How to become a disability support worker in NSW.

What the job is

The NDIS puts it simply: support workers help people develop their skills and work towards their goals. Day to day that means personal care, meals, getting out into the community, help around the house and building everyday skills - done with the person, not for them.

You might work in people's homes, out in the community, in group programs or in supported living. Support workers can work for a provider or for themselves, and providers can be registered or unregistered. This guide is about working for a provider. For the honest version of what the days are like, read the job, told straight.

Do you need a qualification?

The NDIS doesn't list a required qualification for support workers. In practice, many employers ask for a Certificate III in Individual Support or something similar - and we do.

Other qualifications count too. Our position description asks for a Certificate III in Individual Support, Mental Health, Aged Care, Community Services, Disability Work or similar.

The checks

Two are NSW clearances, run through Service NSW. The rest are what employers commonly ask for - ours included.

NDIS Worker Check

The national clearance for people working with NDIS participants. If you work for a registered provider, expect to need one. $112 for paid workers, free for volunteers, valid five years. How to get yours, step by step.

Working with Children Check

A separate NSW check for work that involves children. $112 for paid workers, free for volunteers, valid five years. You apply online, then take four identity documents to a Service NSW centre.

Right to work

Australian citizenship, permanent residency, or a visa with work rights.

First aid

A current first aid certificate. Many employers ask for one - our position description does.

Licence and car

Common for community roles, where you drive to people's homes and outings. We ask for a driver's licence and a reliable, comprehensively insured vehicle.

The free training to do first

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission says every new worker should complete the Worker Orientation Module. It's free, online and takes about 90 minutes.

The Commission also runs a New Worker NDIS Induction Module for people starting in the sector, and we ask our new starters to complete it. Do both before your first interview if you can - they're the shared language of the work.

The rules you work by

Everyone who delivers NDIS supports - registered or not - works under the NDIS Code of Conduct. In short: respect people's right to make their own decisions, respect their privacy, work safely and with care and skill, act with honesty and integrity, and speak up about concerns - including any sign of violence, neglect, exploitation or abuse.

If you want to see those rules from the other side, our page on what people can expect from us puts them in plain words.

Your first role

1. Start the checks. The Working with Children Check can start any time. The NDIS Worker Check needs an employer to verify it, so many people apply once they have an offer.
2. Do the orientation module. About 90 minutes online, free.
3. Think about a Certificate III. If you don't have a relevant qualification yet, it's the one employers ask for.
4. Build some experience. Volunteering, a traineeship or a course placement all count as a start.
5. Apply, and ask questions. A good provider will tell you about training, supervision and the people you'd support.