Skill development | Recreation and hobbies | Life skills building | Social activities | Transport and travel | Linking people with services | Budgeting | Housekeeping | Coordinating supports | Supervising supports | Personal care | Shopping | Medication | Planning

Everyday Support is working directly with people with disability to support them in their daily life. It can include different aspects of a person’s life such as support to participate in social activities, build life skills, go shopping, budget, plan, travel and live independently.

You may support people in their home, in their community, in a respite centre, or in school or an education facility.

You can expect to work with a range of people with different needs including children, older people, people from different backgrounds, people who need intensive support or people who need support with only a few aspects of their life.

Is an Everyday Support job for you?

Everyday support jobs suit people who:

• Enjoy working with people
• Have a genuine interest in empowering people to achieve their goals
• Enjoy a variety of tasks
• Can be flexible in their work
• Are good communicators and have good interpersonal skills
• Have personal integrity

People with disability look for workers that they can relate to from different backgrounds and life experiences. You can be at any stage in your life or career. You might be:

• A school leaver or student looking for part-time work and experience
• A mature age person looking for a role where you can make a difference in your community and still maintain your lifestyle
• A parent returning to work after a career break and looking for flexible working hours
• Looking for a career change to a role that matches your skills and shares your personal values

Rewards and benefits of Everyday Support jobs

Everyday Support jobs provide flexible and rewarding careers which make a real difference in people’s lives. The disability industry offers a number of benefits:

• Work-life balance – flexibility to combine part time work with study, caring for others at home, hobbies or even easing into retirement. There are lots of opportunities to work shifts that suit you.
• Job variety – no two days are ever the same and you will be out and about.
• Work locally – jobs in your local community.
• Find your perfect job – with roles available from entry level through to supervising, there
• is plenty of scope to find your niche.
• Salary and benefits – some organisations offer salary packaging and other benefits to their employees.
• Growth industry – the disability and community services industry is one of Queensland’s largest employers and with the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), there will continue to be a high demand for workers into the future.

New possibilities

With the introduction of the NDIS, people with a disability have control over their funded supports and can choose how those services are delivered, and by who. As well as improving the lives of people with disability, this will also create jobs in the disability industry and provide business opportunities for the broader community.

Businesses could consider tailoring and promoting their services to people with disability. People with disability will be looking for services like gyms and personal training, recreation activities and financial planning. You may consider starting a business or self-employment providing support services to people with disability.

How to get Everyday Support jobs

To work in an Everyday Support job, it is essential that you have a criminal history clearance (yellow card) or blue card if working with children. It is often preferred that you have a driver’s licence and First Aid training including CPR. Employers or employment agencies may support you to get these.

Other job entry requirements vary. Not all jobs will need you to have a qualification to start work. Other skills and life experience you have may be extremely useful and you may be able to start work and receive training on the job from your employer. Find out more about Career Support in the disability industry.

Education and training can be a pathway into Everyday Support jobs. Many training courses are subsidised which means you can complete your training at low cost or no cost, depending on your circumstances. Find out more about Education and Training

If you are starting out in the disability industry you can also try volunteering to get some work experience.