What if there were no rules?
It sounds like a reckless question—but it’s exactly the kind of thinking that leads to innovation. Imagine being one of the creators of Uber. Sitting around your kitchen table, frustrated by how clunky taxis are. You’d be thinking:
- Why do I have to find a taxi rank instead of summoning a car to wherever I am?
- Why is it so hard to explain where I’m going when the app could do it automatically?
- Why do I always need to carry cash when I could just pre-pay?
That simple kitchen-table question—what if there were no rules—sparked one of the biggest shifts in transport the world has ever seen.
Now, what if we applied the same thinking to disability supports?
Imagining Without Limits
Too often, when families and professionals think about supports, the first thing that comes to mind is the rules: what the funding says, what services are “allowed” to offer, what forms need to be completed, what’s “normal” in the sector.
But rules can get in the way of imagination. They stop us from asking the more important question: What do we want the experience to be?
If we could design support from scratch, what would it look like? Would it be flexible, easy to access, and centred on the person’s life? Would it create opportunities instead of barriers? Would it wrap around someone’s vision for the future instead of boxing them into group activities they don’t enjoy?
That’s the power of innovative thinking. It begins with possibility, not policy.
Innovation in Service-for-One
Service-for-one is a living example of what happens when we stop letting rules lead the way. Instead of slotting people into pre-made services, families create customised support systems designed for one unique individual.
Let’s imagine some “rule-free” scenarios:
- Transport: Instead of being stuck with rigid timetables or expensive taxis, a family builds a transport solution by hiring local support workers who can drive their son to work, sports, or social activities on his schedule. It’s safe, reliable, and aligned with his goals.
- Employment: Instead of waiting for “job readiness programs,” a young woman who loves baking starts working with a support worker to run a micro-bakery from her home kitchen, selling to neighbours and cafés.
- Social life: Instead of structured day programs, a teenager designs his week around activities he loves—like joining a gaming club or helping at a community garden—with support workers there to scaffold, not control, the experience.
None of these ideas come from ticking boxes on a form. They come from asking, What do we want the experience to be? Then working backward to make it happen.
Breaking Out of the “How” Trap
When we focus too quickly on the how, we get stuck in the rules.
- “But is that billable under NDIS?”
- “But what if the service provider won’t allow it?”
- “But what if the funding doesn’t mention it specifically?”
These are real concerns, but they’re not the starting point. The starting point is vision: what do we want life to look like?
Uber didn’t start with “how will this work with existing taxi laws?” It started with, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could summon a car with your phone?”
In the same way, customised support doesn’t start with service agreements. It starts with dreaming about what’s possible, then finding innovative ways to align supports with that vision.
Innovation Isn’t Reckless—It’s Responsible
Some might hear “what if there were no rules” and think of chaos. But innovation in supports isn’t about ignoring safety, accountability, or quality. It’s about refusing to let bureaucracy be the ceiling of imagination.
Innovation is responsible because it creates better outcomes:
- Individuals feel seen, valued, and empowered.
- Families experience less stress because supports actually fit their lives.
- Communities benefit when people contribute in ways that reflect their strengths.
- Funding is often used more effectively, because every dollar goes toward what truly matters.
The Courage to Imagine
Families who create service-for-one systems are innovators by necessity. They sit around their own kitchen tables and ask:
- “What do we really want for our son or daughter?”
- “What does a good life look like?”
- “What would support look like if it wrapped around our vision instead of forcing us into programs?”
These questions take courage, because they push against the weight of tradition and expectation. But they also open the door to possibility.
From Uber to Everyday Life
Let’s return to the Uber example. At first, the idea seemed wild—even impossible. The taxi industry dismissed it. Governments weren’t sure how to regulate it. But people embraced it because it solved real problems and created a better experience.
Customised supports are on the same path. At first, the idea of a family employing their own team, or of supports built around volunteering, microbusiness, or creative projects, might seem unusual. But over time, as more families innovate, these ideas become not just possible, but powerful.
The Invitation to Innovate
So here’s the challenge: next time you think about supports, try asking, What if there were no rules?
- What if supports were easy to access, just like summoning a car on your phone?
- What if funding followed vision instead of programs?
- What if every individual could shape a support system that felt like it was made just for them?
Once you imagine without limits, the work becomes figuring out the how—and that’s where creativity, persistence, and innovation shine.
Because the truth is, innovation doesn’t start with systems. It starts at kitchen tables, with families and individuals brave enough to ask: What if it could be different?
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