A Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) is an ideal qualification for care workers who are supporting people with a disability. This course is suitable for those working with people with a disability in their own home, working for a disability service provider or offering respite for families. It’s a great choice if you’d like to help people with a disability to gain more independence and become more involved in their community. A Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) will help you support clients as they work toward their goals.
The Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) will give you the skills and knowledge you need to work with people with a wide range of disabilities. You’ll learn how to best support their physical and emotional well-being by focusing on their individual needs. You’ll cover topics including safe work practices and legal and ethical considerations and understand the importance of communicating effectively with other members of your client’s support team.
Working with people with a disability can be a very rewarding career. If you enjoy helping people this could be a great choice for you. Individual support workers need to be excellent communicators and should be open to a range of activities with their client. Reliability is crucial and you’ll also need to be patient and understanding. Depending on your client’s needs there could be some physical labour involved but this is not always the case.
A Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) is a great qualification for the following careers:
Disability Support Worker
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Disability Support Worker supports clients with a disability in their everyday lives. They might work with them in their own home with tasks like cleaning, cooking or personal care or provide companionship during activities they enjoy. Disability Support Workers often take clients out into the community for social activities, sporting events or everyday tasks such as shopping. They might also accompany them to appointments or therapy sessions.
Residential Care Worker
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Residential Care Worker provides support to people living in a residential facility such as a group home, aged care unit or rehabilitation centre. They might work on personal care tasks like dressing, bathing and feeding or help with independent living duties like cooking and cleaning. Residential Care Workers liaise with other health professionals and family members to ensure clients have the best care for their needs.
Diversional Therapist
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Diversional Therapist organises social and recreational events for people with particular needs. They might organise individual sessions or group events and they often take a small group on an outing. Diversional Therapists work in a range of settings from disability services to aged care or hospital units. Programs might be designed to address physical issues, emotional needs or social barriers.
Higher education pathways
A Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) is a great start to a career in disability services. You could take your career further with a Certificate IV in Disability which offers further insight into supporting people with a disability to be independent and live a full life. You might also consider a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance which will give you the knowledge and skills to help other health professionals deliver therapies to people in need.
You might also decide to further your studies with a university degree in this area. A qualification such as the Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education will provide you with more specialised knowledge and allow you to be employed in a wider range of positions. You may be able to use a Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) as a pathway to these qualifications.
Getting started
If you’re interested in enrolling in a Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) it’s important to find the right provider for your needs. Start by requesting information from different course providers and make sure you get details on course costs, duration, prerequisite subjects and the topics the course will cover. It’s important to compare this information because course providers often vary in their course delivery. The Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability) may be offered online or on campus.