NDIS Goals Examples: How to Set Meaningful and Achievable Goals

Looking at practical NDIS goals examples can make it much easier to describe what you want to work towards in your plan. A good goal does not need to sound complicated, clinical or overly formal. It should explain something that matters to you and the direction you would like your life to take.

NDIS goals can relate to independence, daily living, work, education, relationships, community participation, communication or other areas that are important to you.

Current NDIS guidance says goals can be small or large, short-term or long-term, broad or specific. You must have at least one goal in your plan, but having more or bigger goals does not automatically mean the NDIS will fund more supports.

This guide provides practical NDIS goals examples, explains how to write meaningful goals and shows how to turn vague ideas into goals that are easier to understand and work towards.

What Are NDIS Goals?

NDIS goals are things you want to work towards in your life.

They help the NDIA understand what matters to you, what you want to change or develop and where disability-related supports may fit alongside informal, mainstream and community supports.

Your goals might involve:

• becoming more independent
• improving everyday living skills
• finding work
• studying
• joining community activities
• building friendships
• developing communication skills
• becoming more confident outside the home
• learning to manage daily routines.

Why NDIS goals matter

Your goals help provide context when your NDIS plan is created.

However, an important distinction is often missed:

Having a goal does not automatically mean the NDIS must fund every support connected with that goal.

The NDIS explains that goals help inform planning decisions, but supports must still meet applicable NDIS funding requirements. Setting more goals or more ambitious goals does not automatically result in more funding.

That means a useful goal should describe what you want to achieve, rather than trying to name a particular service you want funded.

For participants learning how their broader plan works, Yirra Care’s NDIS services in Brisbane page provides an overview of support options that may connect with individual goals and approved plans.

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NDIS Goals Examples for Everyday Life and Independence

Many participants want support that makes everyday life feel easier, safer or more independent.

The exact goal should reflect the person rather than simply copying a template.

Here are some practical NDIS goals examples.

NDIS goals examples for daily living

Example 1

I want to build my cooking skills so I can prepare more meals for myself.

Example 2

I want to become more independent with my morning and evening routines.

Example 3

I want to improve my ability to plan and complete household tasks.

Example 4

I want to build confidence managing everyday activities at home.

Example 5

I want to learn strategies that help me organise my week and complete daily tasks with less assistance.

These goals focus on the desired outcome rather than naming a particular provider or service.

The NDIS itself gives a similar example: someone wanting greater independence might set a smaller goal of learning to make dinner and cooking twice each week.

Broad goal versus practical short-term goal

A broad goal might be:

I want to become more independent.

That is acceptable. Current NDIS guidance confirms goals can be broad.

However, you may also find it useful to add practical short-term goals beneath it:

I want to learn to prepare three meals that I can make independently.

or:

I want to develop a weekly routine for shopping, cooking and household tasks.

The broad goal provides direction.

The smaller goal gives you something practical to work towards.

NDIS Goals Examples for Social and Community Participation

Goals do not need to focus only on what happens at home.

For many participants, community participation is an important part of independence and wellbeing.

Social and community NDIS goal setting examples

Example 6

I want to become more confident participating in activities in my local community.

Example 7

I want to meet new people and build friendships around interests I enjoy.

Example 8

I want to build confidence using community facilities and attending local activities.

Example 9

I want to develop the skills I need to attend social activities more independently.

Example 10

I want to try new recreational activities and find groups where I feel comfortable participating.

Official NDIS guidance specifically recognises social and recreational participation, friendships and family connections as possible goal areas.

NDIS goals examples should describe the outcome, not only the activity

Consider these two versions.

Activity-focused:

My goal is to attend an art class.

Outcome-focused:

My goal is to build confidence participating in community activities and meet people who share my interests.

The second version explains why the activity matters.

An art class might be one way to pursue the goal, but it is not the goal itself.

MyCareSpace makes a similar distinction, recommending goals that focus on the desired outcome rather than simply naming the service or programme being used.

For participants whose goals involve getting out into the community, Yirra Care’s NDIS Community Access in Brisbane page explains how community-based support may work around individual interests and circumstances.

NDIS Goals Examples for Work and Education

Employment goals can be very specific or exploratory.

Someone may already know exactly what they want to do.

Another participant may simply want to discover what type of work suits them.

Both can be legitimate starting points.

Employment NDIS goals examples

Example 11

I want to develop the skills and confidence I need to explore paid employment.

Example 12

I want to improve my daily routine so I can arrive at work or training on time.

Example 13

I want to explore different types of work and understand which jobs suit my interests and strengths.

Example 14

I want to develop communication and workplace skills that help me participate more independently at work.

Example 15

I want to build the skills required to increase my hours at work in the future.

