Building skills to achieve more in daily life
HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE ROLE OF DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATOR?
I was exploring university degrees when I discovered the developmental educator degree.
When I researched what it involved, I loved its focus on supporting people living with disability to build their skills, experiences and live a life of choice and opportunity.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT?
I love supporting a team of 11 developmental educators as they work closely with Cara’s customers – children and adults with disability – to tailor strategies and resources, which support our customers to achieve their goals. It’s so rewarding to see customers reaching their goals like improving their relationships with people around them and seeing them achieve more in their day-to-day life.
WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU HAVE?
A Bachelor of Applied Science (Developmental Disabilities), now known as the Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education, a Graduate Diploma Health Science (Parent Education and Counselling) and Master of Social Policy and Planning.
WHAT ARE THE WORK HOURS LIKE?
The hours must be flexible to suit the needs of our customers.
We have some DEs working full-time and some working part-time and there is some out-of-hours work so we can fit in with our customers and their families and support network.
WHAT TASKS DO YOU ENJOY MOST?
I love working with the team to develop customised visual resources such as social stories. The resources are tailored to each customer so they can share it and use it to respond to change – changes like everyday tasks such as going to the doctor, right up to life-defining moments like moving house. I made one myself recently, to help a customer with catching public transport. Also, personally, I find laminating quite satisfying.
WHAT TASKS AREN’T YOUR CUP OF TEA?
Driving – I can’t wait for the arrival of autonomous vehicles – not least because of the increased independence they potentially herald for people with disability.