Do you have these transferable skills for work in Support Work?
Good Listener
To provide a good level of care, a Support Worker must be able to fully understand the needs of others, this comes when you are a good listener. Not simply the understanding that comes following speech, but the ability to listen to a person’s non-verbal cues as well.
Strong Health & Wellbeing
Working as a Support Worker can be emotionally demanding. It is important you know how to regulate a healthy work-life balance, and to look after your health and wellbeing. The problem of burnout when someone is overdone at work is well-known, however, as a Support Worker this can effect not just your own role but the lives of another. Looking after yourself allows you to better look after those you support. At Step Up, our Support Workers are provided with mental health and wellbeing assistance to ensure that your self-care skills are at their best!
Empathy
This ability to both identify and understand another’s experience is important for a Support Worker. Also known as ‘Stepping into someone else’s shoes’, this skill is essential for work in Support Work. Not only will it aid in relationship building with the supported person, this skill also helps the Support Worker to determine the needs of someone and how to help them in their journey.
Communication
Working as a Support Worker, you are likely to work with a range of people from diverse backgrounds. This can include more than cultural backgrounds, but ranges in literacy skill, disability, age, and gender. Your communication skills should be at a level that allows for you to interact well with anyone, regardless of your differences. This includes the people you will support as well as your colleagues.
Organisation
One of the transferable qualities of a Support Worker is organisation. With a group of supported people, and a team of workers, everyone must keep to their schedules and responsibilities in order to deliver a high level of care all round. On top of this, a Support Worker should be able to communicate their responsibilities in a clear manner to ensure the team is as organised as possible.
