Meet the NSW, ACT support worker finalists for Hireup Good Life awards
Helping Shirley find her voice has been a passion for support worker Lisa Robinson who helps break down each word. Meet her and 23 other finalists up for awards.
NSW
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No two days are the same for support workers but they all have the same goal to contribute to the pursuit of a good life for people with disabilities.
The Good Life Awards shortlist celebrates 24 Australian stories that exemplify the life-changing impact of high-quality support work in the lives of those living with a disability.
Hireup co-CEO Laura O’Reilly said she grew up with her brother Shane who had a disability.
“My brother Jordan and I created Hireup because we knew first-hand the impact the right support workers can have on someone,” she said.
“The Good Life Awards is a way of recognising the importance of support workers, enabling their clients to pursue a good life.”
Hireup received more than 700 award applications during August from people across Australia.
“The 24 finalists stood out as creating impactful and genuine connections in their clients’ lives, assisting them with not only daily tasks but helping them achieve life-changing goals such as improving speech, assisting them with behaviour and social skills, and mobility and access.”
Meet the finalists from NSW and the ACT.
Marcin Lazarowicz – Lyneham, ACT
Marcin Lazarowicz moved to Poland from Australia in 2010 and, after touching down, started to look for a job best suited to him.
“I was just in my fifties, and I wanted to help people,” he said.
“The best job possible I find is disability care. It’s about being there to help families, to be a support.”
Mr Lazarowicz works with Zeph who is non-verbal and has helped him to learn to swim, dress and say words.
One afternoon, as Mr Lazarowicz was leaving the house after his shift ended, Zeph fell through a glass window and severed an artery in his arm.
Without a second thought, Mr Lazarowicz raced up the stairs, called for emergency services and applied lifesaving measures that saved both Zeph’s arm and life.
But Mr Lazarowicz said he only did what others would have done in the same situation.
“It’s about helping the family and being there for them,” he said. “That’s what’s important.”
Royston Martin – Plumpton, NSW
Royston Martin had experience working with people with disability after being an athletics coach for Special Olympics.
“Most of my life, I chased the corporate dollar, so it was the time to do something that I would enjoy,” he said.
“I’m now the vice chair for Special Olympics in the West, which offers support for people with intellectual disabilities, and I am a support worker.
“So it was just moving basically from a volunteer to doing it as a career.”
Mr Martin said the most significant challenge about the role was studying the numerous types of disability and how it could impact people.
“I honestly thought I knew a fair bit about disabilities until I started looking it up,” he said.
“But, you get so much satisfaction from this job. I think the key is to treat every individual with kindness and respect.”
Mr Martin works with Aaron, 20, who lives with an intellectual disability and helps him in all facets of life, including getting him to his drum lessons on time to ensure he enjoys social connections.
He said working with people such as Aaron and building a connection with them was the best part of the role.
“They are more giving, trusting, loyal than most people,” he said.
“I was diagnosed with Phase Three lung cancer in 2019, when I was 62, and told that I didn’t have long to live, but it’s gone now.
“I’ve been working with clients that have disabilities since birth, so they’ve put things in perspective for me and gave me a bit of balance because although at 62, it’s not good news. It’s a lot better than zero.”
Louise Nolland – Dora Creek, NSW
Support work has always been close to Louise Nolland’s heart after growing up with a best friend who had a disability.
During the 90s, she worked in support work and community service but decided to move away from the industry after a loss in life.
“Three years ago, I decided that I think I need to go back into doing this sort of work again, where I feel I am helping people,” Ms Nolland said.
“So I started doing it again.”
Ms Nolland supports her client Kaylee, who lives with autism spectrum disorder, by helping her to build social skills through behaviour reflection.
“I think it’s important that when you’re working with people with disabilities, you need to have a passion for it,” she said.
“It’s not a job for everybody, and every person with a disability is different.
“They’re all individuals, just like every human being out there is an individual, and we must be accepting.”
Lisa Robinson – North Richmond, NSW
After growing up in the Hills district, Lisa Robinson was looking for career options that would allow her to help people when she saw an information day come up to study Certificate IV: Disability at TAFE.
After attending the session, she knew it was the right path.
“My current customer had come to present at TAFE while I was studying, and she was in the day program I was doing work experience with,” Ms Robinson said.
“Seven years later, we are still working together. We have been doing one-on-one for the past six years.”
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Shirley has trouble with speech, and Ms Robinson has helped Shirley use her voice by breaking down each word and helping her practise improving her speech.
“We work on her goals: everything from life skills to working on her communication presentations for her work,” she said.
Ms Robinson said being a support worker could be challenging, and it could be hard to push through and motivate a customer if she was having a rough day. But she said the rewards outweighed the challenges.
“I love that I can help my clients to push themselves to achieve goals that they have always wanted to achieve but that they have not necessarily ever been able to work on,” she said.
“I love that if something can’t be achieved right away, I know it can be achieved at some point. So I love finding fun and creative ways to push my customers to get there.”
Donna McIntosh – The Oaks, NSW
Donna McIntosh had worked in pharmacies for 35 years but was made redundant during Covid and then 12 months of health issues meant she could not work.
