- Support people with disability to know their rights and to make their own decisions
What is disability support work
What do disability support workers do?
A disability support worker supports a person with a disability to reach their goals, engage with the community and meet their support needs.
A disability support worker focuses and supports the individual needs of the person from a community inclusion, independence, decision making and personal choice perspective.
What does a disability support worker’s job involve?
So much more than a job!
Disability support workers are closely involved in the day-to-day life of the person they support. They provide essential support so people with disability can:
- Participate in recreational or sporting clubs
- Attend sporting and cultural events
- Access community facilities such as parks, shopping centres, cinemas, restaurants and other services.
- Find and maintain employment
- Develop and operate their own small business
- Assistance to maintain their home and tenancy
- Support people with disability to develop and maintain their independence at home
- Support people with disability to perform household tasks such as menu planning and cooking
- Support people with disability with their personal care needs
- Support people with disability to maintain contact with their family, friends, advocates, and facilitate outings and other social activities.
Is disability support work for you?
Have you thought of working in the disability sector?
The introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is set to transform the disability sector and will create many exciting new career opportunities. The Australian Government predicts that the disability workforce in Western Australia is expected to need an extra 10,000 employees to keep up with the demand for NDIS jobs. (Growing the NDIS Market & Workforce 2019; Australian Government)
Are you the kind of person who has:
- Great communication skills
- A genuine interest in people
- An ability to problem-solve and be flexible
- An ability to think creatively
- Empathy to ensure you personally connect with people
- A positive attitude
- An ability to work well with others
- Punctuality and reliability.
Whilst some roles require formal qualifications, you may already have the foundation skills and values to start your career in the disability sector.
To help you decide if disability support work is for you, download the Your Skills overview from NDS.
Download PDF Download DOCXWhat skills are employers looking for in their support workers?
Do you have what it takes to fast-track your career in disability support?
Disability employers are looking for passionate and positive people, who work well with others. Employers look for these skills:
- A positive attitude.
- Strong values: anyone working in the disability sector needs to be ethical and treat people with respect.
- An understanding of disability and the disability sector. Do your research. The Care Careers website is a good place to start.
- The ability to work well with others. The disability sector is all about teamwork and working towards shared outcomes.
- Are you punctual? As a disability support worker your client relies on you so being on time for work is really important.
- Are you reliable? Your employer will create rosters and schedules to create a fair work environment and to ensure the needs of the person you are supporting are met.
- Good communication skills and the ability to listen. Listening and communication skills are particularly important when you are starting out as a disability support worker, as some aspects of the work may be new to you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek guidance if you are unsure about anything. Communication is key to growing your skills.
- Attention to detail: this is crucial and will assist you to notice the small things that are important to the person you are supporting.
- Willingness to learn new skills: the world is changing faster than it ever has before, and we all have to learn to adapt.
Useful terms for new disability support workers
Here are a few common terms and their definitions to help you understand the sector.
Get to know these terms to feel confident to talk about disability support.
Download PDF Download DOCXInclusive Language and Engagement
People with disability are diverse.
Check out some of our top tips for using inclusive language and engaging positively with people with a disability.
Download PDF DOWNLOAD DOCXCommon questions about disability support
See below for the answers to the most common queries about disability support work.
A disability support worker supports a person with a disability to reach their goals, engage with community and meet their personal care needs.
A disability support worker focuses and supports the individual needs of the person from a community inclusion, independence, decision making and personal choice perspective.
On a number of levels, disability support workers are closely involved in the day-to-day life of the person with disability they support. They provide essential support so people with disability can:
Have their say
- Support people with disability to know their rights and to make their own decisions
Be active in their community
- Participate in recreational or sporting clubs
- Attend sporting and cultural events
- Access community facilities such as parks, shopping centres, cinemas, restaurants and other services.
Be part of the workforce
- Find and maintain employment
- Develop and operate their own small business
Maintain their dignity
- Assistance to maintain their home and tenancy
- Support people with disability to develop and maintain their independence at home
Stay connected and independent
- Support people with disability to perform household tasks such as menu planning and cooking
- Support people with disability with their personal care needs
- Support people with disability to maintain contact with their family, friends, advocates, and facilitate outings and other social activities.
