We love that our Support Workers are ambitious to develop their careers in disability care.
Over the Summer break, we asked our staff about their New Year’s Resolutions for 2020.
Family, friends and wellbeing were important of course, but so were opportunities to focus on developing career skills, knowledge and experience.
Assured Support Worker Nikki has a goal to take on further work creating and planning inclusive social community events for people to “get out, have fun and meet new people and make friends.”
Last year, Nikki completed a diploma in event management, which she believes is a perfect fit with her work in aged and disability care.
“As part of my course, I took part in volunteer placements for both corporate and community events. I found I really enjoyed the community events much more, particularly given my current work in community service.”
Returning to formal study in event management was a natural move for Nikki, as she has always enjoyed organising events for family and friends and fundraising for charities.
“Most recently, I was involved with my daughter (who shaved her head) fundraising for the Leukemia Foundation. It is the second year that I’ve been involved.”
COVID-19 has put a temporary halt to Nikki’s event management ambitions, but she is hopeful that things will get back on track soon.
“Contributing to the community is important to me,” she says.
“I fell into support work almost accidentally 7 years ago, but I found it really suited me when I started my traineeship with Assured.”
“As a Support Worker, I get a lot of satisfaction, and fulfilment, out of making a difference for people.”
Support Worker Karen wants to ‘ace my Cert IV studies [in Disability] and work towards moving up in my field.”
Karen was looking for a career change when she emigrated to Australia in 20XX.
She had heard positive things about Assured as an employer and believed that the company had good values, so she decided to apply directly.
Fast forward a year and a half, and Karen is now partway through her studies, which she is managing between work commitments with Assured, and family. While she wants to move up in the field, Karen “wants to continue to work closely with people.”
“I love the excitement of it, the challenge and the thrill of feeling that you are getting something right at the end of the day; that you are making such a difference for people,” she says.
“It’s phenomenal to see what an impact you can have.”
“With some clients, particularly those suffering from mental health issues, changeable moods and not knowing what to expect each day can sometimes have its toll.”
“You know it’s the mental illness and not the person that’s the issue, however,” she says.
Supporting a client through a recent psychotic episode has been a highlight for Karen.
“To know that you’ve gained their trust, and to have that person listening to you…. understanding that they are heard and valued; there’s really nothing more rewarding,” she says.
Karen laughs as she recalls receiving the highest compliment of all from a mother who had been observing her work very closely; that of being an “[expletive] awesome worker.”
