A sex worker who claims to receive around $60,000 in NDIS funding has also received $130,000 from a local council to build an organization to help others in the industry.
Estelle Lucas, 33, from Melbourne, who uses they pronouns, receives funding from the national disability scheme for a range of mental health conditions, including depression, ADHD, autism and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Lucas shared a series of YouTube videos in December and January this year, giving other “disabled or neurodivergent” people advice on what they should say to successfully apply for NDIS funding.
In June last year, the 33-year-old set up an organization called Bigger Sister Channel which was awarded a $130,000 grant as part of Melbourne City Council’s Social Investment Partnerships 2023-25 program.
Lucas’ organization provides sex workers with basic tools on how to manage their finances and realize their labor rights in the industry.
Estelle Lucas, 33, from Melbourne, who uses they/them pronouns, receives funding from the national disability scheme for a range of mental health conditions including depression, ADHD, autism and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Bigger Sister Channel also offers workshops and advice on a variety of topics relevant to sex workers.
Before launching the organization, Lucas was awarded the Kenneth Myer Innovation Grant in 2022, where recipients receive up to $180,000 each.
The scholarship is offered by the philanthropic Sidney Meyer Fund and The Myer Foundation.
Grant recipients receive up to $180,000 “to focus on approaches that have the potential to achieve positive outcomes for society.”
“Each fellow has up to $180,000 available for his or her 12-month fellowship, which includes a stipend of $140,000 and up to $40,000 for approved project expenses,” the foundation’s website explains.
‘Project expenses are those directly related to the scholarship from its inception, such as renting a separate workspace (if required), travel and hiring external experts, and are available on a reimbursement basis.
“During the 12 months, fellows have access to a variety of supports including an expert panel that meets quarterly, a mentor, and the network of previous fellows.”
Lucas said they were able to launch Bigger Sister Channel with the financial support of the scholarship.
His organization also now has a $130,000 grant from Melbourne City Council.
The money will go toward a “tailored financial education program” to help “economically empower sex workers.”
“This will include developing material (online videos, workshops, podcasts, multimedia content) and conducting weekly skills sharing sessions,” according to a council document seen by Daily Mail Australia.
‘In addition, BSC will partner with relevant financial organizations and government bodies to make its services accessible to sex workers.
“By solving financial problems, delivering real solutions, building capacity and challenging stigma through collaboration, this project will create lasting positive change for the City of Melbourne (CoM) and beyond.”
All grant applications are carefully assessed against eligibility requirements and recipients are required to provide regular updates to the council.
The Myer Foundation has been contacted for comment.
Lucas has regularly spoken out about her battles with mental health and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder causes severe irritability, depression, or anxiety in women one to two weeks before their period.
In June last year, the 33-year-old set up an organization called Bigger Sister Channel which was awarded a $130,000 grant as part of Melbourne City Council’s Social Investment Partnerships 2023-25 program.
They shared a three-part video series on the Bigger Sister Channel YouTube account explaining what people with similar disabilities, including other sex workers, needed to do to successfully apply for NDIS funding.
“For a psychosocial disability like mine, that’s $60,000 that you don’t have to work to survive because that’s what I used to pay to help around the house and just be a functional human being,” they said.
Just a few months after posting the video, Lucas claimed they could earn up to $10,000 a week from sex work. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting they earn that amount every week.
The NDIS is not means tested and does not take into account your income or assets (such as your home or investments) when determining eligibility.
Lucas recently said they did not tolerate or support any fraudulent behavior around the NDIS and Daily Mail Australia does not suggest otherwise.
“It’s not easy to fake an invisible illness and the level of evidence required often means that many people with invisible illnesses have more, not less, difficulty accessing the NDIS,” they wrote in an Instagram post on Sunday.
‘I made the video because I know there are many people living with disabilities who engage in sex work because they don’t know the disability support options available to them and because being disabled is expensive.
‘This video was not intended to educate on fraud and I firmly believe that even if one wanted to, my ideas simply could not be used to fraudulently access the NDIS. It just wouldn’t be possible.’
In their videos, Lucas explained that it took them 15 years to discover they were disabled, having suffered from mental health issues since they were teenagers.
She shared what kind of “buzzwords” people should use to access funding if they have a psychosocial disability.
The NDIS said it can fund people with psychosocial disabilities by improving their functional ability to carry out everyday tasks, increasing their independence and helping them participate in social, work and study life.
Psychosocial disabilities refer to disabilities that arise from mental health problems.
Lucas said they receive around $60,000 in NDIS funding.
In his videos, Lucas walked potential applicants through a series of questions they would have to answer to demonstrate that their lives were significantly affected.
‘The purpose of this video is to educate you on what the NDIS is to help you unravel perhaps some of the internalized ableist rhetoric that is in your mind that makes you feel like you are not worthy of accessing this service or that you don’t . deserve it and also to demystify the process.
Lucas said they receive about $100 a week toward travel expenses since they sometimes can’t drive or use public transportation.
They said they also used some of their NDIS funds to pay their brother to do some landscaping around their house.
Lucas gave advice on what kind of information those requesting information would be asked and what they should say in response.
This included the need to meet criteria on topics such as self-care, mobility, learning, socialization and communication.
Those applying for NDIS funding who have psychosocial disabilities must provide statements from doctors indicating there are no treatment options.
Lucas shared a three-part video series on YouTube explaining their mental health conditions and why they were able to access the NDIS.
Lucas said they wrote their own letter of support with the “right buzzwords” for their doctors to review and sign “because I know my own story.”
The 33-year-old said his daily life was affected by his own “invisible illnesses” and there were often days when he couldn’t get out of bed.
They said people often associated a disability with something physical that could be seen, but added that there were many “invisible illnesses” that were “as devastatingly difficult to live with as, for example, not being able to move your legs.”
Lucas has accessed NDIS funding since 2022.
‘I didn’t see myself as a disabled person. I refused to be sick but at great cost to my health too,’ they said in a video.
‘When I go behind closed doors I break down, it hurts a lot and I have hurt myself in many ways. It took me more than 15 years to accept that I was disabled.’
Lucas explained that they did not immediately seek support from the NDIS because they “didn’t feel worthy” and did not want to “steal” from others who needed it.
They said they were making a lot of money and didn’t think it was an option for them.
The sex worker said she fully qualified for NDIS funding as part of having a psychosocial disability.
“You don’t have to prove that you’re poor, you don’t have to prove that you’re worthy of this, you just have to prove that you’re disabled and that it hurts your everyday life.” —said Lucas.
‘I didn’t want to steal from people who deserved it more because they couldn’t work, unlike me, who could and earned a lot of money.
“What really sold me on the NDIS was the fact that I thought: what if I don’t want to work in this industry anymore and I would be forced to have sex with men even if I didn’t want to, and that made me feel very uncomfortable?
And that’s what made me realize that I deserve help.
“These are not leaflets like I fully qualify for this and I know there are many (sex) workers who fully qualify for the NDIS and they just haven’t figured out how to start the process.”
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Lucas for further comment.
