What Makes a Good Support Worker?

The job of being a support worker is rewarding and flexible. No two days are the same and the opportunity to make a difference in a participant's life makes it even more fulfilling.

But not everyone is selected for the support function. A special person is needed. So, what are the superior qualities that such a special person should have?

● Patient

A good NDIS support worker is patient and supportive and has a desire to help participants live a better life of support by always encouraging and helping them. However, empowering participants with independent skills can take time.

Simple tasks can take a long time and cause frustration for the participant. Sometimes participants forget what they have learned and need to be taught again.

A good supportive staff member knows how important independence is to the happiness of participants and will handle each situation peacefully and without resentment.

● Good and Encouraging

When it comes to being a good supporter, there is no room for any ‘full glass’ personality. It’s all about beautiful movies.

One of the most important roles of a NDIS support worker is to build participant confidence and self-esteem. By encouraging and motivating their participants, the support staff helps them try things they may not have done before.

Giving participants this sense of confidence gives them more opportunities to participate in community and community activities, which is of great benefit to them.

● Honest and Trustworthy

The support staff works very closely with the participants and is involved in all aspects of their lives. They may have to deal with participants' confidential information including their finances.

Support staff may be required to assist participants with personal care and hygiene, such as dressing, bathing, and toilet.

As a supportive profession honesty is essential to building strong and lasting relationships where participants can rely on them and know that they have their best interests at heart.

● Someone who speaks well

Working with participants with different needs and health issues means that support staff needs to have good communication skills. The good support staff will be able to understand and communicate with participants so they can always feel in control. Through effective communication, they can help alleviate any stress, confusion, or frustration a participant may experience in certain situations.

As an effective communicator, a supportive employee can act as a voice on behalf of his / her participant when communicating with others.

● Empathy

Empathy is the key to being a support worker. By putting themselves in the shoes of a participant the support worker can better understand the needs of the participant. They may think about how they would feel in certain situations or how they would react.

It is the same situation for support staff working with participants with varying degrees of movement, communication, or sensitivity.

Sympathetic support staff builds a strong and trustworthy relationship between the support staff and the participant.

● Flexible

As a support function, no two days are the same. The needs and requirements of the participants can change constantly and be able to adapt to what is important.

A good support worker can expect the unexpected and handle any obstacles or challenges calmly and effectively and work with the participant for best results.

Flexible support staff remain calm under pressure and, as a result, provide reassurance to their participants that everything will be fine.

If you think you have what it takes to be a support worker, check out your career options today. There has never been a better time to jump into this rewarding and satisfying work.