Not all employers require a disability support worker to have formal qualifications, many provide initial training when you start and on the job training thereafter.
Job applicants with a Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) will be highly regarded.
Working Hours
Flexible working hours are available which includes weekdays, evenings, overnights and weekends, or a combination of these. Options also include full-time, part-time and casual work.
Pay
Salary rates and levels vary across organisations and depend on the nature and level of work. After-hours and weekend work usually attracts higher penalty rates.
Traineeships
You may be eligible for a traineeship through your employer, which means that you can complete a qualification whilst working and getting paid. Pre-traineeships are also available and are designed to give you experience working as a disability support worker.
- You can travel with you work
- It is flexible around you
- It is an opportunity to bring your individuality to work
- You can work part-time which suits TAFE and University studies
- There are a lot of career pathways and opportunities in the disability sector
- There are ongoing training and development opportunities
- Get job satisfaction, security and stability.
Working in the disability sector opens doors to a range of job options, find out more about the opportunities by downloading the NDS Disability support career pathway map.
Visit Jobs in WA Disability Services to register your interest in seeking work in the disability sector or contact your local Jobs and Skills Centre.
Getting involved
Where do I start?
Interested in a career in disability support work? Then you’re in the right place.
The disability sector is one of the fastest-growing industries in Australia. Why not consider a role supporting people with disability. Work in a sector where you can make a difference to the lives of people with disability and the communities in which we live.
Employment checklist
A checklist to consider
The following checklist might be helpful for you to understand the qualifications and requirements of disability support work and can assist you in gaining entry into the disability sector.
- You are an Australian citizen, a permanent resident or have the right to work in Australia for at least 12 months
- First Aid Certificate: invaluable and essential for most entry-level roles
- Driver’s Licence: not all employers will require a driver’s licence but for many disability support workers, it is a necessity
- Qualifications: not all employers will require qualifications for an entry-level position, but a Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) would be highly regarded
- Working With Children Check: employers will require you to undergo a Working With Children Check if you are supporting young people with a disability
- NDIS Worker Screening Check: a NDIS Worker Screening Check will be required for most positions
- Worker Orientation Module: Quality, Safety and You. This module explains the NDIS Code of Conduct obligations and will assist you to understand how to support people with disability. This is a mandatory requirement for anyone entering the disability sector
Yes, it’s for me.
How do I apply?
Visit Jobs in WA Disability Services to register your interest in seeking work in the disability sector or contact your local Jobs and Skills Centre.
Job application tips and help
To help you in your journey towards employment in the disability sector, check out our useful guide which includes:
- Tips for writing a good resume
- Essential things to include in your resume
- Tips for writing your cover letter
- A resume checklist
- Interview techniques
For more information and resources visit Jobs & Skills WA website.
Download PDF Download DOCXEntry level training
While a training certification is not essential for employment as a disability support worker, it is highly regarded by many potential employers.
Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) is the recommended entry-level course for people who are interested in undertaking training for a career in disability support. More information about this course and other training options is available on the Australian Government’s My Skills website.
School-based traineeships
Still at school and interested in a career as a disability support worker?
A school-based traineeship in disability support work is a great way to gain real-world experience while working toward a nationally recognised qualification, all while completing secondary school studies. Watch Stacey’s Story on School Based Traineeships in Disability Support Work.
Resources
See below for some useful links to help kick start your career in the disability services sector.
The NDIS Worker Orientation Module Quality, Safety and You explains the NDIS Code of Conduct and explains how to support people with disability. This module is a mandatory requirement for anyone entering the disability services sector. You can view the module online on the NDIS Commission website.
Looking for more information about careers, training or employment advice? Jobs and Skills Centres are your one-stop destination! To find your closest centre visit the Jobs & Skills WA website.
The Australian Government’s My Skills website provides detailed training information, including entry-level qualifications for disability support.
NDS Online
National Disability Services is the peak body for
non-government disability services in Australia, representing 1200 non-government disability support service providers.
For more information about NDS and the organisations it works with visit www.nds.org.au.