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Useful experience for support workers includes:

• work in rest homes, nursing homes and hospitals
• work with people who have mental, social or physical difficulties.

Support workers may do some or all of the following:

• help clients set and achieve goals such as avoiding drugs
• help clients wash, dress, toilet, and do housework, shopping and budgeting
• take clients on outings and help them keep fit
• make sure clients take the right medicines
• accompany clients to court, Work and Income, health and other appointments
• help clients find accommodation or employment
• help clients apply for assistance such as ACC funding
• assist clients with limited mobility such as by using mobility hoists to help them get out of bed
• drive clients with limited mobility in vehicles that can take wheelchairs
• advocate for clients by speaking up for them
• support clients' families by listening to them and giving advice on how they can be supportive.

High demand for support workers

Chances of getting a job as a support worker are good due to:

• increased government funding for support work, which means more jobs
• an ageing population, which means more people have health problems and need support
• an ageing workforce, with many reaching retirement – most support workers in aged care are between 55 and 64 years old.

According to the Census, 9,888 support workers worked in New Zealand in 2018.

More funding for mental health and addiction support workers 

Mental health and addiction support workers are in particularly high demand, with employers reporting a shortage.

This is partly because these workers had lower pay and fewer training opportunities than other support workers.

As a result, since 2018 the Government has provided:

• $173 million to bring mental health and addiction support workers' pay in line with other support workers, and reduce staff turnover
• a training grant for NZQA-approved mental health and addiction studies at Levels 4 to 6. 

Types of employers varied

Most support workers are employed by:

• district health boards
• charitable and non-profit agencies such as Odyssey House, Mind and Body Consultants, The Salvation Army and CCS Disability Action.

Careerforce

0800 277 486 - info@careerforce.org.nz - www.careerforce.org.nz

Odessey

 09 638 4957 - www.odyssey.org.nz

With extra training, support workers may progress to managerial, training or education roles.

Support workers may specialise in working with people who have:

• intellectual or physical disabilities
• injuries
• addiction and mental health problems
• dementia
• family/whānau problems
• housing problems.

Support workers need to be:

• patient and adaptable
• practical, organised and responsible
• friendly and helpful
• able to relate to people from a range of cultures and backgrounds
• good at solving problems
• able to work well under pressure
• able to keep information private.