Futures Planning Framework
Planning a Good Life: A practical guide
Accessibility
The ACT Government is committed to making its information, services,
events and venues, accessible to as many people as possible.
If you have difficulty reading a standard printed document and would like to
receive this publication in an alternative format – such as large print or audio
– please telephone (02) 6205 0619.
If English is not your first language and you require the translating and
interpreting services – please telephone 131 450.
If you are deaf or hearing impaired and require the
TTY typewriter service – please telephone (02) 6205 0888.
Further information:
Website: www.dhcs.act.gov.au/disability_act/sgg
Email: disability.sgg@act.gov.au
Contact: (02) 6207 1086
The Good Life Planning Guide
Who is this guide for?
This is a practical guide to encourage and assist people to plan for a good life. The guide is
a living document and it will be updated from time to time, to include new planning strategies
that are being explored.
Why would I want to plan?
Planning for the future can help you and your family to:

take stock and prepare for what lies ahead and

start taking actions that will help you shape your own future and

develop service and informal solutions which suit your individual needs.
A typical planning process involves:

choosing a planning tool that best suits you,

developing your plan – which you can do yourself or with the assistance of a planning
facilitator,

seeking legal or financial advice on relevant aspects of your plan; and

putting your plan in place by mobilising the informal and formal supports that meet your
needs.
This guide provides information about each step in the planning process, including contacts
and assistance available in the ACT.
How do I choose a planning tool that is right for me?
To identify the dreams and visions of the person for whom the community living option is
being developed means creating a trusting environment where the person is able to discover
and communicate their dreams, and truly listening to what is most important for the person.

What is their vision for a positive future?

What are their hopes?

What do they really want?

How do they want to live?

What makes them happy?

Where will they be?

What will they be doing?

And who will be around them?
Sometimes the person may require support from people close to them to be able to
communicate their thoughts, wants and dreams.
(Extract from the Western Australian Disability Services Commission’s Community Living
Plan)
A simple planning process
Some things that might be useful to think about when putting together a plan include:

What is happening in my life now?

What would I like to happen?

What will it look like?
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
How will I know if it is what I really want?

What strengths and skills and assets do I already have?

What other skills and resources might I need?

Who can assist me?

What are the first steps I need to take?

How will I know if my plan is working for me?
Common planning tools
There are several different planning tools and guides available to help people to plan a good
life.
Some common planning tools used in Australia include:

Essential Lifestyle Planning

PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope)

Maps and Personal Futures Planning.
Further information on the planning tools can be found on the Parent to Parent and Families
Leading Planning UK websites.
Futures planning information package
A futures planning information package has been developed by the Australian Government
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and provides
information about planning for the future of a family member with disability.
It includes:

Two booklets — Planning for the future: People with disability, and Special Disability
Trusts: Getting things sorted to assist families planning for the future of a family member
with disability or a severe medical condition — and