When it came to returning to the workforce, her daughter, who works as an occupational therapist, suggested support work.
“I probably would have never left my pharmacy job to do something like this because you get comfortable in your job,” she said.
“But, when the opportunity happened, I thought, ‘you know what, I would love to do something like this’.
“And I, you know, did all my training. And that’s basically how I got started.”
Ms McIntosh now works with Jessica, who requires 24/7 care and assistance, with help around the house and personal care, demonstrating complete dedication to her needs.
“She is my only client because she is such high needs, but I love her so much,” Ms McIntosh said.
“I don’t know how I got so lucky to have such a beautiful client and family.
“I recently lost my mum, but Jessie, she just makes my day like every day, every morning and every afternoon.”
Vince Jarrett – Sydney, NSW
After working a desk job for several years, Sydney resident Vince Jarrett began to feel like something was missing.
“I realised the missing thing was contact with people,” he said.
“I lost that job that I was doing, and I thought, ‘well, now’s the time to go and explore something else’.
“I thought support work would probably be the best thing to do as you have that direct contact with people.”
After having a stroke, Desney, 71, was concerned her disabilities would prevent her from bonding with her new granddaughter.
But thanks to Mr Jarrett’s dedication and support, Desney enjoys a great relationship with her granddaughter, with regular visits and activities.
“No two shifts are the same with Desney, which is part of why I love the job,” he said.
“The people I work with have had their freedom restricted due to their disability, and the fact that I get to listen to them and help them obtain a bit more freedom, that’s what I love.”
Hayley Miles - Maitland, NSW
Hayley Miles had been running her own business for a few years, but after selling it, she looked for the next opportunity.
Then, she came across the option of being a support worker, and she knew it was the right fit.
Rebekah lives with autism spectrum disorder, and Ms Miles has helped her secure accommodation and has provided ongoing support.
“We’ve had a great connection, and it’s one of those things where you just click,” Ms Miles said.
“I respect her, and I think that’s important with support work to know when to help and when not to help, and when someone can do it for themselves or need a little encouragement.
“I love my job. It’s really rewarding, and to be able to bring everything to the table and let each client pick and choose what part of me will help them the most is rewarding.”
Dieu Khanh Le – Gungahlin, ACT
Currently studying occupational therapy, Dieu Khanh Le wanted to find a job that would allow her to help people while completing her degree.
“I would like to have people to deal with all the things in their life, and so I found that a support worker is a kind of career that can make a difference in someone’s life,” she said.
“You can understand that if someone with a disability has the help, they can live a more meaningful life, and it makes me feel happier.”
Ms Le is the support worker to client Leanne, who lives with mental health needs.
She helps Leanne around the house, with education and training and has also supported Leanne in self-publishing her memoir.
Ms Le said being a support worker had made her a better person.
“I increased my compassion, kindness and generosity,” she said. “I learned how to be patient when someone is dealing with a struggle.
“It’s extremely rewarding. That’s why I love it.”
Emine Kahveci - Kurrajong, NSW
Emine Kahveci’s nephew was born with a disability, and she said it was a “big eye opener” after not having had close contact with anyone with special needs.
“I come from accounts and office work, but for 12 years, I’ve been a stay-at-home mum,” she said.
“When it was time to go back to work, I thought, ‘I can’t go back to sitting in front of a computer punching in numbers; I want to do something that’s going to be more rewarding’.”
Ms Kahveci is now the support worker for Michael, who has a developmental delay.
She has helped Michael in becoming a healthier version of himself by attending gym classes and overseeing grocery shopping to help maintain the best quality of life possible.
“So to date, I think he’s lost over 25kg now,” Ms Kahveci said. “It has been so rewarding to help him; he is such a big part of my life.”
Clare Landy – Inner West, NSW
Inner West resident Clare had moved back to Australia after living overseas, and needed to find work.
About the same time, her neighbour asked if she could help transport her daughter with disabilities as she was struggling to get enough support workers.
“That was then how I found out about Hireup,” Ms Landy said.
“I got into support work because I could see there was a need in the community and also because I love to help people.”
Ms Landy works with Gisele, 69, who lives with blindness and a hearing impairment.
She has been one of her support workers over two years, enabling Gisele to live independently and keeping her active through experiences such as bushwalking and shopping.
Ms Landy also helps Gisele to contribute to her community through advocacy for selected issues.
She said she loved support work because it kept her active, but also gave her the chance to meet new people.
Erin Fidgeon – NSW
Erin Fidgeon works with Jade who is non verbal and is achieving goals, such as almost a black belt in karate and a job, her family thought unimaginable, all with Erin by her side for support.
Other Australians nominated include:
- Bibek Khaniya
- Alex Hourd
- Marie-Claire Beekmans
- Jessica Liaang
- Jodi Turner
- Simone Couper
- Nicole Kendall
- Madeleine Bradbeer
- Brodie Stephens
- Vicki Taylor
- Naomi Mellor
- Chloe Ferrari
- Dita Campbell
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