Between the start of your role to now, how did you go about moving and progressing?

What was involved in changing roles?

I worked hard and tirelessly in building a strong rapport with stakeholders, managers, and my team. I believed that the best way to keep moving forward, was not so much doing it on my own, but by building strong relationships with the people I worked with.

Did you have to do anything in particular?

I believed in strong team morale and valued each and every person in my team.

Why did you initially become a support worker?

I initially became a support worker because I believe in the greater good. I myself, belong to a minority group and what liberated me the most was the support I got from those, and sometimes strangers around me. Given my experiences in life, I grew a strong attraction to the NDIS as I stood and, continue to, stand by and uphold the standards of the NDIS commission.

I believe that each and every single one of us deserves to be respected and treated with dignity, regardless of who we are and where we come from. I wanted to become involved in supporting others to be the best possible versions of themselves. The only way to truly make an impactful difference is to become involved.

Furthermore, I believe in the liberation of communities, and the only way we can liberate each other is not only to share a common goal but to work together to achieve it.

When you were a Support Worker, how would you go about supporting participants? What would an average day look like for you?

Always listening to what the person I was supporting needed and never failing to put them first.

I always read the customer support plan and the previous record of care notes to not only understand the client, but also prepare myself for what I will be/may be walking into. I never worked outside my scope and always ensured I worked according to the NDIS quality and safeguards commissions’ standards.

What makes you happy about your current role?

It gives me great joy to be able to support HCA’s workforce in the advancement of their careers. I thoroughly enjoy building on their experience and knowledge to ultimately provide safer, better and more effective practice as per the NDIS practice standards.

There is no better feeling than leaving work at the end of the day knowing that I am evenly contributing to the goals and vision of HCA, their customers, and their workforce. It is extremely liberating, and as a Learning and development coordinator that should always be the goal!

Can you explain a time when you felt you were really contributing positively to a customer’s life?

It is hard for me to give a particular example because it was every day.  Each time I confirmed a shift, showed up to a shift, supported a client and put a smile on their face. I not only felt it, but I knew I was positively contributing to their lives, their independence, and to the NDIS community.

If you had one hint or piece of information you could pass on to someone just starting their career as a support worker, what would it be?

Always be open and willing to pick up shorter shifts. It is the only way to not only build on your experience, but it is also the best way to get to know your client and yourself.

You get to learn and know the multitude of customers who require NDIS support, and it is the fastest way to build up your NDIS knowledge, which is extremely attractive in this industry/ line of work.