NDIS Community Participation
on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast
At Loving Life Support Services, we provide NDIS community participation, also known as community access support on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, helping participants build confidence, access their community, and engage in activities that bring purpose and enjoyment to everyday life.
Community participation looks different for everyone. For some, it means joining a group program. For others, it involves learning to navigate shopping centres, attend appointments independently, or explore hobbies and interests through supported social activities.
Our focus is on creating safe, supportive environments where participants feel understood, encouraged, and genuinely included while building real-world confidence and independence.
What NDIS Community Participation Funding Covers
Community participation supports are funded through your Core Supports budget, under Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation. This is what most people call community access. It pays for a support worker to help you get out into the community, build social skills and take part in everyday activities.
This funding can pay for support to:
Attend community activities
Build confidence in public places
Take part in social groups
Get to appointments and services
Enjoy recreational interests
Develop friendships and social connections
It pays for the support, not the activity itself. Entry fees, tickets, memberships and food are everyday costs you cover yourself.
If your goal is to build the skills to do more on your own, Capacity Building funding for Increased Social and Community Participation can also be used for skill-building supports.
Why Choose Us for Community Participation Supports?
We are not a “drop-off and supervise” provider. Our community participation supports on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast focus on genuine connection, consistent support workers, and meaningful engagement in real-world settings.
We prioritise:
Genuine connection and relationship-building
Calm, inclusive group environments
Consistent, reliable support workers
Thoughtful participant matching
Neurodiversity-affirming practice
Structured yet flexible support
We take time to understand each participant’s communication style, regulation needs, and social preferences. Our goal is not just attendance, it’s meaningful participation.
Participants who feel safe and understood are far more likely to build confidence and develop real-world independence.
Types of Community Participation Supports We Provide
Our NDIS community participation supports may include 1:1 support, small group programs, and recreational activities tailored to each participant’s goals.
1:1 Community Access
• Attending appointments
• Shopping support
• Visiting community spaces
• Developing independence in public settings
• Support to pursue hobbies and interests
Small Group Programs
• Social skills-based group activities
• Themed interest groups
• Teen and young adult programs
• Structured recreational activities
• Confidence-building community outings
Recreational Participation
• Creative programs
• Games and structured social activities
• Community events
• Physical activity-based outings
All supports are tailored to participant goals and delivered in alignment with NDIS guidelines.
Community Participation on the Gold Coast
Our Gold Coast NDIS hub is in Nerang. It is a base for planned group programs and community access, not a drop-in centre. From Nerang, participants head out into the community across the Gold Coast to places like shopping centres, libraries, parks, cafés and local events.
Our Gold Coast group programs include:
• Social & Skills, for boys and young men building social confidence and real-world skills
• Girl Squad, for neurodivergent girls and young women aged 17 to 25
• Skill Space, a structured program focused on independence and routine
• Cook. Learn. Thrive., small group cooking that builds real-life kitchen skills
Community Participation on the Sunshine Coast
On the Sunshine Coast, our groups are based at our Moffat Beach studio. Groups meet at the studio and get out into the community together across Caloundra and the wider Sunshine Coast.
Our Sunshine Coast group programs include:
• ThunderBolts, a young adults social group focused on friendship and community access
• Craft Group, art, craft and connection in a relaxed setting
• Fun Friday, a social and community access group with activities and outings
• Ladies Lunch, for women 45+ who want to connect over lunch at local cafés
• Men’s Group, a relaxed social group for men 40+ with games, darts and outings
• Purple Bin Project, a community recycling initiative where participants collect and sort drink containers from local businesses
How to Get Started
We support NDIS participants aged 13 and over whose plans are self-managed or plan-managed. We are not able to support NDIA-managed (agency-managed) plans.
1. Check your plan includes Core Supports funding, or Capacity Building funding if your goal is skill-building.
2. Contact us, or ask your support coordinator to send us a referral.
3. We meet with you to talk through your goals and find the right fit, whether that is 1:1 community access, a group program or both.
4. We put a service agreement in place and get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is community access the same as community participation?
Yes. Community access is the everyday term. In your NDIS plan it falls under Assistance with Social, Economic and Community Participation in your Core Supports budget.
Can NDIS funding pay for tickets, entry fees or food?
Generally, no. Your NDIS funding pays for the support worker. Activity costs such as entry fees, tickets, memberships and meals are everyday living costs that you cover yourself.
Do I need to be plan-managed or self-managed?
Yes. We support self-managed and plan-managed participants. If your plan is NDIA-managed, you can ask the NDIA about changing how your funding is managed.
Is 1:1 or group support better?
It depends on your goals. Group programs are great for friendship and social skills, while 1:1 support suits more targeted goals like using public transport or shopping on your own. Many participants use a mix of both.
What ages do you support?
We support participants aged 13 and over across the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast.
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