Support coordination: Lessons from the trenches – Question 1

Lessons from the trenches - panel members

• Miranda Purchase (MP) – Support Coordinator, MP Coordination
• Veronica Santomingo (VS) – Support Coordinator, Richmond Fellowship Queensland
• Aylin Taylor (AT) – Support Coordinator, Tailored Options
• Sue Grier (SG) – Managing Director, Let’s Connect Support Services
• Elizabeth Hickey (EH) – Support Coordinator, AFA Support Coordination
• Hannah Redford (HR) - Support Coordinator, Tulip Coordination
• Sabine Hazlett (SH) – Support Coordinator, Lifestyle Mentor Services
• Zena Dyson (ZD) – Specialist Support Coordinator/Team Leader, Esteem Care Services
• Sera CrichtonAita (SC) – Support Coordinator, Australian Regional & Remote Community Services

Why did you become a support coordinator? What drew you to the role?

MP – A desire to increase the capacity of my clients’ understanding of how their NDIS funding could be used to lead a better life.

VS – I first applied for a different role and was asked to consider the support coordination role within the same organisation. I was not overly confident in my maths to apply originally.

AT – I started as a support worker over 12 years ago and worked my way up in the industry while completing my university studies. I’ve always had a passion to help people in any way possible and found at the time that I could not only help people, but also educate them regarding their plans and funding.

SG – I’ve been in the industry for many years and have a family member on the Scheme. I have worked for many big companies as a manager and case worker. I enjoy the role of supporting clients within their community to build up their connections.

EH – I entered the disability industry just over 20 years ago with a Certificate III in Disability Work. At that time, I wondered why people were not given the choice and control over services and why they were not able to self direct the supports they needed.

Over the years, I have worked in so many roles and have experienced most facets of disability support. When the NDIS was introduced, I was immediately drawn to the role of support coordinator. I saw it as the opportunity to help people to figure out what supports they need and then actually find the supports. It aligned with the idea of self-direction and individualisation that has always been at the back of my mind from the moment I started working in the disability industry.

HR – Since I was young, I had always wanted to work in the disability sector and was lucky enough to start my career off in mental health and alcohol and other drugs. This gave me a solid basis to want to work in a more rounded role, which is what support coordination is.

I have three children and two of them have disabilities, so I knew that I could make an impact as someone who understands what it is to be a participant as well as a part of the machine.

SH – I know it sounds cliché but being able to better someone’s life was definitely a strong factor. I investigated many service providers before finding one that reflected my values. I did not want to be a keyboard support coordinator. I wanted a company that agreed with low case rate so I could provide high care rate.

ZD – I was drawn to the role of support coordinator, as I am an organiser by nature, and I love the process of filling out paperwork. I have a Bachelors Degree in Social Work (Honours) and a Diploma of Counselling, so I understand the societal issues disadvantaged people through all the human services sectors encounter on a day-to-day basis.

I enjoy knowing I can connect clients to numerous community agencies, and I can navigate various government agencies easily. I also wanted to learn more about the NDIS system.

With my learned knowledge and my various life experiences and traumas, over the past 51 years, I also highly understand mental health, and how navigating government systems and society can affect people with psychosocial disabilities. At the time of applying for my position, I was also very interested in gaining more knowledge of the disability sector and how I could help people in that space.

SC – Family events meant I wanted to be on the inside of NDIS, being part of the sector.