Explore disability careers

Disability support workers support people with disability to live the life they want. Disability support worker roles are the most common roles in the sector and are very diverse.

The day-to-day tasks of the role will vary greatly depending on the individual needs and goals of the person you support. Daily tasks may include, but are not limited to:

• supporting individual participation in social and recreational activities such as going to the footy or the movies
• undertaking tasks outside the home such as shopping, visiting friends and family
• supporting participants to achieve their employment goals
• personal care
• light domestic duties such as meal preparation and cleaning
• manual handling and/or the use of equipment to support mobility (wheelchairs or hoists)
• providing companionship and emotional support
• transportation
• assisting individuals to communicate.

Allied health professionals provide clinical and therapy services to support people with disability and complex needs to achieve their goals and maintain their health and wellbeing.

To work as an allied health professional, you need a relevant university-level qualification and you may need to meet additional requirements depending on your professional association. Allied health professions include:

• physiotherapy
• occupational therapy
• podiatry
• speech pathology
• social work
• psychology
• dietetics
• orthotics and prosthetics
• audiology
• orthoptics

If you’re an allied health professional interested in developing your skills and knowledge to support or provide services to people with disability and complex support needs, visit My allied health space for more information and resources.

Allied health assistants (AHA) support and assist the work of allied health professionals.

AHAs are trained to work within certain limits to undertake a range of less complex tasks, delegated to them by allied health professionals. Depending on qualification and skill level, tasks may include:

• collecting and preparing equipment
• documenting client progress
• implementing therapy treatments and supports in accordance with therapy and support plans.

AHAs may work with several different allied health professionals or they may work with one particular profession.

Visit Victorian Skills Gateway to see what qualification you need to work as an AHA.

If you’re an AHA interested in working in disability, visit Health.Vic allied health assistant workforce for more information.

A support coordinator supports people with disability to understand and implement funded supports in their NDIS plan.

They also provide links to community, mainstream and other government services. Support coordinators focus on supporting people with disability to build their skills and direct their own lives as well as connect to appropriate service providers.

The role of a support coordinator can be varied, given the unique needs of the people they are supporting. Some skills that this role requires include:

• relationship building
• collaboration
• coordination
• organisational skills
• crisis and issues management experience
• a thorough understanding of the NDIS
• a strength-based approach to working with people with disability.

Find more information on the NDIS Support coordination website.

Local Area Coordinator

The role of a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) is to assist people to navigate the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

LACs assist people with disability who are eligible for the NDIS to:

• create an NDIS plan
• put that plan in place
• review the plan as the person's needs change

LACs also support people who aren't eligible for the NDIS to link in with mainstream and community supports in their local areas.

To find out which organisations provide local area coordination in Victoria visit Who can access the NDIS.

Planner

National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) planners work with NDIS participants, their family and other relevant people. Planners help determine what supports and services will assist participants to achieve their goals and also assist in the development of NDIS plans, as well as identify funding required.

NDIA planners work directly for the NDIA. Visit Careers at NDIA for more information.

These roles generally don't work directly with people with disability, but rather provide helpful indirect support to staff.

Tasks might include managing rosters, budgets, training and guiding organisation and service improvement.

Roles might include:

• team leaders and managers
• senior leadership
• receptionist and administrative assistants
• office manager
• human resources management
• customer service support
• learning and development support
• information and communication technology support
• finance and accounting
• marketing and communications
• business analysts

Depending on the particular role you may require certain skills or extra qualifications.

From a casual worker with no disability qualifications to a qualified team leader, Van is still excited about working in disability support after 20 years.

Van recently became team leader at the Scope Northern District Lifestyle Options day centre. After 20 years working in disability support, he’s still excited about his role.

Van started off as a casual worker supporting clients in a residential setting before moving to a day activity setting where he supports people with disability to participate in a range of programs.

“I had no background or qualifications in disability at all – and no computer skills. But after a few months I was offered a permanent position by a house coordinator who liked the way I worked.

“During that time, I was promoted to manual handling officer, which involved planning and helping staff observe correct procedures. I enjoyed helping people stay safe and develop confidence and skills to cope with different challenges,” Van says.

Now, with a Certificate IV in Disability and many years of experience, he feels ready to teach others and share his wealth of knowledge.

Read more about Van's career in disability - Work that matters.

Rebecca (Bec) manages a residential group home for people with disability who have complex needs. She loves making a difference and supporting people to lead a more independent life.

The opportunity to make a difference in a person’s life inspired Bec’s career in the disability sector.

“I love to create change and advocate for those people who aren’t being heard. I want to make a difference and support those who need it.”

As part of Bec’s role, she manages a residential group home in Melbourne, which supports people with disability who have moved out of home to carry out daily tasks.

“Although my role involves various administrative tasks, such as rostering, finance, training, reports and mentoring staff, the most important aspect is to support and empower the residents to lead an independent and fulfilled life,” Bec says.

For those considering a career in the disability sector, Bec considers the ability to relate to and engage with other people as essential.

“People will often say you have to be a really caring, unique and a strong individual to do this work. I think it’s about having the right attitude and the right values. Disability support can be challenging work, but it’s also incredibly rewarding.”

Read more about Bec's career in disability - work that matters.

Rachel is a doctor with a history of disability support work. Looking back, she feels that disability support work gave her skills and knowledge that remain relevant to this day.

For seven years, working in the disability sector was a big part of Rachel’s life while she studied to become a doctor, but her passion for working with people with disability started much earlier.

Rachel now works as a junior doctor in a Melbourne hospital and still enjoys occasional weekend shifts as a disability support worker.

“I had wanted to work in the disability sector from a very young age. My older brother Mark has cerebral palsy, intellectual disability and epilepsy, and we’ve always been very close.

We had support workers in our house for as long as I can remember – helping him out of bed and getting him off to school, bringing him home at the end of the day and getting him ready for bed. Seeing the positive difference they made to my brother and my family was very inspiring,” Rachel says.

When she turned 19, Rachel began doing 6-hour day shifts at weekends supporting young adults to go out into the community.

“A big part of disability support work is the social, community inclusion side and encouraging people with disability to become comfortable in busy social spaces. It can be challenging but it’s also a lot of fun.”

When Rachel started university, she wanted to support herself financially and disability support work offered her the flexibility to fit work around her study commitments.

Read more about Rachel's career in disability - work that matters.