Support worker tips from a participant: respect, privacy and communication

Support workers have the best job in the world. Or the worst. I guess it depends on your perspective. You’re probably wondering who I am to be making such sweeping statements, so let me give you a brief rundown of my life so far. I was born with Cerebral Palsy, and have been in a wheelchair my whole life. But that hasn’t stopped me from leading a fabulous life. I love hanging out with my friends and family, and going to the theatre. I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 2013, and since then I’ve been concentrating on writing and performing. No matter what I’m doing, I love my life. Life hasn’t always been easy for me, but I know I’m tremendously lucky.

The hardest thing about living with CP is not the fact that I can’t walk.  It’s everything else that goes along with it. Like relying on people to take care of me, and having very little privacy or time to myself. I know others who struggle with that too. So here’s my top tips to make the support experience better for everyone:

Show up to your shift on time. Someone might be relying on you to relieve them, and it’s really awkward having to ask people to stay behind because somebody else is late. If you’re going to be late, tell someone.

Recognize that the person you are working with is a human being, not a commodity. I had a support worker who just did what she had to do, mostly silently, and left. Whenever she did talk to me, she compared me to other people she had worked with. We didn’t have much of a relationship.

Then I had another support worker who I liked so much more. Whenever she worked with me, she seemed so interested to hear about my life. She had been a support worker for a long time, but she never assumed what was best for me.

Consider these two examples. Which support worker would you rather be?

Take the time to get to know people in their own way. Learn about what is going on in their life, their family, anything. And if you don’t understand how to do something, ask. I am an individual, with different wants and needs to the next person. Don’t assume that you know what’s best for me.

Always be mindful that everybody has their own beliefs. I had a support worker who couldn’t accept that my beliefs were different to hers, and was determined to change my mind – even after I told her it made me uncomfortable. Ultimately, we decided that it was best to part ways. So to avoid an unpleasant situation, it’s good idea to know what you can and can’t accept.

Be open, energetic, and spontaneous. Don’t be afraid to attempt something new. And once you’re comfortable with someone, encourage them to step out of their comfort zones. It’s important that you don’t get discouraged when the person you are working with is having a bad day. It’s unlikely to be a reflection on you. Just try to remain positive and upbeat. And chances are, being out and doing something will improve their mood significantly.

Remember you are an assistant, not a mouthpiece. Please do not speak for the person. Even if they have difficulty communicating, all you need to do is figure out how to help. One support worker started a sentence with “Emily thinks…” without even discussing it with me first. That conversation didn’t end well.

You are also not required to act as anyone’s conscience. Let people do what they want, within reason. I once had a support worker at uni who interrupted my conversation to say “Shouldn’t you be doing work?” That is a perfect example of what not to do.

So there you have it – top tips for being a support worker, from someone who knows. Having support workers can still be frustrating, but it has given me cherished friendships and experiences that I wouldn’t trade for the world.