Program developed by partnership equips next generation of support workers

EduCare Disability was developed by Enhance Training – a registered training organisation, in consultation with SACARE – a South Australian business providing housing and care services for people with disability.

This training program enabled SACARE as employers to be closely involved in the training program provided by Enhance Training and in turn gave opportunities to participants to not only get a taster in the industry of the organisation, but also lead them to employment and a pathway to a full qualification.

The four week program is designed specifically for potential disability support workers to help develop and practice core skills, while gaining a knowledge of the sector, including attitudes and expectations, communication and respectful behaviour and professional development.

It involves a mixture of accredited and non-accredited units of disability-specific, from providing individualised support to behaviour management skills.

Operations Manager of the Hessel Group, Darrel Tan says the collaboration is having a positive impact on the sector in creating much-needed job opportunities.

“We are proud to be part of such a strong collaboration and believe that it is through these relationships that we are able to provide industry specific training and job experiences with true employment opportunities,” he says.

“The positive outcomes achieved span not only to the students and stakeholders but also the industry as a whole.”

Since the program launch, more than half of the participants have continued to do the full qualification with increased confidence and renewed passion for the industry.

“I found the in-class time very informative as we all had our own previous knowledge and experience that we all shared,” Richard Keatle, a previous participant says.

“I found work placement at SACARE very intriguing … good insight into mental health and [I] was able to make [a] good rapport with many residents and staff that I worked with there.”

The collaboration was also recently acknowledged when Enhance Training was named a finalist in the Industry Collaboration category at the 2018 South Australian Training Awards.

General Manager, Client Relations and Service Delivery at SACARE, Chloe Kempe says the partnership is something the organisation is incredibly proud of.

“We couldn’t be more proud to offer our office to Enhance Training for their fantastic training programs,” she says.  

“They have some outstanding trainers and since our partnership 90 percent of the students enrolled in the Certificate III in Individual Support class received employment with SACARE.”

“Even more so, we are receiving a very positive response about the new support workers from our clients.”

If you are interested in working in the disability sector Hessel is encouraging potential students to visit the office, or phone Hessel Group and discuss whether EduCare Disability may be the program for you.

For more information click here.