We are all aware that the NDIS has grown beyond what was expected in its inception.

The Ndis is now taking steps to manage this growth by redirecting younger participants to other services, highlighting the scheme's financial strain and growing public interest.

By 2032, projections indicate that the NDIS will have over 1 million participants within the scheme, costing between $80 and $120 billion, or 3.3% of GDP. This begs the question: what will happen to the participants on the scheme whose funding will be reduced due to the large amount of demand and ballooning cost of services?

For many participants, as their funding is reduced, companies are less likely to renew service agreements, thus leaving them without support. This economic shift demands a new model of care, one that is more adaptable and sustainable.

As the NDIS tightens the budget, more participants will require support from smaller providers and sole traders. The future of the NDIS, for the majority of participants, will be supported by independent contractor support teams working together in tandem.

As it stands, there is no formal education pathway or process developed by the Ndis to support this trend. The required infrastructure requires adequate educational resources, mentoring, and community initiatives to upskill the workforce to deal with the ever-increasing demand.

Introducing The Gig Economy.

What is the Gig Economy?

The Gig economy refers to the prevalence of workers who operate as short-term contractors or freelances.

This is opposed to the typical approach of hiring full-time drivers, designers, or employees.

This flexibility allows for greater autonomy for the workers, fewer overheads for the employers, and a free market of talent who can charge higher prices for their services and yet still be cheaper then the current system that exists.

The Gig economy free market allows a greater volume of employment with much more autonomy on working hours with greater quality of life for workers and participants. The Gig economy creates this freedom for employees and budget-friendly contracts for employers, or in this case, NDIS participants.

So, what's the catch?

In the free market economy, a lot of the benefits that come with being an employee for a large organisation are not included. But then, so is the expectation to work 45-hour weeks when only being paid for 38 at minimum wage. As the NDIS expands outwards and more industry professionals reallocate their resources to support the addition of 86,400 new NDIS participants between June of '22-'23.

The $100 Billion dollar question remains.

How does the NDIS manage the influx of new participants while maintaining quality care that many desperately need?

The answer?

You guessed it, the Gig economy.

By investing in the necessary infrastructure which would support NDIS workers to work contract to contract, the cost efficiency of providing support can be managed with client-centred care teams in place.
Participants will be able to hire when necessary and optimise their recovery or maintenance.
The question then remains, how do you become a sole trader and enter into the gig economy as a freelance independent support worker?

The purpose of this editorial is to present you with information and a solution.