At Unity Studios, inclusion has always been central to our work.
Following the announcement of proposed NDIS reforms, Cassandra Jensen, Founder & CEO of Unity Studios, has written the following open letter reflecting on the importance of meaningful community participation, inclusion and the future of disability supports in Australia.
An Open Letter About the Future of Inclusion in Australia
To the Senate Committee, Members of Parliament and the Australian community,
I write this not only as a provider working within the disability sector, but as an educator, inclusion advocate and someone who has spent years witnessing the transformative impact of meaningful community participation.
Since 2017, Unity Studios has worked alongside approximately 500 NDIS participants.
We have seen young people who once avoided leaving the house begin building friendships and exploring the community.
We have seen participants develop confidence, emotional regulation, communication skills and independence.
We have seen families regain hope.
The NDIS did not simply fund supports.
It opened doors.
It helped dismantle social walls between people with disability and the broader community.
That is why I am deeply concerned about reforms that may unintentionally narrow access to meaningful inclusion-based supports.
I understand the need for accountability, sustainability and responsible governance within the NDIS.
However, I ask decision makers to carefully consider the human impact of reforms that may gradually make meaningful community participation harder to access.
Meaningful participation is not “just social.”
These supports are not simply recreational activities. When delivered intentionally, they are structured forms of Capacity Building that help people develop communication skills, emotional regulation, confidence, independence and the ability to participate meaningfully within society.
Meaningful community participation is also preventative. When people remain connected, confident and engaged, there is often reduced risk of crisis, mental health deterioration, family burnout and long-term dependence on higher-intensity supports.
People with disability should not be hidden away from society.
Inclusive community participation benefits everyone.
When people with disability engage alongside non-disabled peers:
- empathy grows
- stigma reduces
- understanding improves
- and society becomes stronger.
At Unity Studios, we have deliberately built programs where participants with disability can participate meaningfully within broader community environments.
This has not been easy.
Inclusion is expensive.
We have absorbed costs, subsidised supports, hired qualified professionals and maintained accessible spaces because we believe people with disability deserve more than minimal survival.
They deserve belonging.
I ask the Committee to carefully consider what may happen if meaningful participation supports become increasingly difficult to access.
What happens to participants who have spent years building confidence and independence if these pathways disappear? And what happens to families already overwhelmed by caring responsibilities?
Australia has spent decades moving away from segregation and toward inclusion.
We should be moving toward liberation — not backward toward isolation.
The attached “No NDIS / Equality / Equity / Liberation” visual represents this journey.
The NDIS helped many Australians move closer toward equity.
We must ensure these reforms do not unintentionally rebuild the walls we have worked so hard to dismantle.
Inclusion is expensive.
But exclusion costs society far more.
Respectfully,
Cassandra Jensen
Founder & CEO, Unity Studios
Have Your Say
Why individual submissions matter
Senate Committees do not only consider statistics and policy language.
They also consider:
- lived experience
- real-world impact
- and personal stories from the community.
Even short submissions can help decision makers better understand:
- how supports are used in real life
- what meaningful participation looks like
- and what risks may arise if supports become harder to access.
Senate Inquiry Submission Link
Submissions can be made directly to the Senate Committee here:
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/NDISFutureGenBill
Need Help Writing a Submission?
Co-Founder of Kindship, advanced Behviour Support Practitioner & Disability advocate, Sandy Golder also shared a helpful idea:
using AI tools such as ChatGPT to help people structure their lived experiences into a respectful, clear and professional submission.
This can be done by:
- typing responses
- or voice recording experiences and having them transcribed into written form.
The most important thing is that submissions:
✅ sound genuine
✅ reflect real lived experience
✅ remain respectful and constructive.
Topics people may wish to discuss include:
- Social & Community Participation
- “reasonable and necessary” supports
- functional capacity assessments
- plan reassessments
- family/carer impact
- inclusion and isolation
- participant choice and control
- mental health and wellbeing
- real-world consequences of support reductions.
Helpful Tip
You do not need to write a perfect or lengthy submission.
Even a short explanation of:
- what the NDIS has helped you achieve
- what meaningful participation looks like
- and what concerns you have moving forward
can be valuable.
Contacting MPs & Senators
In addition to making a Senate submission, many people are also respectfully contacting MPs and Senators to share their experiences and concerns.
For many families within our community, your local Federal MP is Melissa McIntosh, who is also the Shadow Minister for the NDIS. Sharing respectful lived experience and community impact directly with your local representative can be an important way to help decision makers better understand the real-world implications of these proposed reforms.
Key Contacts
Mark Butler MP
Minister for Disability and the NDIS
📧 minister.butler@health.gov.au
Melissa McIntosh MP
Shadow Minister for the NDIS
📧 melissa.mcintosh.mp@aph.gov.au
Tanya Davies MP
📧 badgeryscreek@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Senator Jordon Steele-John
📧 senator.steele-john@aph.gov.au
Chris Bowen MP
📧 chris.bowen.mp@aph.gov.au
Final Thoughts
Advocacy does not need to be aggressive to be powerful.
Respectful, genuine lived experience is incredibly important during consultation processes like this.
We encourage everyone to:
- stay informed
- participate respectfully
- and continue advocating for inclusion, dignity and meaningful community participation for people living with disability.
