Calls for more culturally appropriate disability support

December 30, 2022

Advocates are calling for a wider variety of New Zealanders to take up the job.

A severe workforce shortage is exacerbating a lack of culturally appropriate disability support workers.

But advocates say both problems could be solved by encouraging a wider variety of New Zealanders to take up the job.

Some suggest the role could be ideal for students.

Shakti Krishnan told 1News that support from people who are similar to him is what he needs to get by.

"It might be a really big thing or really really small things, like even coming over to just help me chill out, play some games with me, tidy around my house. There're very little things that people might not expect that I might need help with," he said.

"Let's say if I need to go grocery shopping, something as simple as just being able to get someone to help me reach the top shelf - that might be the help I need."

He's been in a wheelchair most of his life and has always been surrounded by support workers but finding one who gets him isn't easy.

"I've had older people be support workers for me, like nurses and middle-aged women, who're so compassionate and so lovely and attend to every need I have but may not understand all the things I'm interested in," he said.

He's worked with young guys before and found he enjoyed it.

"They encourage me and push me to do the things that they would also similarly do at that age, and that's awesome - like going to bars and drinking and clubbing. I'm unlikely to do that with an older person, I think."

But with 25% of the population living with a disability, there aren't enough support workers to go around, let alone to meet specific needs.

"Particularly young people, diverse in terms of ethnicity as well - Māori, Pasifika, Asian. The current workforce is largely middle-aged, European and female over 50," the Disability Workforce Development programme's Manase Lua said.

He says the work is misunderstood.

"Definitely, they have misconceptions. I think there is a view that it's a job that's onerous," he said.

Lua says that it's an opportunity more people should explore.

"The good thing is you don't really need to have qualifications," he said.

"It looks like your everyday work, how you support your friends, your family, so it could be things like spending time with them, helping them with the dishes, going to the movies, going to the rugby - that sort of thing," he said.

Indy Henman and Sophia Malthus are sharing the reality of the job on social media.

Malthus said having Henman with her "makes it more comfortable accessing the community", including attending classes at university.

"Indy just kind of sits at uni and does her uni work while I'm in classes so she just blends in perfectly to whatever I'm doing."

"It's a great job - don't write it off," Henman added.

"If you need money, as most young people do, the hours are great - you can do 12-hour shifts."

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