A speaker’s kit for organisations and community groups wishing to make information
presentations on futures planning for families of people with severe disability.
Website: www.fahcsia.gov.au
Phone: 1300 653 227
1. Where do I start?
There are a number of community resources in the ACT which can help you to develop a
plan. This includes planning services and financial assistance to engage a planning
facilitator.
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Planning services
There are services that help people to plan for the future at any stage of life. Some planning
services focus on assisting people at particular stages of life – for example, entering school,
leaving school, starting employment, leaving home, getting older, and retiring from
employment.
Planning services can generally be used regardless of whether you live at home with your
family, live independently or live in some form of supported accommodation.
In addition to the services listed below, Disability ACT has established a panel of service
providers available to provide formal assistance for people to develop their plans for the
future. For more information about the Futures Planning Service Panel, contact Disability
ACT’s Information Service on (02) 6207 1086.
PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope)
Belconnen Community Services provides the PATH Family Network. PATH is a facilitated
process that helps people to turn their dreams and aspirations into real and possible futures.
The PATH Families Network provides opportunities for people to undertake PATH, provides
opportunities for families to keep in touch through social gatherings, a PATH blog and a
quarterly PATH newsletter. The Network also provides training and ongoing support for
people to become PATH facilitators. The PATH planning tool assists families and individuals
to develop long term objectives and identify strategies to achieve them.
Website: www.bcsact.com.au
Email: bcs_path@yahoo.com.au
Phone: (02) 6264 0232
Location: Chandler St, Belconnen, ACT.
Mail:PO Box 679 Belconnen, ACT 2616.
Local Area Coordination (LAC)
LAC services are provided in Woden, Gungahlin, Belconnen and Weston Creek. First
established in 2006, LAC aims to build individual, family and community self sufficiency
through self-management, personal advocacy, family support and community development.
Gungahlin and Belconnen Local Area Coordination
Website: www.bcsact.com.au
Email: lac@bcsact.com.au
Phone: (02) 6255 7911
Location: Suite 1.3, The Marketplace, 33 Hibberson Street. Gungahlin
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Woden Valley and Weston Creek Local Area Coordination
Website: www.wcs.org.au/programs/disability
Email: lac@wcs.org.au
Phone: (02) 6260 5622
Location: 79 Dundas Court Phillip ACT 2606
Family Counselling and Mediation Service
This service is operated by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing,
Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and provides free information on counselling
and mediation services for families considering arrangements for the current or future care of
a family member with a disability.
Website: www.centacare-canberra.org
Email: Info@catholiccare.cg.org.au
Phone: (02) 6295 4300
Carers ACT Flexible Family Support Program
The program works intensively with the whole family (no age restrictions) to identify
community support networks to assist the family to develop and achieve long term goals to
sustain their caring role.
Phone: 1800 242 636
Website: www.carersact.asn.au/programs
Transition Service for Young People Leaving School
The Transition Service delivered by House with No Steps provides individualised assistance
to young people in their final years of school and for up to three years post school. The
transition service assists young people to plan, develop skills, set goals and gain experience
and confidence to assist them to successfully transition from school to their adult lives.
Website: www.dhcs.act.gov.au
Email: enquiries@hwns.com.au
Phone: (02) 4221 0391
2. Where can I get free legal and financial planning advice?
Public Trustee of the ACT
The Public Trustee provides information about wills, administration of estates, executors,
power of attorney and trusts.
Website: www.publictrustee.act.gov.au
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Email: publictrustee@act.gov.au
Phone: (02) 6207 9800
Mail: PO Box 221, CIVIC SQUARE ACT 2608
Location: Ground Floor, ActewAGL House
221 London Circuit Canberra City
Public Advocate of the ACT
The Public Advocate is an independent statutory office that promotes the interests, rights
and dignity of people with a disability. The Office provides advocacy, advice, information and
services for individuals, their families and those who work with them. The Office can
investigate and take action when people are exploited, neglected, abused or in need of
guardianship.
Phone: (02) 6207 0707
Website: www.publicadvocate.act.gov.au
Email: pa@act.gov.au
Location: 3rd Floor, 12 Moore Street Canberra City
Mail: PO Box 1001, Civic Square ACT 2600
Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory
The Law Society offers an online brochure titled Making A Will. The Legal Advice Bureau
operates Monday to Friday between the hours of 12.30pm and 2.00pm. To make an
appointment for a free 15 minute consultation, call the Law Society on (02) 6247 5700.
Alternatively, you can apply to see if you are eligible for pro bono (free) assistance via The
Clearing House online.
Website: www.actlawsociety.asn.au
Email: mail@actlawsociety.asn.au
Phone: (02) 6247 5700
Location: Level 3, 11 London Circuit, Canberra City
Women’s Legal Centre - Legal Advice Service
The Women’s Legal Centre is a community legal centre for women in Canberra and the
surrounding area. The Centre offers free, confidential telephone advice Monday to Friday
9.30am to 12.00 noon.
Website: www.womenslegalact.org
Email: coordinator@womenslegalact.org
Phone: From Canberra: (02) 6257 4499. Outside Canberra:1800 634 669
Mail: PO Box 1726, Canberra City ACT 2601
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Financial Planning Association of Australia
Find a Planner is an online directory that will help you to find a financial planner who is an
FPA member. All FPA practitioner members are committed to a code of ethics and high
professional standards, over and above what is required by law.
Website: www.fpa.asn.au
Phone: 1800 626 393
Planning Ahead Workshops
The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Skills for Carers Program offers workshops
about the Public Trustee, Trusts, Wills and Centrelink.
To enquire about the availability of workshops or to sign up to the Skills for Carers
Newsletter contact:
Phone: (02) 6207 3628
Email: CarerSkills@cit.act.edu.au
3. What will help me to arrange informal supports?
Circles of Support
A Circle of Support, sometimes called a Circle of Friends, is a group of people who are
intentionally invited to come together in friendship and support of a person who has a
disability, for the purposes of protecting their interests into the future.
