SUPPORT WORKER TRAINING
With some notable exceptions, support workers are generally thrown in
at the deep end, with little idea of what they are expected to do or
how they can most effectively do it. Training a support worker,
in the context of a particular employment and disability situation, can
make a huge difference to their effectiveness and thus to the
effectiveness of the disabled worker they support.
It is not sufficient simply to itemize those tasks which are to be
carried out by the support worker and then to leave them to it.
Instead, by giving the support worker an understanding of the
disability of the employee they support and by relating that to the job
in general, the support worker can learn to give more effective
support. This helps to clarify the line between doing the job and
supporting the doing of the job. In other words,, it ensures that
the job is still being done by the disabled person and that the support
worker is simply providing support to that person.
If a support worker can work in a way which genuinely supports the
disabled employee, that employee will be able to work more effectively
and will remain in control of their own job. This can only
benefit the disabled employee through increased self-esteem and job
satisfaction.
Training for support workers is offered as a means of ensuring that the
most effective support is provided. Often this training can be
integrated with training in the management of a support worker.
The support worker training is always tailored to meet the specific
needs arising from the disability of the disabled person, the job being
done by the disabled person and the specific areas in which support is
required and appropriate. Support worker training can also be an
effective tool in helping to define the boundary between disability
related support and support needs which are part of a broader business
need arising from the job being done by the disabled person.
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