Adventure Group is an inclusive provider specialising in outdoor, adventure and eco-therapy experiences that help people build confidence, independence, resilience, and community connection. Their approach is hands-on, person-centred, and grounded in the belief that meaningful growth happens when participants feel supported, safe and inspired.

🤝 What Makes Them Stand Out
Tribes is known for:

Authentic community connection

Supportive facilitators who empower participants at their own pace

A nature-based therapy approach that nurtures wellbeing

Building confidence through challenge, not pressure

Strong focus on social inclusion and skill development

Creating spaces where people can thrive, make friends, and feel understood

Participants consistently share that they feel seen, encouraged, and capable when working with the Tribes team — which says everything about their heart and professionalism.

🌟 Why We Recommend Tribes
We love referring to Tribes because they:

Honour each participant’s strengths and support needs

Foster independence in realistic, everyday ways

Offer meaningful opportunities for community involvement

Encourage self-belief, resilience, and personal growth

Operate with genuine warmth, integrity and passion

Create inclusive experiences that are accessible to people of all abilities

Their core values — Harmony, Opportunity, Wonder, Integrity, Challenge — beautifully mirror the work we strive for at GYA.

📣 Contact
Fiona – Tribes Adventure Group
📞 0417 042 139
📧 programs@tribesadventures.com

20/11/2025

Candle-making: because sometimes you need to melt down together in a healthy way 😆🕯️

17/11/2025

this Wednesday night !! Come along and join the fun

17/11/2025

🧭 NDIS Update – Effective 24 November 2025
The NDIA has announced several important updates to the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits (PAPL) and related guidelines. These changes aim to reflect findings from the Independent Review of Art and Music Therapies, simplify claiming, and maintain alignment with broader government frameworks.

🔑 Key Changes
🎨 1. Reduced price limit for Art & Music Therapy
In line with the Duckett Review recommendations, the hourly rate for art and music therapy will reduce from $193.99 to $156.16 per hour.

🧑‍⚕️ 2. Changes to “Other Professionals” claiming
Allied health professionals can no longer claim under ‘Other Professionals’ when a specific line item exists for their discipline. This ensures fair and consistent pricing across therapy types.

🦠 3. Removal of COVID Addendum
The temporary COVID Addendum and related supports have now been removed from the Pricing Arrangements.

🧰 4. Removal of Low-Cost AT for Capacity Building
The Low-Cost AT to Support Capacity Building line item has been removed from the PAPL.

🏞️ 5. Descriptions of supports a provider can’t deliver
Descriptions for Community Social and Recreational Activities, Innovative Community Participation, and Community Participation Activities have been updated to clearly list the supports that are not claimable under NDIS rules.


💡 What Providers Need to Know
You don’t need to take any immediate action. Existing claims and line items remain valid.
However, providers should:

Review any therapy or AT pricing they use

Double-check that line items align with new descriptions

Keep updated on therapy guideline expectations for evidence-based, measurable outcomes

📅 Effective: 24 November 2025
For detailed guidance, refer to the updated PAPL and Code Guide on the NDIS website.

14/11/2025

💬 NDIS “Supports Transition Period” Has Ended
The NDIS’s 12-month Supports Transition Period officially ended on 2 October 2025.

This means the new Defined Supports rules — the list of what the NDIS will and won’t fund — are now fully in place.

What this means for you
All supports must now clearly meet the NDIS definition of a Reasonable and Necessary (R&N) support.

The NDIA will no longer approve or reimburse items or services that fall outside the defined supports list.

Anything that feels like a grey area will need to be checked carefully before approval or purchase.

⚠️ Why this matters
Using NDIS funds for things that aren’t considered Reasonable and Necessary can have serious consequences, such as:

❌ Rejection of claims or funding requests.

💸 Repayment of funds if something was incorrectly claimed (yes, that's correct, a debt with the NDIS).

⏸️ Delays in plan reviews or renewals while NDIA investigates questionable spending.

📄 Changes to your plan flexibility such has having your plan changed to NDIA managed and only using registered NDIS providers.

🌿 Our role
At Grow Your Abilities, we’ll continue helping you make confident, compliant choices.
If you’re unsure whether something can be funded under your plan, please reach out before purchasing — we’ll check the latest NDIS guidance to protect your funding and peace of mind. 💛

11/11/2025

🇦🇺 Remembrance Day | 11 November 🌺

At 11am today, we pause for one minute of silence to remember the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of all who have served — and those who continue to serve — in times of war, conflict, and peacekeeping.

Their bravery has shaped the freedoms we hold today.

Their stories continue to inspire hope, compassion, and unity across generations.
Lest we forget. ❤️🌹

07/11/2025

Reviewing Supports
The NDIS Evidence Advisory Committee has been set up by the Australian Government to provide advice about NDIS supports.