Current NDIS employment guidance gives examples ranging from clear employment outcomes to exploratory goals, such as finding out what work is like and what skills might be needed.

Education goal examples

Examples may include:

I want to develop the organisation and daily living skills I need to participate more independently in study.

I want to improve my confidence communicating with other people in an education environment.

I want to build routines that help me prepare for and attend training consistently.

The focus should remain on what the participant wants to achieve.

NDIS Goals Examples for Communication and Relationships

Communication goals can look very different between participants.

The purpose is not to create a generic therapy objective.

Instead, start with how communication affects the person’s everyday life.

Communication goal examples

Example 16

I want to communicate my choices and needs more confidently in everyday situations.

Example 17

I want to develop communication strategies that help me participate in social activities.

Example 18

I want to become more confident speaking with unfamiliar people in the community.

Example 19

I want to improve how I communicate when I need help or do not understand something.

Example 20

I want to build communication skills that help me develop and maintain friendships.

DAAR’s goal-setting content also emphasises functional and individualised goals, particularly when discussing communication and behaviour for children and teenagers.

However, goals should still reflect the participant’s own life rather than simply copying an age-based template.

NDIS Goals Examples for Children and Teenagers

For children and teenagers, goals often involve daily routines, communication, participation, independence and transitions.

Goals should be developmentally appropriate and connected with real life.

Examples for younger children

Possible goals include:

I want to build communication skills that help me express my choices and needs.

I want to develop skills that help me participate in everyday family and community routines.

I want to become more confident participating in play and activities with other children.

I want to develop strategies that make transitions between daily activities easier.

Examples for school-age children

Possible goals include:

I want to develop greater independence with my morning and school routines.

I want to build communication and social skills that help me participate with other children.

I want to develop strategies that help me manage everyday changes and routines.

Examples for teenagers

Possible goals include:

I want to become more independent planning and completing my daily routine.

I want to build confidence travelling and participating in activities in my community.

I want to develop skills that prepare me for further education, volunteering or work.

I want to build decision-making skills and become more confident expressing my choices.

Age-specific competitor resources can provide useful inspiration, but the goal should always be adapted to the person’s own circumstances, strengths and priorities rather than copied word for word.

Have a goal but are unsure what support may fit around it?

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How to Write Meaningful NDIS Goals

You do not need professional language.

In fact, the current NDIS guidance encourages participants to write down goals in their own words before their plan meeting. A planner can also help clarify them during the planning process.

A simple process can help.

1. Start with what matters to you

Ask:

• What would I like to do more independently?
• What is difficult in everyday life?
• What would I like to learn?
• Where would I like to participate more?
• Who would I like to connect with?
• What would make my week better?

Do not begin by asking:

“What can I get funded?”

Begin with:

“What would I like my life to look like?”

2. Describe the outcome

Try to explain what would change if you made progress.

Instead of:

I want a support worker.

Consider:

I want to build confidence completing everyday activities and participating in my community.

The provider or support may be part of the pathway.

It does not need to be the goal itself.

3. Add practical detail where it helps

Current NDIS guidance says goals may be broad or specific.

Therefore, you do not need to force every goal into a complicated formula.

However, practical detail can make progress easier to understand.

For example:

Broad

I want to become more independent at home.

More specific

I want to develop cooking and household skills so I can complete more daily tasks independently.

Both can communicate the direction.

The second gives more context.

4. Use short-term goals to support bigger goals

A long-term goal might be:

I want to live more independently.

Shorter goals could include:

• learning to cook
• managing appointments
• building a weekly routine
• shopping more independently
• improving community transport skills.

The NDIS specifically suggests considering smaller short-term goals that help a participant progress towards larger long-term goals.

5. Use your own words

A goal does not become stronger because it contains complicated disability terminology.

Your planner needs to understand what matters to you.

Simple can be powerful:

I want to make friends.

I want to learn to cook.

I want to find a job.

I want to get out of the house more.

Those statements can then be developed further if useful.

Weak Goals vs More Useful NDIS Goals Examples

The purpose of this comparison is not to say one wording is officially “correct”.

It shows how adding context can make a goal easier to understand.

This outcome-focused approach also helps separate the participant’s aspiration from the particular service used to work towards it.

Do NDIS Goals Have to Be SMART?

SMART goals can be useful.

SMART usually refers to goals that are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Relevant
• Time-based.

However, participants should not feel that every NDIS goal must sound like a formal performance target.

Current NDIS guidance explicitly says goals can be broad or specific, small or large, and short-term or long-term.

When SMART-style detail can help

Suppose your broad goal is:

I want to become more independent preparing meals.

A practical short-term target might be:

I want to learn to prepare two simple dinners each week.

This makes progress easier to observe without changing the broader direction of the goal.

