You’d like to step outside for a few minutes and then come back, but in the moment it’s hard to explain what you need.
A goal could start there. “I want to be able to ask for a break so I can keep going to a group I enjoy.”
This kind of work is often called capacity building: developing skills and confidence to do the things that matter to you. It might involve practising a way to ask for help, finding a tool that makes an appointment easier, or working out how someone can support you in a way you choose.
Asking for a break
With that goal in mind, we might start by talking through what you notice when a place is becoming too noisy or busy, and how you’d like to let someone know. Some people practise saying, “I need a few minutes somewhere quiet.” Others use a message on their phone, a card, a gesture or their usual communication device.
The people around you have a part to play too. With your agreement, a support person or group leader could learn what your signal means and help you find somewhere quieter. Progress might look like taking a break earlier, and deciding for yourself whether you want to rejoin the group.
Preparing for an appointment
“I want to have more say in my appointments and remember the questions I want to ask.”
Some people make a short list of what they want the other person to know. Others practise asking for something to be explained more clearly, or ask for a written summary before they leave. If you bring a support person, you can agree beforehand on when you’d like them to step in. For example, “I’d like to answer first. If I get stuck, can you remind me what I wanted to ask?”
Progress might look like arriving with your questions written down, or leaving with a written summary without having to ask twice.
Telling people what helps you
“I want to be able to tell people what helps me take part in an activity.”
If you’re joining a new class, you might want to say, “It helps me if I can see the steps written down before we start.” You can practise saying it, write it in a message, or ask someone you trust to help you communicate it. Telling people what helps you is a form of self-advocacy, and you get to decide what you want them to know and how you’d like to tell them.
Progress might look like saying it before the first session instead of struggling through it, or feeling comfortable repeating it when someone forgets.
Start with one situation that matters to you
At Looking Up, we might ask, “Is there something you’d like to do more often or feel more comfortable doing?” From there, we can talk about what gets in the way, what already helps and what you’d like to try next.
You can work towards a goal while continuing to use the people, tools and adjustments that help you. Independence doesn’t have to be the aim.
A note on NDIS funding
If you’re considering using NDIS funding, what you can pay for depends on your individual plan, your disability-related support needs and the NDIS rules that apply. A goal helps explain what you want to work towards. Funding for a particular service is a separate decision. If you’re unsure, you can check with your NDIS contact or support coordinator, if you have one. Read the NDIS guidance on goals
Taking the first step
If you’d like to talk through an everyday goal and see how Looking Up might help, you’re welcome to start with a free 15-minute phone call.
Book a free 15-minute introductory call
