What I look for in a support worker
Finding the right support worker is about making sure someone is the right fit. Here, three InLife clients, Liz Spurdle, Cameron Davies and Lyn Amenta share what they look for in support workers.
Liz Spurdle (Geelong): “My support workers, I love them. I have a really good group.”
- Sincerity is important: I want someone who is sincere about wanting to do the job and not just in it for money. I can tell if people are genuine by what they’re saying.
- It’s not just about the resume: I believe in meeting the person and talking to them and seeing what they have done and where they have been.
- Humour goes a long way: I want someone who has a good sense of humour and lets me get on with life and do what I want to do.
- Common interests: I want someone who can have a laugh and watch a movie I like. And someone who can cook because I like cooking.
- Dog friendly: They have got to love animals or they don’t get a foot in the door because of my dog Jedi. They meet him (my dog) and I can get a sense of whether it’s going to work or not.
Cameron Davies (Melbourne): “I’m looking for someone who will support my abilities rather than focus on my disabilities”.
- The right attitude: Show good humour and be open to different activities.
- Common interests: I like to go to art shows and things, it’s great if they match with my interests and we can talk about things.
- Learning together: I have been doing a podcast for two years with one of my support workers and we have actually been able to build our skills together. We share similar abilities and values - we’ve come a long way.
- Problem solvers: They don’t sit around and say you can’t do that, instead they say we are going to do this first and make it happen.”
Lyn Amenta (Regional Victoria: "I have been so lucky with my assistants, everyone’s been pretty good."
- Genuine: I like someone who is ‘what you see is what you get’.
- Caring: You don’t come in just to do a job, I like someone who’s caring and really thinks about the person.
- The little things count: You want someone who will make a cup of tea or ask if you want something cooked for you or something special washed.
- Respectful: They are coming into your surroundings so they have got to be respectful of your home and the things in it.
- Ready to join in: They are happy to go out and do what I do. Recently we went to the Elvis exhibition in Bendigo which was really enjoyable.
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