Read True Stories about the daily tasks of Frontline Support, Frontline Professions, Corporate/Management, Administration, Transport and Facilities staff.
If you're new to the sector or considering a career change, read these personal stories from people already employed to see whether a career in disability and community care is for you.
If you already work in the sector, why not share your story about what you do in a typical work day.
When I finished high school, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. There wasn’t a specific job or career that sto… Read the whole story
| Title | Story by | Date | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combining work and leisure – through tennis! |
|
Jeffrey Tonge
|
05 Mar 2012 | |
| My favourite part of the day |
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Connie Hyde
|
14 Nov 2011 | My favourite part of the day is when the people we support drop in to the office to say 'hi' and to chat about our day. |
| It’s all in the planning |
|
Julie Walton
|
04 Feb 2011 | I’m a Conference and Events Manager at National Disability Services (NDS) and my typical day revolves around planning for upcoming conferences and events. My role is to work through the process of event management which includes seeking suitable venues, sourcing and liaising with contractors, marketing and sponsorship, delegate registrations and onsite management. To manage this, I have a comprehensive timeline which I constantly refer to and update to ensure that I’m on track. |
| Contributing to the sector |
|
Anthony Rohr
|
22 Dec 2010 | I am the Human Resources Manager for The Mai-Wel Group and when I applied for my role I was attracted by what it offered for my career progression and the potential to use my existing experiences and skills. I also knew that what I would contribute through my role would benefit the disability sector, the community and people with disability. |
| Keeping people fit and healthy at work |
|
Craig Bellamy
|
11 Nov 2010 | I started working at The Mai-Wel Group’s Transition to Work (TTW) Program, developing training sessions for our clients, who are young people with a disability, around work related topics that helped to improve their transition from school to employment. |
| What I do behind the scenes is making a difference |
|
William Tan
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05 Nov 2010 | William contributed his story as part of Spinal Injuries Awareness Week in November 2010. |
| My experience working in a group home |
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Chris at ADHC
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22 Oct 2010 | I'm a Residential Support Worker in Kingsgrove. I work with four people (three men and one woman) who live in a group home. Two of my clients are quite high functioning while the other two have quite high support needs. The two higher needs clients both have autism and I communicate with them via a mixture of sign language and repetition of tasks. |
| To do this job you must like people and love children |
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Debbie Young
|
07 Sep 2010 | I’m a Family Support Worker Supervisor at Kurrajong Early Intervention Service (KEIS). I have a Masters in Child and Adolescent Welfare and have been in my current role for 2.5 years. Prior to this I worked as a Teacher's Aide full time at a primary school, while I studied by distance education. |
| A typical day for a physiotherapist |
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Emma Riley
|
04 Jun 2010 | During my physiotherapy training I had a placement in disability and I really enjoyed it so I decided to explore this area further by volunteering at an organisation called the Self-Help Group for Cerebral Palsy, in Kathmandu, Nepal. It was an amazing, eye opening and fulfilling experience that I intend to repeat. |
| Lawn mowing and landscaping in the Illawarra |
|
Steve Smith
|
21 May 2010 | I entered the disability sector after many years in the motor trades and heavy industry, basically doing the same thing day in and day out. I started to think that there must be more to life and a friend of mine was happily working at Illawarra Vocational Services (IVS), so I enquired with them. |
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I’ve been working in helping professions for close to 20 years and I feel very fortunate that I work in an industry where I have the opportunity to support people to achieve independence and community integration.