The NDIS itself currently uses cooking twice each week as an example of a practical short-term goal supporting greater independence.

How NDIS Goals Relate to Funding

This section is particularly important.

A common misunderstanding is that wording a goal in a particular way will automatically unlock a particular support.

That is not how the NDIS describes the process.

Your goals help inform your plan and provide context about what you want to work towards. However, funding decisions also consider your disability-related support needs, evidence and whether a support meets the current NDIS funding rules.

More goals do not automatically mean more funding

The NDIS states that:

• having more goals does not automatically produce more supports
• having bigger goals does not automatically produce bigger supports
• having a goal does not mean every support connected with it must be funded.

This is why copying ambitious NDIS goals examples purely to obtain funding is not a useful strategy.

Goals should genuinely describe what matters to the participant.

Goals and supports are connected, but they are not identical

A participant might have this goal:

I want to become more independent in my community.

Different supports could potentially contribute towards that outcome depending on the person’s disability-related needs and approved plan.

Another participant could have the same broad goal but require completely different supports.

The goal describes the destination.

The support plan describes how disability-related needs may be addressed along the way.

For additional information about how goals sit within the broader plan, see Yirra Care’s NDIS plan explained guide.

Can You Change Your NDIS Goals?

Yes.

Goals are not permanently locked into your plan.

People’s lives change.

You might:

• start working
• move house
• develop new interests
• become more independent
• begin studying
• want to focus on different relationships or activities.

Current NDIS guidance states that goals can change over time and can be updated without necessarily requiring a completely new plan.

You can discuss changed goals with the appropriate NDIS contact or during your planning process.

Review progress, not just wording

When reviewing a goal, consider:

• What has changed?
• What has worked?
• What remains difficult?
• Is this goal still important?
• Has another priority become more important?
• Do I want to continue, change or replace it?

Yirra Care’s existing NDIS goals 2026 article can also be used as a reflection piece for participants reviewing goals and planning their next steps.

Preparing Your NDIS Goals Before a Plan Meeting

You do not need to arrive with perfectly written goals.

However, preparation can make it easier to explain what matters.

The NDIS recommends thinking about daily support needs, current networks and draft goals before the plan meeting. Participants can bring someone such as a family member, friend, support coordinator or recovery coach if helpful.

Before your meeting, write down:

1. What is working well?
2. What would you like to change?
3. What do you want to do more independently?
4. What would you like to learn?
5. What community activities matter to you?
6. Are work or study important?
7. Which relationships or connections would you like to strengthen?
8. What support needs affect these areas?

Then turn the most important ideas into simple goals.

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FAQs About NDIS Goals Examples

What are some good NDIS goals examples?

Useful NDIS goals examples include building independence with daily tasks, developing communication skills, participating more in the community, finding employment, learning new skills and building friendships. The best goals reflect what genuinely matters to the participant.

How many goals do I need in an NDIS plan?

Current NDIS guidance says participants must have at least one goal. You may have more if they are important to you.

Do NDIS goals need to be SMART?

SMART-style goals can be helpful for measuring progress, but current NDIS guidance also says goals can be broad or specific, small or large, and short-term or long-term.

Do more NDIS goals mean more funding?

No. The NDIS states that having more or bigger goals does not automatically result in more or bigger funded supports.

Should I name a specific provider in my goal?

Usually the goal is more useful when it describes the outcome you want rather than naming the provider. For example, “I want to become more independent in my community” describes an outcome more clearly than simply naming a service.

Can I change my NDIS goals later?

Yes. Goals can change as your circumstances and priorities change. Current NDIS guidance says goals can be updated without automatically requiring a new plan.

Can someone help me write my NDIS goals?

Yes. The NDIS says you can discuss goal setting with family, friends, your NDIS contact, a support coordinator or recovery coach. Your planner can also help clarify your goals during the planning process.

Will the NDIS fund everything that helps me reach my goal?

No. Goals help inform planning, but supports still need to meet applicable NDIS funding requirements and relate appropriately to the participant’s disability-related support needs.

Turning NDIS Goals Examples Into Goals That Are Yours

The best NDIS goals examples are starting points, not sentences to copy.

Two participants may both want greater independence but mean completely different things.

For one person, independence could mean cooking dinner.

For another, it could mean using public transport, joining a community activity, communicating choices or preparing for work.

Start with what matters to you.

Describe the outcome you want.

Add practical detail when it helps.

Break large goals into smaller steps where useful.

Most importantly, use language that reflects your own life rather than trying to write what you think the NDIS wants to hear.

Yirra Care works with participants, families and support coordinators in Brisbane to discuss services that may align with a participant’s individual goals, preferences, support needs and approved plan. Funding suitability should always be confirmed against the participant’s current NDIS plan and applicable rules.

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