This is Grace. She is an Assistant House Manager who started her journey with Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) three years ago as a Disability Support Worker (DSW). Since then, Grace has helped create a positive impact in her clients’ lives, while aiming high to progress in her career.
She’s built strong relationships with people from different departments within CPA, including the team in the Supported Independent Living home who she works closely with every day. It’s these relationships that make every day at CPA is a day to look forward to.
CPA’s commitment to helping its employees’ career development as well as diversity are the reasons Grace decided to apply initially to work for the organisation, and why she’s still here today. CPA has provided her with support and training after she expressed her intention of joining the leadership team. She has since progressed to Assistant House Manager with the support and encouragement of her colleagues and managers.
“I find it rewarding working at CPA because you have the opportunities to progress your career. CPA identifies talent within their staff. I’m a great example of a success story for a DSW.’”
For Grace, being in the disability sector is much more than just taking care of people with disabilities. For her, it’s about advocating for their independence and making sure that the clients and their families are happy with the services that they are receiving. Grace and her team have implemented initiatives such as holding “Family Forum” meetings with clients and their families, where they can share feedback and give ideas. It’s a wonderful way of involving families and bringing clients and their families together to bond.
‘We bring in different ideas with a common goal of putting our clients first and bringing out the best in our clients. From DSWs to House managers and Senior Managers we all come together.”
As a leader, Grace is taking all the training she has received so far and the knowledge she’s acquired and is transferring this to other staff. Grace encourages staff to use a person-centred approach towards their clients, and to help clients build independence and be as comfortable as they can in their own homes.
‘I love working for CPA because of the diversity in the teams, the great leadership team, and most of all, our clients. Every day is a great memory at CPA, every day we’re building new memories.”
This is the magic that can happen when
Great minds think differently.
