Staff Profile – Emmie

My qualifications include a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Studies and Psychology, a Diploma in Community Services (Alcohol, other drugs, and mental health) and a Certificate IV in Disability Work.

I have worked for many years in the disability and age care sector through several support coordination, support worker, disability support, and program support facilitator positions. Through all these work experiences I have interacted with many carers of all ages. I have extensive experience providing support to people with a disability, especially those with complex needs. Between 2019 and 2021 I worked to provide support coordination services for NDIS participants. Now I am a “Carer Coach”. I am committed to working with my clients to deliver quality outcomes for them.

It continues to be a privilege to share a part of the journey with carers.

I am one of a small team of highly experienced, motivated and dedicated carer coaches. In this role I provide coaching support to carers to help them achieve their goals and to build resilience in their caring roles. Carers are used to helping others, so it is satisfying to help them with their needs, for themselves. Empowering them to take the actions needed to make improvements in their lives enhances their wellbeing, and their ability to continue caring.

Step by step the coaching journey leads to positive changes for carers such as demystifying support available through My Aged Care and the NDIS, and integrating self-care activities into their lives. It is a privilege to work in this role and in the coaching team.

Is there a personal experience with carers that you would like to share? Or do you have a lived experience?

My dad receives support from a good friend who is his carer. This arrangement has allowed my dad to continue living in his own home in a small rural town where he knows people and all of their pets. My sister and I do what we can to support dad’s life choices by providing respite where possible.  We know how highly valued this is for his carer, and for dad. Carers in that area experience considerable challenges accessing reliable aged care support services. Through working in the Carer Gateway team at Your Side I have deepened my knowledge and also built further confidence for me to better support my dad and his kind carer.

Carers provide a selfless support to those in need, often resulting in considerable sacrifice. What they give is immensely valuable to those in their care, and reflective of a broader commitment within our society that I consider a feature of a civilised society. Being able to speak to and provide support to them is rewarding. Working within a close team is also enjoyable – we each have our strengths, so by working together the team as a whole is stronger than any of us alone. We support and learn from each other. I value ongoing learning about improving service delivery, new support services and resources. My role with Your Side provides all of this and more.