They'll review evidence about NDIS supports to make sure they're safe, suitable and cost-effective for participants.

The committee wants feedback from the disability community, which they'll use to inform their advice to government.

The committee is reviewing 6 supports:
active passive trainers
assistance animals for Autistic people or people with intellectual disability
psychiatric assistance dogs
seizure alert dogs
exercise physiology
smart home appliances for cooking, cleaning or gardening.

If you use these supports, research them, or use other supports for similar goals, the committee wants to hear from you.

Public consultation is open until 11:59 pm AEDT on 9 November 2025. Find out more on:
https://consultations.health.gov.au/evidence-advisory-committee-eac/september2025/

04/11/2025

🌟 Provider Spotlight: Sabrina from Actively Fun Fitness 🌟
Meet Sabrina, an inspiring Personal Trainer, Aqua Aerobics Instructor, and NDIS Fitness Provider who’s bringing movement, laughter, and confidence to the Tweed Coast! 💪🌊

Sabrina’s passion for outdoor fitness and wellbeing shines through everything she does. Whether it’s aqua sessions in the pool, one-on-one workouts by the lake, or a relaxed chat about nutrition and healthy habits — she tailors every session to her client’s goals, abilities, and interests.

Her mission is simple yet powerful:

“To help every client feel confident, motivated, and empowered, while making fitness a positive, social, and enjoyable part of life.” 💚

🏃 Services include:
Outdoor Workouts: Boost your mood, reduce stress, and connect with nature 🌳

Aqua Fitness: Low-impact, splash-filled fun that builds strength, mobility, and endurance 💦

Health & Nutrition Guidance: Real-world, practical advice based on the Australian Dietary Guidelines 🍎

✨ Kickstart your fitness journey with a FREE first consultation!

📍 Tweed Coast & surrounds
📞 0419 880 209
📧 activelyfunfitness@gmail.com
💻 Instagram & Facebook: Actively Fun Fitness

Let’s move more, smile more, and celebrate the joy of staying active — together! 🌈

30/10/2025

Can you believe we’re heading into the final stretch of the year? 🎄✨
With only a handful of working weeks left, now’s the perfect time to make sure everything is organised before the Christmas and New Year break.

🗓️ Key Dates
The NDIS will have a shutdown period from 24 December 2025 – 2 January 2026.
During this time, responses and approvals may be delayed. Please keep this in mind when planning any reviews, quotes, or new service connections.

✅ Things to check before December
Public holidays:
Thursday 25 Dec (Christmas Day)
Friday 26 Dec (Boxing Day)
Thursday 1 Jan (New Year’s Day)

👉 If you have supports on these days, please confirm with your Support Coordinator:

- You have budget to cover them.
- Your support worker is available — or let us know if a replacement is needed.
- You’re aware of any provider shutdown periods that might affect your usual routines.

Plan reviews:
If your plan is due to end over the holiday period, we’ll start preparing early so you don’t get caught in the Christmas backlog.

Reports & invoices:
Allied-health providers often close or reduce hours in December – so please make sure any required reports or invoices are submitted well before then.

Supports & safety:
If your key supports are taking leave, we can help arrange cover or set up group chats for smooth communication over the break.

💬 Final Note
This is the time to tie up loose ends, celebrate your wins for the year, and get everything ready for a smooth start to 2026. If you’re unsure about anything — funding, availability, or reviews — reach out early so we can help you plan ahead.

13/10/2025

🎨 Art & Music Therapy Supports – What’s Changing

After an independent review, the NDIS has confirmed that art and music therapy can play a valuable role in supporting some participants’ wellbeing, emotional regulation, and skill development. These therapies are recognised as effective interventions when they are delivered by qualified professionals.

Here are the key updates you need to know:
🔹 New Price Limit – From November 2025, art and music therapy will be funded at a maximum of $156.16 per hour.
This is a reduction from the previous $193.99/hour rate and now aligns with the counselling price limit.

🔹 Qualified Providers Only – To claim at the therapy rate, providers must be appropriately trained and accredited. This means they need to hold professional membership with one of these recognised bodies:
ANZACATA – Australian, New Zealand and Asian Creative Arts Therapy Association
AMTA – Australian Music Therapy Association

🔹 Focus on Evidence & Outcomes – Funding will be tied to clear therapeutic goals, and services need to be delivered in line with best practice. This ensures that participants can demonstrate the benefits and progress linked to their NDIS goals.

🔹 What This Means for Participants –
If you’re already engaging an art or music therapist, check that they are members of ANZACATA or AMTA.

You may see a reduction in the hourly rate from November 2025, which could mean more hours of therapy within the same budget.

If your current provider does not meet the qualification requirements, you may need to transition to a registered professional to continue accessing funding under this category.