The videos below represent the experiences of both disability support workers and people with disability who use support workers. The people interviewed represent a variety of different perspectives, including time spent in the role, the kind of support provided based on people’s individual disabilities and support needs and include those who live independently, in shared accommodation and within a family home. They were invited to explain what disability support work is, what they find valuable about the work and what difference having support can make in someone’s life.
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Check out the following links for even more reasons to become a disability support worker:
https://thinksupport.org.au/more-than-care/
https://www.yourcareer.gov.au/resources/articles/carers-week-2024-make-living-making-difference
Irshad Haidari
"When you do this work, you have a profound impact on someone’s life."
A disability support worker with Cara (Community Accommodation and Respite Agency), Irshad Haidari completed his traineeship with Open Colleges School of Health in 2020.
Born in Pakistan, Irshad arrived in Australia in 2017 at the age of 20, when his father, who had migrated to the country a decade earlier, sponsored his Mum and four brothers to join him.
Irshad works as part of a supported independent living team at Cara, providing in-home support to non-verbal individuals. Irshad provides support in all areas of life—including mealtime management, personal care, aqua therapy, community support and inclusion. “When you do this work, you have a profound impact on someone’s life. You are a trusted person in their lives, and you help them to become more independent and confident in their abilities,” says Irshad.
“My Certificate III qualification is just the beginning of my career working alongside people with disability,” says Irshad. “I would like to keep training, do my Certificate IV, and one day become an advocate for people with disability and their families, especially people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds like me, and people who have complex communication needs.”
Irshad was a finalist for the Australian Trainee of the Year Award at the 2021 Australian Training Awards.
https://www.yourcareer.gov.au/learn-and-train/australian-vet-alumni/alumni/irshad-haidari