Jones dedicated nearly twenty years to the telecommunications and IT industries in New Zealand, where he successfully led business operations, fostered strategic growth, and enhanced team performance and daily processes. Upon relocating to Australia to manage and expand Ability to Achieve from a business operations standpoint, he anticipated a corporate turnaround initiative. However, he was unprepared for the profound impact this work would have on his life-or for the realization that his lack of familiarity with the disability sector would become one of his greatest advantages.
The Advantage of Being an Outsider
Jones entered the realm of disability services without any background knowledge-lacking familiarity with intricate clinical terminology, therapy protocols, occupational therapy frameworks, or behavior support plans. Initially, this seemed like a considerable hurdle. Yet, he quickly recognized that this was exactly what many families required.
"Numerous families struggle to comprehend the system as well-the therapy jargon, behavior support plans, OT language," Jones explains. "Coming from outside the field, I can relate to them from that same viewpoint. I can simplify complex processes into terms that everyday families can grasp. However, our primary focus is always on what truly matters: achieving real outcomes for real individuals, not merely completing paperwork."
This outsider perspective has influenced the operational approach of Ability to Achieve. While clinical expertise is crucial behind the scenes, the organization emphasizes making support accessible, comprehensible, and, most importantly, effective in enhancing participants' daily lives.
What Support Work Actually Looks Like
While public discussions about the National Disability Insurance Scheme often revolve around costs and controversies, Jones observes something entirely different occurring on a daily basis: lives being fundamentally altered through consistent, patient, and skilled support work.
A standard shift for Ability to Achieve's community support workers encompasses much more than mere supervision. Workers assist in achieving participant goals through what Jones describes as "building blocks"-helping individuals apply for university, obtain identification documents, practice using public transport independently, or gain confidence in social situations. They ensure safety for participants, staff, and the wider community while thoroughly understanding behavior support plans and anticipating potential challenges, often four to five steps ahead.
"Support workers are thinking four to five steps ahead every shift," Jones states. "They're not just managing the present moment-they're working towards long-term independence. This type of work demands constant vigilance, deep commitment, and genuine care. These are the unsung heroes engaged in profoundly transformative efforts."
Lives Changed: The Stories Behind the Statistics
Jones has observed transformations that counteract negative perceptions of the NDIS. While safeguarding participant privacy, he shares the extent of change that Ability to Achieve has facilitated:
A participant who previously spent 365 days a year in the hospital now lives independently.
An individual struggling with severe addiction has been drug-free for three months and counting.
A person who had not left their home for months now confidently engages with others, explores Bondi cafes, and actively participates in the community.
Several participants have transitioned from requiring one-on-one care to shared supported living.
One individual has successfully transitioned completely off the NDIS after three years of consistent progress.
"We've assisted individuals in moving from round-the-clock care to independence, from daily hospitalization to stable community living, and from severe addiction to sustained recovery," Jones remarks. "These are not isolated incidents-this is what occurs when support is consistent, compassionate, and focused on genuine outcomes. Every Australian knows someone with a disability-whether they realize it or not. It's time that the success stories receive equal attention alongside the controversies."
Reframing the NDIS Narrative
Jones believes that the public perception of the NDIS remains mixed. Those lacking lived experience often see it as a financial burden or a mismanaged taxpayer system, while families who depend on it witness firsthand how life-changing it can be.
"The NDIS is functioning. Lives are being transformed every day across this nation," he emphasizes. "Certainly, the system requires ongoing adjustments-that's true for any large-scale program. But the outcomes are evident when providers are dedicated to real transformation rather than merely ticking boxes."
He points out that Australia's structured disability support system helps prevent issues seen in other countries, such as the homelessness crises and tent cities observed in parts of the United States. While New Zealand has a stronger cultural perception of disability support, Australia's NDIS framework-though still relatively new-is well-structured as an insurance scheme and is steadily improving.
A Culture Where Vision Is Lived, Not Just Written
What perhaps sets Jones's approach apart is his commitment to remaining engaged and hands-on, despite holding the title of CEO. He actively participates with participants and engages with operational realities, ensuring that Ability to Achieve's culture reflects its values in practice, not just in policy documents.
"Our aim is to continue growing while avoiding over-corporatization or losing sight of what truly matters," Jones states. "We will remain participant-centered, grounded, and driven by heart. Everyone who becomes part of Ability to Achieve must embody this vision-not just recite it-because that is the only way real transformation occurs. We all need to be on the same page."
This dedication to maintaining a personal, non-corporate culture while serving over 200 participants illustrates Jones's belief that scale and genuine care can coexist.
Looking Ahead
As Australia continues to discuss and refine the NDIS, voices like Jones's provide essential insight: the system, when executed with dedication and compassion, produces outcomes that dramatically change lives. His transition from corporate IT leader to passionate advocate for disability care illustrates that fresh perspectives-unencumbered by "how things have always been done"-can foster meaningful innovation in the delivery of support.
For Jones, this work has become profoundly personal. The "business leadership challenge" that initially drew him to Ability to Achieve has transformed into a mission to ensure that participants have access to the same choices, dignity, and opportunities that most Australians take for granted.
"Every individual deserves the opportunity to create the life they desire," Jones reflects. "Support workers play a crucial role in making that possible-one shift, one conversation, one small victory at a time. That is the narrative that deserves to be shared."
About Ability to Achieve
Ability to Achieve is a disability support provider serving over 200 participants across Sydney, Canberra, and Wollongong. Under the leadership of CEO Michael Jones, the organization emphasizes real-world outcomes, compassionate care, and long-term participant independence. Through community support workers dedicated to consistent and patient guidance, Ability to Achieve assists participants in overcoming challenges ranging from addiction and social isolation to complex behavioral needs, with many achieving full independence. The organization upholds a participant-centered, non-corporate culture that prioritizes lived values over paperwork.
For more information, visit https://abilitytoachieve.com.au/
