At Inclusion Tree, we know that progress doesn’t always come in giant leaps. Sometimes it arrives as a quiet phone call, a signed form, or a participant seeing their fruit trees for the first time in years.
We asked our staff: “What’s a small win that felt big?” Their answers reminded us why we do what we do. Every win, no matter how small it looks on paper, can change a life.
Here’s what they shared.
“Got a participant approved for SDA, a better property for life.”
Getting approval for housing is more than just having a place to rest your head at night. It’s about having a place to call home. A place you feel safe, somewhere you know is just for you, allowing you to build a better and more stable life.
“Found the Victoria aid and equipment program to support a participant while waiting on funding.”
Sometimes things can’t wait for approvals to be made, to make sure every box is ticked, “I’s” dotted and T’s” crossed. Sometimes a need must be met right away, even if it’s just a temporary solution while you wait. Chey’s work ensured that her participant didn’t see their standard of living slip while the slow wheel of bureaucracy turned in the background.
“Found a pathway for young people diagnosed with dementia to get access to a team of NDIS planners.”
While dementia is often seen as a disease that affects the elderly, particularly those over 65, we often forget that dementia can affect anyone at any age. This can cause those who are under the age of 65 to have their symptoms overlooked, diagnoses missed, and symptoms ignored until the disease has manifested completely. By finding a path for younger people to access the NDIS, she has ensured they can maintain their standard of living for longer.
“A plan review with a great planner.”
Sometimes a routine paperwork session can be improved when you are working with someone who gets it. Enabling you to get the best outcome possible for your participant.
“A provider that hadn’t been doing much reporting went to panel, got a kick up the butt, and now they’ve been reporting after a year and a half.”
While it’s disheartening to see others in our space not doing the work they should. There is a sense of grim satisfaction that comes from seeing the existing process working as it should and having the desired result come out the other end. At the end of the day, it means there is now more quality work being done for participants, and that’s all we can ever hope for.
“Getting a team of independents who had gone a little rough together for some team meetings, getting on track.”
We all have our bad days, but when you find yourself continuously butting heads with each other, that’s when problems arise. This is compounded further when you’re meant to be working with participants. The support you provide can begin to slip, and the participant can lose their consistent services. Renee was able to cool tensions, ensure support could continue, and respect the participant’s needs.
“Learning about restrictive practices and how to report to the commission.”
Learning about challenging topics can yield significant benefits. Restrictive practices may be uncomfortable to study, but recognising their signs and understanding their impact equips you to help participants avoid abuse and preserve their quality of life. Submitting clear, concise reports also supports participant outcomes; precise reporting ensures cases are addressed promptly.
“My participant wanted to study as part of her goals. She found a great bookkeeping course with support through TAFE, and we’re in the last stages of getting started. She is super happy about it.”
Helping someone take the next steps in their education is a momentous achievement. While on the surface it might not seem like much, being able to access information, learn, and get qualified opens doors to careers. Accessing a reliable wage is the pathway most of us take to lead rich and fulfilling lives.
“I’ve supported a participant who, due to funding constraints, had to reduce his weekly travel support from Delungra to Inverell for shopping and switch to a fortnightly schedule. It wasn’t ideal, but he managed by doing a larger shop every two weeks to get by.
Nonetheless, we submitted a plan change request and recently secured enough funding to restore his weekly trips to town and add support for one Saturday each month dedicated to leisure activities. In the context of substantial NDIS plans and supports, it was rewarding to help someone who was making do with less access secure the additional funding needed to make daily life easier and more enjoyable.”
While sometimes making do with what you have is a reasonable response to sudden changes, it doesn’t mean it’s the right one. I think most of us would feel pretty left out if we were suddenly told that we could only do our grocery shopping once a fortnight; it’s no different for people on the NDIS who have no other choice. Being able to get these weekly shopping trips back is amazing, and having a little left over for a monthly leisure activity is icing on the cake.
“A win for one of my participants is that I helped her get approval for a motorised wheelchair to access her acerage property. She was very happy as she had not been able to see her fruit trees for several years, and it was one of her loves prior to her decline in health.”
Imagine suddenly being locked out of random parts of your home; it would feel unfair, and your home would feel more alien to you. By being able to explore her land, Rebekah’s participant now has her freedom back and her home.
At Inclusion Tree, we don’t measure wins by size; we measure them by what they mean to the person living them. A plan review, a reporting provider, a wheelchair to reach an orchard, these are not small things; they are real impacts made in people’s lives.
To our participants, every tiny victory of yours becomes our biggest celebration. To our staff, thank you for seeing what matters.
If you would like to join our team and have your own small wins, check out our career page.
We acknowledge the connections of First Nations People of Australia to the land, sea and community on which we live and work. As custodians of this sacred land we respect and acknowledge Elders, past, present and emerging.
