When we first began shaping Team Aysh, the immediate focus was on the practical: who was going to support Aysh day to day, how to manage rosters, and how to stretch limited funding to cover everything. Like many families, we were caught up in the “now.” But it didn’t take long to realise that if we wanted this to work not just for today, but for Aysh’s whole life, we needed something bigger to guide us.
That “something bigger” was vision.
A clear vision has become the compass for every decision we’ve made — from the people we employ, to the way we structure supports, to how we spend money. Without it, we would be firefighting constantly. With it, we have direction.
Why Vision Matters
Vision isn’t just a nice phrase for a funding plan. For us, it was sitting down and imagining Aysh’s future — the life he wanted, the things that bring him joy, and the kind of community he could belong to.
At first, it was overwhelming. When you’ve been let down by systems or feel weighed down by daily challenges, thinking ten or twenty years ahead can feel impossible. But we started with small questions: What does Aysh enjoy? Where is he happiest? Who brings out the best in him?
From there, the picture grew. We knew we wanted him to live in his own home one day, surrounded by people who respected him, not just workers filling shifts. We wanted him to contribute, to have real friendships, and to be seen as a valued part of his community.
That vision has shaped everything we’ve done since.
How Vision Shaped Our Structure
Early on, we had to make decisions about how to set up Team Aysh. Would we rely on traditional providers, or build something more flexible? The vision pushed us toward building a team around Aysh rather than slotting him into existing services.
We had to think about business models and legal structures. Having our vision helped guide what our non-negotiables were and why some models would not work for what we were hoping to achieve. By having the vision before we started the formal structuring, we could be clear with who we worked with (such as lawyers or bookkeepers).
We chose a model that gave us direct control — hiring and training workers ourselves, supported by plan management. It was messy at first, but it allowed us to shape roles around Aysh’s needs, not the other way around. By being clear about what mattered to us, we could attract staff and supporters who shared our vision.
For example, one of his workers is not only great at providing daily support but also has good connections in the local community to help Aysh explore volunteering opportunities. Another shares his interest in music and dance, which has opened doors to community activities that providers would never have suggested. That only happened because we had the flexibility to build the team around the vision.
How Vision Shaped Costs and Investment
Funding is always front of mind. At times, it has felt like we’re juggling more expenses than resources. But having a vision helps us spend wisely rather than reactively.
Instead of asking, “what can we afford right now?” we ask, “does this bring us closer to Aysh’s future?”
We can match the vision for Team Aysh against his NDIS goals, and prioritise what really matters to us. We are led by our vision and our values so that the choices we make move us closer to his goals, while still staying true to who we are as a family.
For example, we have prioritised continual learning and innovation. Because of this we have invested in additional training regarding customised employment. It was a large expense, but the concept fits so well with our vision and Aysh’s goals for the future, we chose to prioritise it as a cost.
When it comes to NDIS Plan Reviews, knowing the vision and direction is invaluable as it helps identify what we need to ask for, while also giving us some clear ideas about what is working and what other resources we might have.
Basically, the vision pulls it all together.
How Vision Supports Sustainability
Without vision, building a service-for-one can quickly feel like running on a hamster wheel. Rosters, paperwork, endless problem-solving — it’s easy to burn out. Vision keeps us grounded and makes the work more sustainable.
For us, it has meant:
- Attracting the right people: When workers join Team Aysh, we tell them our vision upfront. They’re not “just filling shifts”; they’re part of Aysh’s journey toward independence. We even ask interview questions about our values to see how they might fit in. This has helped us attract people who genuinely care and want to stay.
- Saying no: We’ve had offers of programs or services that looked okay on the surface but didn’t align with Aysh’s goals. We have set a standard of how services are provided to Aysh and we no longer want to compromise that. The vision gave us permission to say no, and avoid unnecessary stress.
- Planning for the future: Knowing that we won’t always be here, we’ve started building a governance structure that others can step into. We obviously hope that we are around for a long time yet, but we don’t want to wait until it is too late to get things in place – in a way that we want them.
How Vision Encourages Innovation
The biggest shift for us has been thinking creatively. Instead of asking, “what services are out there?” we ask, “what would help Aysh thrive, and how can we make it happen?”
That thinking has led to some unexpected ideas:
- Blending roles: We’ve created positions that combine support work with mentoring or skill-building, tailored to Aysh.
- Using technology: From scheduling apps to assistive tech in the home, we’ve invested in tools that help Aysh be more independent and reduce staff hours, or reliance on us.
- Building community partnerships: We’ve connected with local businesses and groups, creating opportunities that go beyond traditional disability services.
And we have so many more things that we want to do. Our innovation flows directly from the vision, and creating space to think creatively. Without it, we’d still be stuck in “what’s available.”
How Vision Strengthens Families and Communities
Most importantly, vision has changed how we feel as a family. Instead of constantly reacting to problems, we feel like we’re moving toward something meaningful. It gives us hope — not just for Aysh’s future, but for our own sustainability as a family.
It has also shifted how others see Aysh. He’s not just a recipient of care, but a young man with goals, interests, and a place in his community. The ripple effect of that is powerful.
Getting Started: Crafting Your Vision
If you’re starting out, here are some steps that worked for us:
- Dream together: Ask your family member what excites them. For Aysh, it is music, making friends, and the idea of his own home – or at least increased independence.
- Think long-term: Don’t be afraid to imagine 5, 10, or 20 years ahead. We started with Aysh getting his own home as the long-term goal, and thinking about what would help that be successful.
- Write it down: We created a simple vision statement for Team Aysh and included our values to hold us all to account on what we are working toward.
- Check decisions against it: Every time we face a choice, we ask, “does this bring Aysh closer to the vision?”
- Keep revisiting: Vision evolves. As Team Aysh grows, and Aysh takes on new skills or interests, we continue to review the vision to make sure it reflects who he is and where we are headed.
Final Thoughts
For Team Aysh, vision isn’t an add-on — it’s the foundation of our service-for-one. It shapes how we spend money, how we structure supports, who we employ, and how we think about the future. Most importantly, it gives us hope and direction.
If you’re considering building a service-for-one for your family member, start with vision. It will make the journey clearer, more sustainable, and more meaningful. And it will remind you, even in the hardest moments, why all the effort is worth it.
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