Margaret has been within the disability sector for about eight years. She moved to Hervey Bay in 2018, just before the role out of the Fraser Coast NDIS. This in hindsight, was a timely move, as it gave Margaret perspective on how the NDIS has impacted the region. Not only has it altered the range of therapies now available, and how participants can access those therapies, but also a rapid change to pricing and availability as demand grows.
Margaret has lived experience with the disability sector, both in the role as a supportive grand-daughter and also a parent with a child with disability. Margaret’s lived experience provides her with participant perspective and understanding on every aspect of NDIS. From accessing services, having support workers in the home, frustrations of having your life on show and a sense of lack of control.
Margaret’s own words best explain this “Life at times feels like you are under a microscope, which can feel very invasive. This is how NDIS has impacted on me, and I am not a person with a disability. “
Marg, stumbled into the disability sector career wise. Like many people in the industry, it is a calling from having personal experience. Marg grew up with her grandparents, and had to assist both grandparents impacted by strokes, with dressing and daily living. Toileting, showering her nan at 14 years of age. From 7 years of age, supporting her pop for about five years before he passed.
This natural progress has seen Margaret grow her career in the disability sector from Support Coordination and now using her knowledge, experiences and skills in Support Coordination.
Unicopia is very blessed to have a Senior Support Coordinator with a 360 degree perspective on disability. Margaret takes the time to know each participant and their family or network. She will educate the participant on how to best utilise the plan and listen to ensure the participant’s choice and control is centric to the support coordination.
“Participants have limited understanding on how to access their plans, it is a real eye opener and an opportunity for me to make a real difference in a participant’s life. I find that confusion on how to access NDIS and use the plans, there is confusion across a broad range of people. Parents of children with a disability can feel very isolated, and it is my experience that we parents get into our work and life routines, there is very little thought into using NDIS for parent “me” time, and how to access this. There is a lack of parent support groups, and then how those support groups could function is just as challenging. This is something I would like to make time to offer a solution, and perhaps now at Unicopia, amongst our team we can address this issue.”
