Youth and support workers needed to help people reach their potential

CareSouth hosted its first Recruitment Day in November, where we invited candidates into our Nowra office to give them a taste of the industry and an insight into what it’s like to be a support worker.

The Health Care and Social Assistance industry, which includes support workers, is the largest employer in Australia, with around 1.7 million employees. This number is set to increase to more than 1.9 million by 2024, and employment of support workers is predicted to grow faster than the average for all occupations.

Support workers help children, young people and participants live more independently by providing both physical and emotional support; they become positive mentors to help them reach their full potential.

Casey Lovell from CareSouth’s People and Culture team said the Recruitment Day was a great success, with more than 20 people interviewed.

The event plans to be rolled out across CareSouth’s footprint to encourage more people to consider a career in the community services sector.

“Support work is a great entry pathway for those interested in pursuing a career in social services, and a fantastic way to contribute to positive outcomes within the community,” said Casey. “Support workers provide social mentoring, transport, supervision and assistance with day-to-day tasks to children, young people and adults in our programs in a variety of settings, and work closely with caseworkers and CareSouth’s clinical staff to achieve results.

“All support workers receive training within CareSouth’s trauma-informed practice framework, and we encourage anyone interested in a career in social services, or those who have had a successful career in the sector to consider joining our team.”

CaresSouth youth support worker Isaiah loves his job is able to tailor his support to help children and young people achieve their goals.

“As a support worker, you get to hang out with the kids and help them with life skills like washing or cooking a BBQ,” said Isaiah. “You can help them build healthy hobbies like surfing, playing table tennis, or showing them how to play the guitar. You can assist the kids in setting goals like going back to school, building a resume, or applying for a job.

“We’re also role models for these kids, so we need to model appropriate communication and conflict resolution skills and show them how to complete chores and other life management skills to build up their independence. This job is for anyone who cares about seeing kids succeed.”

CareSouth now employs almost 500 people across seven offices, with a growing number of staff coming on board. We help more than 1000 children, young people and participants, with close to 400 children and young people in Foster Care programs, over 300 in Brighter Futures programs, 300 in NDIS programs and a further 100 in the Aunties & Uncles program and Shoalhaven Youth Support Service.

“The opportunities to change a person’s life for the better are endless,” said Casey.

If you or anyone you know is looking to start their career as a support worker, youth support worker or youth residential worker, contact CareSouth on 1800 829 658 or visit our careers page to learn more https://www.caresouth.org.au/careers/.