The circle meets on a regular basis to help someone accomplish their personal goals and to
“look out” for that person. The circle acts as a community around the person who, for one
reason or another, is unable to achieve what they want in life on their own and decides to
ask others for assistance.
The person with a disability is in charge, both in deciding who to invite to be in the circle, and
in the direction that the circle's energy is employed. A facilitator is usually chosen from within
the circle, to take care of the work required to keep it running.
Further information about circles of support:
Assistance to establish a circle of support:
www.civilsociety.org.au/Circles.htm
Article on circles of support:
www.cru.org.au/crutimes/CT38/SR38.doc
Planned Individual Networks
www.pin.org.au
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If you are interested in finding out more about circles of support or thinking about starting
your own circle, please contact your Local Area Coordinator, support service provider or
Disability ACT’s Information service on (02) 6207 1086.
LotsahelpingHands
Lotsa Helping Hands is a way for friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours to assist others
by organising supports online. Lotsa Helping Hands provides free, private, web-based
communities for organising friends, family, and colleagues – your ‘circles of community’ –
during times of need. You can easily coordinate activities and manage volunteers with the
intuitive group calendar and share relevant levels of information with friends, family and
service providers.
Website: www.lotsahelpinghands.com
4. Where can I find formal supports?
Disability ACT
The role and responsibility of Disability ACT is to plan, develop strategic policy, allocate
funding, and provide and monitor services for people with disability in the ACT and for the
families that care for them.
Disability ACT funds services and individuals in a way intended to best meet the needs of
the person with a disability, within the resources available and within the eligibility criteria as
defined by our funding agreements with the ACT Government and the Australian
Government.
These agreements do not include the expectation that all disability needs will be met. They
do contain the expectation that Disability ACT will make the best use of all available
resources and determine priorities in a fair and equitable way.
If you are seeking funded services related to your disability, or if you wish to increase or
change the service you receive, you are invited to register your details with Disability ACT.
Registration of Interest Forms can be downloaded from
www.dhcs.act.gov.au/disability_act/services
Housing ACT
Housing ACT is responsible for the provision of public housing and community services in
the ACT. It allocates, manages and maintains more than 11 000 public and community
housing properties and coordinates comprehensive support services and community
participation programs for its tenants.
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To apply for accommodation with Housing ACT, you should fill in a Registration for
Assistance form which can be downloaded from:
www.dhcs.act.gov.au/hcs/public_housing/how_to_apply
Employment Support
The following agencies may be contacted by people with disabilities seeking work or
employers who would like to employ a staff member with a disability.
ACE
ACE National Network is the peak industry body representing agencies providing open
employment services to people with disabilities across Australia. The national office is
located in Victoria.
Phone: (02) 9411 4033
Advance Personnel
This organisation provides competitive employment training and placement services (CETP).
Website: www.advance.org.au
Email: jobs@advance.org.au
Phone :(02) 6285 2466
Address: P.A. Chambers, 18 Corinna St, Woden 2606
CatholicCare
The CatholicCare Open Employment Program is a small, client focussed program which
assists people with a range of disability to find and maintain employment.
Phone: (02) 6162 6800
Location: Ainslie Village, Canberra
JobSolve ACT Inc
Provides support to people with disability to ensure they maintain their employment.
Website: www.jobsolve.org.au
Phone : (02) 6280 6032
Location: Unit 7, 116-118 Wollongong Street. Fyshwick. ACT. 2609
Koomarri
Off-site working groups for people with intellectual disability. Assistance is given to integrate
people into community employment.
Phone : (02) 6280 6143
Address: 88 Wollongong Street. Fyshwick. ACT. 2609
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LEAD
LEAD employment provides specialist job search and support for people who have a
disability who are seeking long term employment in the community.
Phone : (02) 6257 7099
Address: Level 5. 8-10 Hobart Place. Canberra City
Unitronics
Provides permanent part-time employment for people with an intellectual disability. Faculty
of Education, University of Canberra, Belconnen.
Phone : (02) 6201 2903
Work Places
Provides job placement training and long term work placement support.
Phone : (02) 6257 7088
Address: Level 5. 8-10 Hobart Place. Canberra City
Work Ways
Assists people with a psychiatric disability to obtain work.
Phone: (02) 6247 3611
Address: 1st Floor, 7 Lonsdale St, Braddon 2612
5. Other resources
Parent to Parent Association Qld Inc.
A network of parents and family members who have a son, daughter or relative with a
disability. Parent to Parent has information on: Pathways to Planning; Futures Planning;
Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope; Pathways to Possibilities; Essential Lifestyle and
personal stories.
Phone: (07) 5472 7072
Freecall: 1800 777 723
Email: parent@parent2parentqld.org.au
Website: www.parent2parentqld.org.au
Pave the Way. Vision to Action, through to Planning
Pave the Way has information on: planning for now, tomorrow and the future; from dreams
to reality – ideas and strategies for planning; housing; preparing to make a will; general
resources and newsletters
Website: www.pavetheway.org.au/resources/index.php
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Family Advocacy
Family Advocacy is an independent disability advocacy organisation which works across
New South Wales. The organisation works with families where there is a child or an adult
with developmental disability.
Family Advocacy has information and resources on: Futures Planning – Supporting a New
Vision; support and advice; leadership development; workshops and events and systems
advocacy
Phone: (02) 98690866
Free call: 1800 620 588
Email: familyadvocacy@family-advocacy.com
Website: www.family-advocacy.com
The Family Living Initiative
The building blocks are designed for individuals and families to work through a planning
strategy for people with disability and their families.
Website:
www.disability.wa.gov.au/dscwr/_assets/main/instructional/documents/pdf/family_living_plan
_dl_leaflet.pdf
Community Resource Unit Inc.
CRU is a non-profit community organisation supporting leadership development and
authentic positive change. CRU aims to:

