Key Characteristics

1. Self-directed planning and facilitation

All supports and services are led by the preferences, strengths, aspirations and needs of disabled people and their families.  An aspiration-based personal plan is the central document to design and measure paid supports.  While the core components of plans may be similar, plans make take different forms. Unique and changing aspirations are to be expected. Supports and services will need to continually adapt in the way they assist people to build and maintain a good life.

An Independent Facilitator (Navigator) can assist disabled persons and family/whanau to consider existing options and create new possibilities.  The degree of involvement an individual or family has with a Navigator is negotiated between the parties. 

 2. Cross-government individualised and portable funding

Disabled people and family/whanau have control of funding i.e.bulk funding, according to service type, will be replaced with individualised funding where people can choose how they create a good life for themselves.  All government funders will contribute to one funding pool that is determined through a simple process of self assessment (or supported self assessment) and confirmation.

Disabled people and family/whanau will be able to move their funding as their preferences and needs change.

 3. Considering the person in their wider context, not in the context of ‘funded support services’

Disabled people and family/whanau belong to networks e.g. family, friends and community. These networks are respected as being fundamental to identity, belonging and citizenship.

4. Strengthening families or whānau

There is direct investment in the networks of disabled people and their family/whanau . Resources are provided to assist understanding, educate and promote increased knowledge of options and how to maximise choice and control.

5. Community building to develop natural supports.

Disabled people are active and valued citizens with an everyday life in everyday places. Enabling Good Lives supports people to achieve desirable outcomes such as education and training; employment; being with friends; having relationships and a family; and taking part in community and cultural activities. Community (generic, mainstream) opportunities and assets are educated and supported to be inclusive and valuing of diversity.

These are interdependent but can be implemented incrementally, either concurrently or separately in phases. 

The five elements are:

 1. Building knowledge and skills of disabled people

to ensure disabled people understand the direction for change, and can take up opportunities to have more choice and control over their supports

2. Investment in families

to assist families/whānau to best support their disabled family member to have a “good life” and help them develop a vision and aspirations for what can be achieved

3. Changes in communities

to ensure communities, including businesses, workplaces, schools, and religious, cultural, sporting and recreational activities, are accessible and welcoming. Communities also need to recognise the contribution that disabled people can make to enhance cohesion and well-being

4. Changes to service provision

to align organisational roles and functions, delivery models, workforce capability, accountability measures, monitoring and evaluation with the vision and principles of the transformed system

5. Changes to government systems and processes

to support the system redesign e.g., integrated contracting, individualised funding, flexible outcomes-focussed contracting, funding pooled from across Votes (may include Vote structure changes) and involving disabled people and families in governance.