What Is Disability Mentoring? A Guide to This Empowering NDIS Support Option -

Mentor and mentee walking and talking together

Quick answer: Disability mentoring is an NDIS support focused on confidence, connection, and capability. Unlike therapy (which is clinical) or standard support work (which is task-focused), mentoring is a partnership — a mentor walks beside you to help build skills, set goals, and navigate life on your own terms. It’s typically funded under Capacity Building in an NDIS plan.

Disability mentoring is a type of NDIS support that focuses on confidence, connection, and capability. Where therapy is clinical and standard support work is task-focused, mentoring is about partnership. Your mentor walks beside you, encourages you, and helps you build the skills and mindset to move forward.

Mentoring is about walking beside, not above

A disability mentor is not there to take over or direct your life. They’re there to help you work toward your own goals in a way that feels guided, supportive, and genuinely empowering.

What does a disability mentor do?

At Heartfelt Support, our mentors support participants in many different ways depending on what each person wants to achieve. That might include:

Helping someone set goals and track their progress
Encouraging independent decision-making
Supporting people to take on new challenges
Providing a sounding board for emotional wellbeing
Assisting with problem-solving or planning
Helping someone connect socially or try new things

A mentor might meet with someone weekly, fortnightly, or as needed. It’s flexible, person-led, and always focused on growing together.

How mentoring differs from therapy or support work

Support Work	Mentoring	Therapy
Helps you complete daily tasks	Helps you build confidence and direction	Helps you address clinical or psychological issues
Often task-focused (e.g. shopping, transport)	More about connection and growth	Delivered by qualified clinicians
Can be ongoing or short-term	Often goal-oriented and time-limited	Structured sessions, usually funded under therapy

Many people choose mentoring alongside other supports, including therapy and daily assistance. The approaches complement each other well.

Mentoring with a twist: horses, art, and connection

At Heartfelt Support, we believe mentoring should be engaging and enjoyable. Some of our most popular mentoring sessions happen outside the usual four walls, and often include a creative or animal-assisted element.

Some participants choose:

Horse-Centred Wellbeing — mentoring sessions that include caring for and interacting with horses
Art and Music Mentoring — using creative activities to build trust and explore feelings
Mentoring through outings, coffee catch-ups, or short bushwalks
Practical mentoring around budgeting, socialising, or goal-setting

We co-design the experience with you. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach.

“I didn’t need therapy — I just needed someone in my corner. My mentor helped me set up my days, talk through the hard stuff, and actually believe I could take steps again.”
Participant, age 39

Is disability mentoring covered by the NDIS?

Yes — depending on your goals and how your plan is set up, mentoring may be funded under several NDIS line items, including:

Capacity Building — Development of Daily Living and Life Skills (Line item: 15_037_0117_1_3)
Core — Assistance with Social and Community Participation (Line item: 04_104_0125_6_1)

Mentoring may also be delivered as part of psychosocial recovery coaching, depending on your individual support plan. Not sure what’s included in yours? We’re happy to help you figure it out.

Who is mentoring for?

Mentoring can be a great fit for people who:

Feel stuck or need a push in the right direction
Want emotional support but don’t need formal therapy
Are working on goals like getting a job, trying new things, or becoming more independent
Prefer informal, friendly conversations over clinical sessions
Want a supportive relationship without judgment

We offer mentoring for teens, young adults, and older adults, and we adjust the style and structure to suit your preferences.

If you’re looking for something that’s more than task support but less formal than therapy, mentoring might be exactly what you need. Learn more about our Horse-Centred Wellbeing sessions or browse our other support services.