Support coordination: Lessons from the trenches – Question 14

Lessons from the trenches - panel members

• Miranda Purchase (MP) – Support Coordinator, MP Coordination
• Veronica Santomingo (VS) – Support Coordinator, Richmond Fellowship Queensland
• Aylin Taylor (AT) – Support Coordinator, Tailored Options
• Sue Grier (SG) – Managing Director, Let’s Connect Support Services
• Elizabeth Hickey (EH) – Support Coordinator, AFA Support Coordination
• Hannah Redford (HR) - Support Coordinator, Tulip Coordination
• Sabine Hazlett (SH) – Support Coordinator, Lifestyle Mentor Services
• Zena Dyson (ZD) – Specialist Support Coordinator/Team Leader, Esteem Care Services
• Sera CrichtonAita (SC) – Support Coordinator, Australian Regional & Remote Community Services

Do you believe established and experienced support coordinators have a responsibility to share their learnings with others and mentor and nurture emerging talent, and why do you feel that way?

VS – Yes. I am still fairly new (14 months), and I still ask questions and want to learn.

AT – Absolutely, because there are too many support coordinators out there that have absolutely no idea what they’re doing.

I always believe sharing information and experience is useful for upcoming talent, so they are aware of how it really is and have the knowledge and experience to work as an effective and efficient support coordinator.

SG – Yes, definitely. We have a great team of support coordinators who all excel in some area and always pass on their knowledge on the team.

EH – ABSOLUTELY.

The only way to ensure that new support coordinators are able to sustain the workload experienced without burning out is to ensure they are supported by people who have experience and are willing to share that.

This should be done through a mix of networking, supervision (both internally through employment and through formal and informal external networks).

HR – I don’t believe that established and experienced support coordinators have a responsibility necessarily to others unless they want that.

I offer training and mentoring to emerging support coordinators because it is something that I enjoy doing, and I feel that four years into being a support coordinator I have a lot to offer. But I must be careful that it doesn’t interfere with my work with my participants.

SH – Absolutely, there is no competition in this industry – or at least, there should not be.

ZD – Yes, because there is not really a lot of formal education out there for up and coming support coordinators. It’s mainly learnt as you go. I even sourced out extra learning and training for support coordination over and above what my organisation provided and studied the NDIS website and portal all the time. I honestly believe a Bachelors Degree in Social Work or Human Services is very relevant to a support coordination role.

SC – To each their own. Sometimes it is you learning yourself by focusing on the client's needs and funding.