NDIS funding at Strivesocial (with a focus on Minecraft)
If you’re a parent or carer trying to work out whether the NDIS can fund social skills support, you’re not alone. At Strivesocial, we work with many neurodivergent young people (and their families) who want practical, strengths-based support to build confidence, friendships, and everyday communication.
This post explains how NDIS funding can apply to Strivesocial services, and how it often fits particularly well for our Minecraft Social Skills Program.
What Strivesocial provides (in plain language)
Strivesocial supports young people to build real-world social and communication skills through:
Evidence-informed social skills coaching (including PEERS®-based strategies)
Individual sessions and small-group options (online or in-person, depending on location)
Practical coaching that targets things like conversation, joining in, handling conflict, and maintaining friendships
For many participants, these supports align with NDIS goals around relationships, independence, and community participation.
Can the NDIS fund social skills support?
Often, yes — when the support is:
Related to the participant’s disability
Linked to their NDIS goals (e.g., friendships, communication, confidence, community access)
Considered reasonable and necessary
NDIS plans vary, so the exact category and wording matters. If you’re unsure, we can help you think through what to ask your Support Coordinator or Plan Manager.
Common NDIS support categories that may apply
Depending on your plan and goals, Strivesocial services may be funded under categories such as:
Improved Daily Living (often used for capacity-building supports)
Improved Relationships
Social and Community Participation
Improved Learning (in some cases)
The best fit depends on what your plan includes and what outcomes you’re working towards.
Why Minecraft can be a powerful social skills setting
Minecraft is more than “just a game” for many young people — it can be a shared interest, a low-pressure environment, and a natural way to practise social interaction.
For some participants, Minecraft makes it easier to:
Start and maintain conversation
Take turns and share control
Practise flexible thinking when plans change
Work as a team (collaboration, negotiation, problem-solving)
Cope with frustration and repair misunderstandings
It’s also a great option for young people who find face-to-face social situations overwhelming, especially at the beginning.
What the Minecraft Social Skills Program looks like at Strivesocial
Our Minecraft program is typically delivered as 1:1 coaching, where we intentionally build social skills while your young person is engaged in something they enjoy.
Sessions are structured and purposeful — not “free play” — and may include:
Clear goals for the session (e.g., asking follow-up questions, teamwork language, coping strategies)
Guided practice and coaching in the moment
Reflection at the end: what worked, what was tricky, and what to try next
Practical “bridge” strategies to help transfer skills from Minecraft into school, home, and community settings
How to make it easier to get NDIS approval
If you’re seeking NDIS funding for the Minecraft program, it helps to:
Link it to goals in the plan (friendships, communication, emotional regulation, community participation)
Use clear language about the functional impact (e.g., difficulty initiating conversation, maintaining peer relationships, coping with conflict)
Ask your Support Coordinator/Plan Manager which budget line is best for your plan
If you need help with wording, we can provide a short service description that explains what we do and the outcomes we target.
Self-managed, plan-managed, and agency-managed — does it matter?
It can. Different plan management types affect how providers can invoice and how services are booked.
If you’re not sure what type you have, check your plan or ask your Support Coordinator/Plan Manager. Once we know your plan type, we can confirm the simplest way to get started.
Next steps
If you’d like to explore whether the Minecraft Social Skills Program is a good fit, the easiest first step is a short consult. We’ll talk through:
Your young person’s strengths and current challenges
Your NDIS goals (or what you’d like them to be)
Whether Minecraft-based coaching is the right starting point, or whether another option would suit better
If you’re ready, get in touch and we’ll help you map out a practical plan forward.
