We hope it seems obvious that the first post ‘about Mitchell’ should look at what inspired us to step away from the traditional service provider model and largely do it ourselves.  That actual decision was made some weeks after Mitchell’s first NDIS plan↗ was approved, in mid-2018.  As we explained in Mitchell’s backstory↗, we were (deeply?!) unhappy with Mitchell’s experience in the disability sector and wanted to find a better way to help him live his life.  The organisation that helped us find that better way was Bespoke Lifestyles↗.

Bespoke Lifestyles could be the subject of a later post.  This post is about what seeded in our mind the thought that we could do it ourselves.

In the months before NDIS rolled out in our area, we went through all the old school and medical reports we had for Mitchell.  We wanted to work out what supporting material we would take to our first NDIS planning meeting.  Among those reports, we found a few pages produced by an organisation called Community Resource Unit Ltd↗ or CRU for short.  There was a single page entitled The Natural Authority of Families and a few pages on a concept called self-direction.  Both of these were taken from a regular CRU publication called CRUcial Times↗.  We cannot recall where we picked these up.  On reading them, their contents struck a chord.

The Natural Authority of Families↗ article reminded us that we, Mitchell’s family, have the biggest stake in safeguarding the quality of Mitchell’s life.  We have known Mitchell the longest.  Over the long term, we have seen what worked for Mitchell and what has not.  We are also free of the challenge of running a service provider business.  We have a singular focus; improving Mitchell’s quality of life.

We are … free of the challenge of running a service provider business.  We have a singular focus; improving Mitchell’s quality of life.

The CRU articles on self-direction↗ presented the benefits of decision-making and choices that determine the direction of the person’s life resting with that person and their close supporters.

Fast-forward a few months; with these ideas fresh in our minds and Mitchell’s first NDIS plan in hand, we went looking for someone to help us.  On a recommendation, we checked out Bespoke Lifestyles.  It was clear Bespoke Lifestyles held the same ideas (ideals!).  The notion of the natural authority of the family was a core company value (see their website↗) and they were all about self-direction.  Our first Support Coordinator↗ from Bespoke Lifestyles had substantial lived experience supporting a family member.

A closing point; both CRU articles were either authored or heavily influenced by Dr Michael Kendrick↗.  Dr Kendrick is worth checking out.  He “is well known internationally as an educator, advocate, consultant and author. He has worked in government and non-government agencies and consults on issues such as service quality, safeguards, and design of personalised services. He lives in the United States, but as a regular visitor to Queensland, he also understands the local and national issues that people with disability and their supporters face as they strive to live in their community.”

CRU has some video interviews with Dr Kendrick on its website↗.