challenge ideas and practices which limit the lives of people with disabilities; and

inspire and encourage individuals and organisations to pursue better lives for people with
disabilities.

The Crucial Times Issue has publications on: Circles of Support; the sustainability of
good ideas and personalised approaches
Email: cru@cru.org.au
Planned Individual Networks
PIN is a not-for-profit organisation created by families to help support families plan and
create a fulfilling future for their relative with a disability. PIN assists families to create a
'Network' of support around their relative with a disability.
The purpose of PIN is to support families plan and develop a secure and fulfilling future for
their relatives with disabilities, to enable them to continue living the life they choose in a safe
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and secure environment when key family support is no longer available. PIN has information
and resources on:family stories; planning for the future workshops and PIN networks
Phone: 08 92422699
Website: www.pin.org.au
QPPD - Queensland Parents for People With a Disability Inc
QPPD’s mission statement is to vigorously defend justice and rights for people with
disabilities by exposing exclusionary practices, speaking out against injustices and
promoting people with disabilities as respected, valued and participating members of society.
QPPD webpage has a NSW review of literature: Person Centred Planning: A Review of the
Literature (September 2008) Prepared by the ACU Consortium for the NSW Department of
Ageing Disability and Home Care.
Phone: (07) 3875 2101
Free Call: 1800 805 184
Email: qppd@qppd.org
Website: www.qppd.org
Community Living Plan Information Resource
Provides information on the WA Disability Service Commission’s Community Living initiative;
and practical guidance on planning and developing successful community living
arrangements, including descriptions of each of the community living “building blocks”.
Website:
www.disability.wa.gov.au/dscwr/_assets/main/report/documents/doc/information_resource_c
living_plan.doc
Inclusion Network
John O'Brien and Connie Lyle O'Brien work with friends and associates from eleven
countries. They write, create, problem solve, think and explore the future together - as a
team, as individuals, and in other expanded teams.
They have turned what they learn from people with disabilities and their families and allies
into books published by Inclusion Press and papers distributed by their colleagues at The
Center on Human Policy at Syracuse University.
These include:

Implementing Person-Centred Planning: Voices of Experience

A Little Book on Person Centred Planning

Celebrating the Ordinary

Members of Each Other
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
PATH

Action for Inclusion.
Email: inclusionpress@inclusion.com
Website: http://inclusionnetwork.ning.com
Vela Microboards Australia
Microboards are a unique way of supporting people with disabilities to achieve good lives in
the community.
Originally developed in Canada, by the Vela Microboard Association, microboards involve
small groups of people, typically committed family and friends, coming together on an
ongoing basis to provide individualised and empowering support for a particular person. A
microboard needs a minimum of six people and works best with 8-10 people.
Website: www.microboard.org.au
Good Life Planning grants
Disability ACT is introducing a Good Life Planning Direct Grants Program for people who are
not linked to a government-funded service provider able to assist you to develop your plan.
These direct grants will be available from 4 January 2011 to assist you to plan a good and
meaningful life and to implement that plan.
Three types of assistance will be available under this program:
1. Grants of up to $500 to engage a planning facilitator to help develop your futures plan.
2. Grants of up to $1000 for you to attend futures planning workshops and training.
3. Grants of up to $5000 to employ a coordinator to create and implement your futures
plan.
Information will be available through the Disability ACT website, funded services, local media
and to people on the Disability ACT Registration of Interest
from 4 January 2011.
Who will be eligible for these grants?
People seeking funds under the Good Life Planning Grants Program must be a current
ACT resident and have a disability as defined under the Disability Services ACT 1991.
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