A little about me.

What inspired you to become a Support Coordinator?
My background is in Social Work & Social Planning and I have worked in the Disability sector for more than 8 years. In this time I have worked across multiple roles as both a Support Worker and a Support Coordinator. My first role was in Project Development as a Social Work placement student where I was working with a company to prepare for the NDIS being implemented taking over from the previous block-funded model. This role was around preparing not only the company I worked for, but also Participants and their families/carers for the NDIS. This role helped to establish the first Support Coordination program at that company. I then worked as a Support Worker at the company for 5 years. During this time I worked across Social/Community Services, Accommodation Services, Mentoring Services, Children’s Disability Services and Exceptional Needs Services. I have since been working as a Support Coordinator for 3.5 years. I love walking with people alongside them in their journey’s and building relationships with them that support them in being able to grow, develop and achieve their dreams. I believe that everyone has the right to live a fulfilling life which isn’t dependent on their Disability. I love working with people to overcome some of the hurdles that they might be facing and enjoy seeing the smiles on their faces as they achieve something that they thought might not be possible.

How long have you been working in this space, and what do you enjoy most about it?
I have been working within the Disability/NDIS space for over 8 years. My initial role within the NDIS space was supporting Participants and Carers to understand the NDIS as it was starting to be implemented for adults. I then transitioned into the role of a Support Worker as I wanted to really get a feel for working with Participants of the NDIS in a more direct way so that I could better understand their support needs and walk with them along their journeys. From here, my progression led me to eventually become a Support Coordinator which I have been doing since the beginning of 2021.

What types of support services do you specialise in or have experience with?
I am fortunate that within my role over the last 8 years I have been able to work with many different people from all walks of life. Because of that, I wouldn’t say that I specialise in any one specific area, and instead am more of a generalist when it comes to my experience. I have worked with people with Psychosocial Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, Intellectual Disabilities, ABI’s and ASD. Many of the people I have worked with have lived quite complex lives, so one area that I have found that I have experience in is working with participants who have multiple complexities within their lives. Another area that I have quite a bit of experience in is working with people who live with Degenerative Conditions where different aspect of their lives are constantly changing and we need to work together to adapt and overcome these barriers.

Can you tell me about a particularly rewarding or memorable experience you've had while assisting someone?
I think honestly within our roles it is so hard to pick just one memorable experience when there are so many memorable experiences that we are encountering on a regular basis. I think because of this, I will choose one of the more recent memorable experiences I have had that has had a significant impact on the participant and their family. I have been working with a young man since he was 15 years old who is non-verbal and has many complexities in their life. He had been living at home with him family, however this arrangement had not been working for the Participant himself and his family. Recently the young man turned 18 and I have been able to work with the Family, the Participant, the Participant’s Support Providers, the NDIA and other Non-NDIS Supports to transition the Participant into a supported living (SIL) arrangement. Not only has this been a positive move for the Participant, but it has also been a really positive change for the family whereas both are now able to live more independently. More than 3 years of work went into this eventual transition, so it is rewarding to see it work so well.

Are there any resources or programs you find interesting and beneficial for a lot of your participants?
Absolutely there is. Depending on the Participant, the resources or programs can vary quite a lot based on their needs, however there are countless resources available that can be accessed if you know where to look. I am often working with Participants around accessing resources via the NDIS website, Social Media groups and other web directories. Community Centres and Libraries are also always a great place to look when you are needing resources and often have strong links within the community. I have found that by working with Participants and their Families/Carers around where to access information, it has really helped to grow their independence and their capacity to manage their lives without as much support needed from myself. There are a number of great programs out there that are not funded by the NDIS, however can still work collaboratively with NDIS services to support Participants and their families. Some program options include the Community Connections Program, Financial Counselling, Financial Assistance and mainstream social/community programs (such as the Men’s Shed or Community Centres).

What do you believe are the most important qualities for a Support Coordinator to have?
I think there are many important qualities of a Support Coordinator, however I feel that the most important ones are knowledge, understanding, adaptiveness, initiative and resourcefulness.
Firstly, knowledge is important as without knowledge of the NDIS, Policies, Guidelines and Procedures I feel we are doing a disservice to the people we work with. It is also important to have knowledge of what services are available and what can be considered ‘Reasonable and Necessary’ to ensure that Participants are accessing the supports that they need to live a fulfilling and independent life.
Knowledge however is only part of the equation, as you also need to have an understanding of the Participants that you work with. If you start working with somebody expecting that you will be able to do everything for them, then you are setting yourself up for failure. Building a relationship with the Participants and the Families you work with is an extremely important part of the role of a Support Coordinator. Participants and their families are the experts on their lives and it is important that we get an understanding of what their needs and goals are to ensure that we are putting ourselves in the best position to support them.
Adaptiveness is also another essential quality of a Support Coordinator. The NDIS landscape and people’s lives are constantly changing, so being able to be adaptive enough to overcome these changes to ensure ongoing support and stability in people’s lives is essential in being able to effectively support them.
Initiative is the fourth quality that I find really important when working as a Support Coordinator. It can be really easy to just sit back and wait to hear from a Participant, their family or a Provider, however I find it is important to be regularly checking-in with Participants, their families and Providers, to ensure that there are no gaps in their supports and they are being supported as effectively as possible. This also includes ensuring that your communication is always at a high standard and that you always are able to respond to requests within a reasonable timeframe.
The final quality that I find is important for a Support Coordinator is resourcefulness. Having a knowledge of the services that are available to support Participant’s and their families is essential in ensuring that they are able to access the services which are more likely to bring them positive outcomes and achieve their goals. Building relationships with different providers and resources within the sector ensures that you are always up-to-date with what services and supports are available for Participants so that if they have any questions or requests, you are able to be in the best position to support them.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? Any hobbies or interests you’d like to share?
Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family. I have an amazing partner and 2 kids who meant the world to me. I am always looking at things to do with them as I feel that making memories together and building lasting connection is one of the most important things you can do in life. Because of this, travel is something that I have really grown to enjoy and as soon as one holiday has ended (if not beforehand) I have already started planning the next one.
Beyond spending time with my family and travelling, other things I enjoy is spending time in the outdoors, experiencing new things, watching AFL and trying new restaurants. I try to make my life as busy as possible as I don’t really enjoy spending too much time alone or at home. The more memories I can make and the more enjoyable I can make my life, the more happy and fulfilled I feel.

Tell us something we don’t know, but need to know?
I am a massive travel enthusiast and plan on trying to visit almost every country in the world one day. I know this is probably unrealistic, however I am always planning my next trip and how I can make this work. I am constantly on the go and always try to see as many places possible. Sometimes I feel that people must hate travelling with me as I try to cram as much into a trip as I can which to be honest can be quite exhausting. I am someone who doesn’t want to live with regrets though, and if I know I can see/do something then I am always trying my hardest to make sure this can happen. My love of travel has always existed from a young age, however I think it really started in 2020 when I was backpacking across Europe at the peak of the COVID19 Pandemic. As country borders were closing, I was forced to return back to Australia without completing my trip and since then I have decided that I want to visit as many places as possible as I never know when something out of my control like that will happen again to prevent me from doing so.