NDIS Support Coordinator

Emma Hawkins joined Parkinson’s NSW as a part-time Support Coordinator early in November last year.

She was already familiar with us, having worked at Parkinson’s NSW for some months in the professional placement program that is part of her final year studies in Social Work at Charles Sturt University.

Emma already has an Advanced Diploma in Counselling but returned to study in order to develop more skills in providing people with social supports.

“I’M MOTIVATED BY HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP PEOPLE. THIS ROLE COMBINES MY INTERPERSONAL COUNSELLING SKILLS WITH THE ‘CONNECTING’ ASPECT OF SOCIAL WORK – AND PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT HOW TO NAVIGATE THE NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME,” SAID EMMA.

Support Coordination is an NDIS funded service that is designed to assist participants to make the most of their NDIS funds. Asking for Support Coordination in your NDIS plan does not reduce the amount of funding awarded for other forms of support.

Once a Plan has been approved, participants work with Support Coordinators to determine how their funds will be spent and to connect with providers.

When she is not busy studying or connecting people with services, Emma pursues her other great passion in life: music.

She has been teaching music since she was 15 and plays the piano, violin, and viola in quartets and orchestras. She is also teaching herself the cello.

Her other pursuits include soccer (she plays every week), skiing (she was born and raised in Cooma) and bushwalking with her husband.

For any NDIS information, please contact the Parkinson’s NSW InfoLine 1800 644 189