Cooking Up Confidence and Independence

At Barossa Home & Community Options, our Supported Independent Living (SIL) supports are tailored around each participant, to develop the practical skills and confidence they need to live as independently as possible while working towards their individual NDIS goals.

Everyday activities provide meaningful opportunities to build capacity, develop daily living skills and exercise greater choice and control. Meal planning, grocery shopping and food preparation are practical life skills that promote independence, healthy routines and active participation in everyday life.

Recently, one of our Supported Independent Living participants prepared homemade lasagne from start to finish with support from our team. The experience began at home by planning the meal and writing a shopping list before heading to the supermarket to purchase the ingredients. Along the way, they practiced making informed choices, managing a shopping list and navigating the community with confidence.

Back at home, they prepared the lasagne before learning how to portion it into individual containers, correctly label each serve and safely freeze the meals for convenient "heat and eat" options throughout the week. Through this process, valuable skills in meal preparation and food safety were developed along with planning ahead—skills that support greater independence in everyday life.

Building Capacity Through Everyday Living

Supported Independent Living is more than providing assistance—it's about supporting participants to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to achieve their goals and increase their independence.

Activities like meal preparation help participants to:

• Develop meal planning, shopping and budgeting skills.

• Build confidence making everyday decisions.

• Learn safe food preparation, storage and labelling practices.

• Strengthen organisation and time management.

• Establish healthy routines that support wellbeing.

• Increase independence in managing everyday household tasks.

Practicing these skills in real-life situations helps participants build capacity, gain confidence and become more independent both at home and in the community.

Supporting Individual Goals

Every participant has their own goals, strengths and aspirations. Our supports are person-centred.

At Barossa Home & Community Options, we believe every new skill is another step towards greater independence. Whether it's planning meals or managing everyday household tasks, we support participants to achieve their goals and live the life they choose.