Disability Support Worker: Acquired Brain Injury (Richmond, VIC)

Employment type: Casual
Location: Richmond, Victoria. in-home
Typical shifts: Mostly early morning shifts (5 am-11 am) and some evening shifts (3 pm - 8 pm)
Funding: NDIS

About the role

You will support an independent-minded man living in his own home in Richmond. He has an acquired brain injury (ABI) and is working towards recovery, independence and confidence. He values his routines, his music and his sense of control over his own space. Your role is to provide reliable, calm and encouraging support that respects his dignity and his choices. The participant has expressed a preference for a male support worker. This is a genuine occupational requirement of the role, based on the participant's own choice, and is applied under the exemptions in the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic).

About the person you'll support

- Has a strong, familiar routine. Predictability helps him feel settled.
- Takes pride in his past achievements and in the progress he's made.
- Can feel frustrated about needing support and the loss of independence, and often feels more anxious before appointments.
- Is more settled once he has eaten and completed his routine.

Key responsibilities

Daily living support

- Help with the household routine, including meal preparation, dishes, laundry, tidying and general cleaning, and involve him in tasks wherever he is able.
- Prepare and eat meals with him at his usual times.
- Prompt and supervise medication from his pre-organised pack, following the provider's medication procedures and recording anything unusual.




- Support personal care only as needed, encouraging independence.

Emotional and behavioural support

- Use calm, simple and clear communication. Keep conversations focused on familiar topics.
- Stay calm during moments of frustration. Avoid arguing, redirect gently, and don't take things personally.
- Offer reassurance and positive reframing, highlighting the progress he has made.
- Help him prepare for appointments or social events that cause anxiety.

Engagement and skill building

- Encourage gentle, low-pressure activities that support memory, speech, literacy and independence.
- Introduce variety into his routine gradually and always offer choice. He cooperates best with activities he has chosen.
- Support community outings and social connection.

Health, therapy and wellbeing

- Support attendance at allied health sessions and encourage follow-through on goals and referrals.
- Observe and report changes in mood, sleep, pain, mobility or medication use to the coordinator.
- Help care for the family dog, encouraging appropriate feeding and gentle activity.

Documentation

- Write clear, factual and timely shift notes (activities, behaviour, medication).
- Complete incident reports when needed.
- Contribute observations that inform progress reports.





Skills and experience

Essential

- Experience supporting people with ABI, or a strong willingness to learn and be trained.
- Resilience and a thick skin. The participant can sometimes become frustrated or raise his voice, particularly before appointments or when he feels a loss of control. This is usually his way of releasing stress and is rarely personal. You will need to stay calm, not take it personally, and respond without arguing.
- Explicit, respectful communication, including with someone who may have difficulty with memory or processing information.
- Reliability and punctuality, as consistency is very important to this participant.
- Good written English for shift notes.
- Comfortable in a home where smoking occurs and where there is a pet.

Desirable

- Certificate III or IV in Individual Support or Disability.
- Knowledge of behaviour support and de-escalation, and of NDIS practice standards.
- Interest in music, football or trivia (great for building rapport).
- Own vehicle and a current driver's licence for community outings.

Requirements

- NDIS Worker Screening Check (Victoria)
- First Aid and CPR (or willingness to obtain)
- Right to work in Australia

What we offer

- Training and supervision
- Ongoing, consistent rostering with one participant
- Employee Assistance Program (Counseling)

Pay: From $34.10 per hour

Language:

- English (Required)

Licence/Certification:

- NDIS Worker Screening Check (Required)

Work Authorisation:

- Australia (Required)

Work Location: In person

📌 Disability Support Worker (Richmond)
🏢 Quality Home Care and Community Services
📍 Richmond