Awards to recognise support workers contributing to the welfare of people with disabilities

Hireup, Australia’s largest NDIS-registered platform for people with disability to find and hire support workers, has officially launched the Hireup Good Life Awards, an initiative to recognise and reward the important role support workers play in directly contributing to the welfare of people with disability.

The Good Life Awards will showcase authentic stories of the support workers who have made a difference in the lives of the people they support, as well as the benefits of Hireup’s sector-leading employment model.

“We know that the life people with disability want is no more exceptional than that of anyone – it’s just a good life,” Hireup co-CEO Laura O’Reilly said. “And we know high-quality support workers contribute so much to the quality of life of people with disability, which is why we’re so excited to be recognising some of the best in our community through the Good Life Awards.”

According to the NDIS Participant Outcomes report, 52 per cent of adults with disability on the NDIS are satisfied with their life, lower than the 77 per cent registered among the average adult Australian.

“Access to high-quality support workers is a critical ingredient for so many people with disability to be able to thrive and live a good life,” O’Reilly said. “The Good Life Awards will shine a light on our amazing support workers, doing the important work of providing that quality support each and every day, which in turn supports people with disability to achieve their goals and live the life of their choosing.”

The National Disability Services (NDS), the body for non-government disability service organisations, has previously reported that the demand for support workers has grown across the country as more people seek individualised care, int midst of a growing concern that there are not enough personnel to keep up with the demand.

“We know there’s a shortfall of 120,000 support workers in the disability sector, and we need to start promoting disability support as a viable career option, as well as dispel some of the myths and misconceptions around disability support work,” O’Reilly said.

“At Hireup, we want to challenge stereotypes around ‘typical’ disability support, such as that the work is only suitable for nurses or clinical health professionals, because that is just not the case,” she added. “We want to attract the best and brightest support workers across Australia to join the sector, and to join Hireup. We’re proud of our incredibly diverse workforce, as well as the career and development opportunities we offer, and the Good Life Awards is one way we can showcase this positive career path.”

The Hireup Good Life Awards will award each winner with a $1000 prize in recognition of the contribution they have made to the lives of the people with disability they support. Hireup clients are encouraged to nominate their support worker for the awards, sharing how their connection has contributed to their good life.

“We’re proud to celebrate the key role support workers play in supporting the quality of life of people with disability, recognising that ‘a good life’ means something different to everyone,” O’Reilly concluded.