Find new customers on independent platforms and job boards. Attract more customers through social media. Communicate with local and online business owners. Take an active part in these groups, participate in discussions, and be open to learning from others who have a wealth of knowledge to share. Establishing connections and cultivating a strong professional network on social media can pave the way for exciting opportunities and for growing as an independent support worker.
Building a reputation as an excellent support worker can mean thinking outside the box and providing supports that help people achieve their goals. Depending on the person you support, they can be part of the day's agenda or include new and creative ideas for how to spend time together. The first thing we do is make sure that we clearly understand the customer's needs. What do they struggle with? What tasks do you need help with? How will a support worker adapt to them and their company? Knowing exactly what they need help with definitely helps narrow down the list. Once we have a better idea, we can take a look at our support workers to see who has the necessary skills.
It's also a good idea to meet with other NDIS support workers, as they may encounter NDIS clients they can't hire on their own (e.g., Kynd doesn't have to pay anything up front; you can create a profile, get verified quickly (if you meet minimum standards), search for job offers from NDIS participants, and create your NDIS client base.