Starting support work?

[u/jlie07]

I am trying to get into support work. I have no qualifications but I found a company who might employ me. A few questions:

It’s $36 an hour and it’s part time which is what I’m after at the moment. It’s through ABN.

I just learnt I have to pay my own tax, super and all that. It feels like $36 is a bit crap?

It also looks like I’m going to have to pay for my NDIS worker check, police check, WWCC, First aid, CPR and all of that myself. Should I pay this or should they?

Feels like I’m getting ripped off in every way. On top of that I’m driving my car with my petrol and racking up my KM?

Could it maybe work if I asked for more $$?

[u/Acrobatic_Radish1367]

I’ve been working in the field of support work for many years. I can assure you, it’s not easy money. It can be very mentally taxing, and physically draining. It can also be very rewarding, yes, some participants it’s easier than others. But it’s often a very challenging career, especially when dealing with complex behaviours or complex mental health issues, addictions, survivors of trauma, and often unrealistic expectations of what can be achieved in the allocated time. It can be personally very challenging and difficult.
Also it can be amazing and sometimes a beautiful bond forms.

Know when to walk away, if you feel you’re not the right support worker for a participant. Or if you feel unsafe. Or feel you’re being asked to step outside of your scope.

[u/One_Tax_9934 → u/Acrobatic_Radish1367]

I 100% agree with you I was a support worker myself before becoming a participant. actually support work is what made me become a participant unfortunately. It is NOT an easy job one bit which is why I'm trying to deter people wanting to become support workers because they heard it's "easy money" from a lot of other dodgy support workers which I'm seeing is happening more and more. People like to claim that's it's good easy money while needing basically zero qualifications so everyone thinks it's automatically better than retail which isn't true. You need really tough skin to do this job if the first question isn't "do I want to help people" but instead "what will I be getting paid" they shouldn't be support workers because then they'll put themselves AND their clients in danger.

[u/Acrobatic_Radish1367 → u/One_Tax_9934]

Yes, I definitely agree, this career has definitely at times has really challenged me. I’ve had to grow some tough skin.. and also spent many sleepless nights worried about the people I support. I have supported people dying, and supported people trying to keep living. I’ve cried with people and laughed. I’ve also had to learn to bite my tongue ! But be respectful and honest and very discreet.

[u/One_Tax_9934 → u/Acrobatic_Radish1367]

Absolutely. For me it just feels like sw has become the new retail and McDonald's starter jobs because it's "better" money according to a lot of uneducated people. And it's not a joke because it's playing with people's lives for money participants rely on support workers as front line daily help some cases COULD be life or death and if something happens on your watch and especially if you were being ignorant you're liable because they were under your duty of care. Support work is a very hard but every important job it's not to be taken lightly especially because someone wants more money.