What Makes Swati an Awesome Support Worker
Swati has been a Support Worker Team Leader at Interchange WA’s Mandurah Neighbourhood Diversity South team since 2024. Before that, she was a Support Worker at Diversity South for multiple years worked in the disability sector for over a decade. In that time, she has offered person-centred support to our customers that has brought them to attain some of their most important and cherished NDIS goals.
Three of our customers who she supports who all shared one goal: go on a holiday.
In the past, many hurdles had prevented them from achieving this goal for many years, including limited funding, a lack of facilities to support specific high-support needs while holidaying, and challenges with staffing and rostering. However, Swati didn’t see these difficulties as impossible tasks, but as challenges that they could overcome together. Through immense dedication to her customers, and close coordination with their Support Coordinator and the Public Trustee, Swati went above and beyond and gave ensured all three customers had a greatly enjoyable holiday in Busselton, something they had always dreamt of.
Seeing the happiness, confidence, and sense of achievement participants experience when they reach goals they have worked toward for a long time—such as going on a holiday—gives me a strong sense of purpose.”
It’s that sort of commitment that’s why we think Swati is awesome. That level of commitment to her customers is why our team nominated her for an iThink You Are Awesome award. But it’s not just her that we need to thank. Her motivation to strive for the satisfaction that comes with making people happy comes from her mum.
Person-Centred Support
Growing up with strong Indian values, her mother was a role model who taught her how to approach life, work, and family by staying calm and empathetic no matter how tough things may get. This person-centred mindset taught from a young age is what makes Swati the awesome Support Worker she is today. Her ability to consider and address everyone’s choices, needs and aspirations to guide them to happiness, confidence, and achievement is something everyone could stand to learn from.
These lessons from her mother carry into her personal life, too. She calls her husband her backbone, the person she can always rely on in all areas of life. They live together in Mandurah with their son, who is her “biggest stress buster” and keeps her grounded. Together, they enjoy the beach, traveling, cricket, and music in the same Neighbourhood she works in.
Speaking of learning, Swati views the disability sector as an opportunity for continuous learning. Every participant and family she meets is an opportunity to develop her skills and knowledge. It’s all part of her personal and professional growth towards being a better Support Worker, friend, wife and mother.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that, of Interchange’s values, Empowerment is the one that resonates with Swati most strongly. To value empowerment is to value developing ability, encouraging learning, and reaching goals. What she enjoys most about the disability sector is the fact it enables her to make meaningful and positive changes to the lives of people she supports, especially in the long-term by overcoming adversity and working towards achieving major NDIS goals.
Thank you for your dedication, Swati. We’re thrilled to have you as an Interchanger and look forward to what you do next to bring joy and empowerment to your customers. You are awesome.
Swati – iThink You Are Awesome
