Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031 Outcomes Framework: Second annual report

People with disability should be supported to live more connected lives in their communities. This includes being able to fully participate in social, recreational, sporting, religious and cultural life. Ensuring accessibility in relation to physical and sensory needs as well as easily accessible information about community services, events and facilities helps to create an inclusive community (Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–2031).

NDIS participants pursuing interests

Recreational activities are an important part of life for many people, enjoyed independently or with support from friends, family and the community. Such activities can support people with disability to achieve independence, and social and economic participation (NDIS 2022).

Data for this measure are collected as part of the NDIS Short Form questionnaire. Data include NDIS participants who answered ‘Yes’ to the question ‘Do you spend your free time doing activities that interest you?’.

The desired key system outcome for this measure is that community organisations are accessible to people with disability. 

Latest results: 2022–23 Q4

• In 2022–23 Q4, nearly two-thirds (64.3%) of NDIS participants aged 15–64 reported that they spend their free time doing activities that interest them. This was a decrease of 1.2 percentage points since baseline (65.5% in 2021–22 Q2) (Figure 3.4).
• Fitting a regression model to the data post-baseline, shows a modelled decrease of 0.2 of a percentage point per quarter and a modelled -1.9% change since the start of the Strategy.

Things to consider when interpreting results

• Time series analysis for the NDIS data presented here is different from the longitudinal approach taken in NDIS reporting. See Data sources | National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) for more details. 

For figure notes, see Appendix C: Figure notes and sources. 

For the latest data and breakdowns of the data, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | NDIS participants pursuing interests.

Social participation

Participation in society is essential for better health and wellbeing outcomes, as social isolation and loneliness can be harmful to both mental and physical health (AIHW 2022).

People with disability may face various barriers to participation in society, including discrimination. This may lead to lower social participation rates, as well as greater risk of isolation and loneliness than experienced by those without disability (AIHW 2022).

This measure is intended to track the proportion of people with disability who have been actively involved in community, cultural or religious groups in the past 12 months or taken part in an activity they organised. Due to the nature of the available data, the measure is reported here as:

• proportion of people with disability who participated in community or social activities in the past 12 months. 

For the purposes of this measure, community or social activities include cultural, sport or social activities. 

The desired population outcome for this measure is to see increased social inclusion and participation for people with disability.

For the latest data and breakdowns of the data, see Australia’s Disability Strategy Outcomes Framework | Social participation.