If you are searching for a meaningful and rewarding career that allows you to make a positive difference in someone’s life every day, consider working as a disability support worker.

As a disability support worker, your job is to assist people with disabilities and help them perform regular day-to-day tasks. In doing so, their lives get a little bit easier, and they can live their best life.

If you find the prospect of becoming a disability support worker appealing, here are 6 tips to help you prepare and become one.

1. Work with empathy

While being a disability support worker is inherently rewarding, it also requires you to practise empathy as it is the best way to understand your client. By putting yourself in their shoes, you will realise their inner struggles, aside from their physical limitations.

You will also be a more effective and efficient worker who can anticipate their needs and offer the right kind of assistance.

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2. Master the art of stress management

Like any profession, being a disability support worker comes with challenges. You will need to be patient and understanding, and be able to handle stress. Keep in mind that there will be days when you are likely to feel overwhelmed and not up to the task.

For that reason, it is essential to learn effective stress management techniques that will not only help you make it through the day but also ensure you are able to deliver your best to each client.

3. Check if you have the passion needed for the job

It takes more than simply having the academic qualifications to survive and thrive in this industry. Care work requires one to be passionate about the job.

If you are passionate, you will be a driven and inspired disability support worker who finds enjoyment and fulfilment in this career.

4. Know how to navigate personal relationships

As a disability support worker, you will be helping your clients with their day-to-day needs, and they will also count on you to help them with their family relationships and social interactions.

Some clients may even have strained family relations and are struggling to communicate with the significant people in their lives. This is where your expertise in personal relations comes in handy as your clients may need your support in facilitating communication and navigating their social network.

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5. Be an optimistic cheerleader

Being a happy person can take you a long way in your career as a disability support worker. Some people with disabilities experience mood swings, anxiety or depression, so knowing someone is there to uplift them can make a huge difference.

Your optimism can also rub off on your clients as you help them strive to achieve their personal goals. It could be something as simple as ordering their food, enrolling in a course or joining a book club. Your positive can-do attitude can help enrich their lives.

6. Get the right qualifications

Obtaining Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) or similar professional certification is the best way to learn the practical skills required for the job and kickstart your career as a disability support worker.

Knowing you have the nationally accredited qualifications to do your work efficiently will also boost your confidence in providing professional care for your clients.

Get started on a fulfilling career

Working as a disability support worker is not just a career or profession – it’s a meaningful and compassionate way of helping others.

By working with your clients purposefully, you will find that you are not just making their lives easy but also bringing them back the hope they may have lost.

Even though being a disability support worker can be physically and emotionally demanding at times, but at the end of the day, you will be one of the few people who can say they are making a real difference in other people’s lives.

For more information on becoming a disability support worker, get in touch with the team at Centacare Employment and Training. Our team can walk you through training options that will kickstart your new career.