With an ageing population and 1 in 5 Australians living with a disability, it’s no wonder the need for qualified healthcare workers continues to grow.
Fortunately, many people impacted by their age or by a health condition can live relatively independently, albeit with help from a specialist support worker to complete some of their daily tasks.
In this article, we’re shining a spotlight on one of today’s most necessary roles in the community. Here, we’ll uncover Individual Support Worker duties, responsibilities, qualifications and potential salaries when you embark on this highly valued profession.
Table of Contents:
- What is an Individual Support Worker?
- Distinct Types of Support Workers
- Individual Support Worker Roles and Responsibilities
- Essential Skills and Qualities of a Support Worker
- Qualifications and Requirements to Become a Support Worker
- Job Prospects and Salary Expectations
- Future Career Opportunities
What is an Individual Support Worker?
There are millions of Australians in need of ongoing support to help them live their lives to the full. Whether it’s due to their age, an ongoing health condition or some other vulnerability, a support worker helps their client with all manner of tasks so they can continue to live as independently as possible.
If you are keen to pursue a rewarding role where you help others and make their life easier, this could be your ideal job!
Distinct Types of Individual Support Workers
Aged Care Support Worker
As the title sounds, this type of support worker is responsible for looking after older adults in the community.
More than ever, older people are choosing to live at home rather than in care. While lots can manage everyday tasks themselves, they often struggle with jobs around the home, particularly those that are physically or mentally demanding. People working in aged care support can provide a helping hand as and when required, whether this is ad hoc or permanent.
Disability Support Worker
A Disability Support Worker is responsible purely for individuals with a disability, be it physical or mental. Some might even have a chronic illness they cannot manage on their own, requiring occasional or regular ongoing support. This support allows people with a disability to continue living at home independently.
If support work interests you, it is worth noting how there are similar jobs available in residential homes and hospitals. For example, a Residential Support Worker provides similar assistance to clients who live in a shared residential facility instead of their own home, with many of the same duties and responsibilities.
Roles, Responsibilities and Duties of a Support Worker
Depending on your client and the reason you are supporting them – be it due to their age or a health concern – you will find yourself having to perform some unique tasks.
That said, many basic support tasks are a requirement no matter who you are looking after.
If you want to know what does an Individual Support Worker do, here are some common duties whether you’re supporting an older adult or someone with a disability:
- Providing Personal Care – Helping clients with daily activities like bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting.
- Preparing Meals and Assisting with Feeding – Making sure clients stick to a balanced or specialist diet as advised by their medical team.
- Assisting with Medication – Assisting clients to take or apply their medication treatments as prescribed.
- Mobility and Physical Support – Helping clients move safely whether walking or using a mobility aid for safety.
- Encouraging Independence – Supporting clients in developing life skills and promoting activities with self-sufficiency.
- Social Support – Offering companionship and emotional support, helping clients engage in social activities.
Essential Skills and Qualities of a Support Worker
There are many valuable skills you can learn to become a successful Support Worker – although you will need several inter-personal skills too, including these ones:
- Empathy: The ability to understand your clients’ feelings and provide compassionate and considerate care is essential.
- Patience: You also need the ability to maintain a calm presence in challenging situations.
- Reliability: Building trust with your clients is critical so they can rely on your support.
- Communication Skills: The ability to listen and explain information clearly helps you foster an open environment for your client.
- Flexibility: Adaptability in changing circumstances and supporting diverse client needs will help you handle a variety of situations.
Practical skills include first aid and CPR, personal care assistance, accurate reporting and household support. You may already have some of these skills from looking after yourself and running a home, and the skills specific to healthcare can be acquired through training courses.
Qualifications and Requirements to Become a Support Worker
While some employers allow people with no qualifications to work as a Support Worker, many prefer you to have a formal qualification first. 
A popular entry point to this field of work is the Certificate III in Individual Support. It teaches students a range of skills to support people physically and mentally so they can continue to live as independently and healthily as possible. By completing the course, students are better prepared to work in the healthcare sector and their chances of employment are considerably increased.
There are three types of Individual Support Worker courses:
Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing) is for people who have made the decision to work with older Australians, teaching specific skills to deliver compassionate care for the elderly.
Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) helps anyone who has the desire to work with people managing a disability, be it physical impairment or a mental or chronic illness.
Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing and Disability) is the perfect course for those who prefer to keep their options open, learning all the skills to support people with a disability, older Australians or people who fall within both categories.
Each course takes an average six-twelve months to complete, depending on the student’s time commitments. This means within a year or less, you are equipped with the practical skills to support Australians in need.
Job Prospects and Salary Expectations
Across the industry, employers are having to increase their headcount to accommodate the growing need for support workers in Australia. And that’s great news for anybody wanting to find work in this sector, with thousands of jobs available today and the requirement for more only continuing to rise.
In terms of salary expectations, there is even more good news!
A Disability Support Worker in Queensland can expect to earn between $60 and $75k annually. It’s a similar figure for Aged Care Support Workers, too. So, either of these specialist roles will bestow you a respectable entry-level salary, with opportunities to earn more as you gain experience and advance through your healthcare career.
Future Career Opportunities
After you’ve completed your formal qualification, you’re ready to work as a Support Worker. Yet it is worth bearing in mind there are many other roles you can consider, too – roles where your learned skills and natural attributes will prove equally helpful!
For example, you might decide you want to provide complete client care rather than support. While a Support Worker assists their client in completing tasks, a Care Worker takes on the responsibility of supporting clients with tasks – which may include cooking food, feeding support, writing letters or assisting with medications.
Then, there are the many advanced roles in healthcare that you might choose to focus on. For example, after spending time in a hands-on support worker role, you may want to take on a team leader or managerial role, supporting the individuals who support the clients in need. If this is a pathway you wish to follow, a Certificate IV in Disability Support or Ageing Support would be suitable qualifications to consider.
