A smiling young man and a smiling young girl sitting outdoors on the grass, with trees in the background. The girl is wearing sunglasses and a sun hat, holding an open book, while the young man is kneeling beside her, dressed in casual outdoor clothing.

You deserve to be supported by someone who gets you.

What makes a good GREAT support worker?

What is support work?

Support work can help you with things that you may not be able to do by yourself. Support workers are there to help you live your life more independently by providing physical and emotional support.

They can help you with things like

  • Showering and dressing

  • Housekeeping and cleaning

  • Grocery shopping and cooking

  • Attending events or being in the community

  • Getting to and from an appointment

If you need help with any of these things, you might be able to get support work through your NDIS plan. You can check in your NDIS plan under ‘Core Supports’. Funds under this category can be used for support workers.

What makes a great support worker?

After years of providing support to customers, we’ve learnt that great support workers share many traits. Here’s some things you should be looking for when hiring a support worker:

  • Empathetic - do they listen and understand how you feel?

  • Reliable - are they where they need to be on time and ready to support you?

  • Patient - do they stay calm or become frustrated when things get tough?

  • Positive - do they remain optimistic in the face of challenges?

  • Trustworthy - Are they honest with you and do they maintain your privacy?

The NDIS is all about choice and control, so you have the right to choose the support worker that you like! What’s more, you have the right to change support workers if you decide they’re no longer a good fit for you.

What you should ask a potential support worker.

You’re probably going to spend quite a bit of time with your support worker, so it’s important that you get to know them. Most of the time, you will have a meet and greet with your potential support worker. This is a great opportunity to ask them plenty of questions!

Some questions you might ask:

  • How long have you been a support worker

  • What training have you completed?

  • What made you decide to be a support worker?

  • What are some of your interests and hobbies? (do you like music? sport? art?)

Don’t be shy! This is a great way to gauge whether they are the right fit for you!