Rachel came to Aspect with some knowledge of autism but it was the learning opportunities that provided her with a deeper understanding. Rachel uses the training she has learnt during her time at Aspect to support the students every day.

"The rapport and bond developed with children has been amazing. Seeing that relationship grow and it flowing through to that child being able to sit for longer or achieve more academically or socially. "

South East Sydney School has a base school at Peakhurst and 11 satellite classes in the area. Teachers, teacher aides, support staff and allied health professionals are just some of the roles that make up the team.

"It is amazing, we are so blessed. Our Principal Jo Tisdell is incredible, she is so understanding. She understands that we all have our jobs and that we're all passionate. She also understands that can also come with problems, needing to debrief and needing to be educated. I can't say enough about Jo."

"It is a real team environment. We all band together and we all get the job done. We all work together to get the best for the kids."

In addition to her role as a Teacher's Aide, where Rachel has worked in a primary school setting for the last seven years, she also works with Aspect Choose and Connect's School Social Group working with young people on the spectrum aged 8 to 18.

Some advice Rachel would give to someone looking at a career at Aspect would be to “learn as much as you can about autism. One of the key sayings is that ‘no two children with autism are the same'.

"The number one thing that I do, that I think is important, is to build rapport with the students in my class. If you have a good relationship with the children you can accomplish so much."

For people thinking about a career in an Aspect School, Rachel believes a unique and rewarding opportunity is available to those who are passionate - but it's important to make sure you're the right fit for the role and the culture at Aspect.

"There is no day that is perfect where you will have all your ducks in a row, you just have to roll with it and keep on going and rely on that relationship to get you through to the end of the day."

"The more people I can encourage to come along, the better for everybody. It's the best job in the world. "

Being a support worker is a great fit for someone who is friendly, observant, responsible and solution-focused. Key to being an Active Support Worker at Aspect is getting to know the people we support and taking the time to build trust. Another central focus of our role is understanding the participants’ goals so that we can empower them to live the life they want.

"I work in Aspect’s Adult Community Services. We run community and centre based programs for adults with autism. Ensuring participants have choice and control is very important. Our programs of support are designed to provide opportunities for participants to work on their NDIS and active support goals while participating in activities they enjoy. Our programs cover a broad range of activities (such as art, sport, gardening, meditation, cooking, and community access) and focus on core skill areas such as independent living skills, social & communication skills, sport & recreation and health & wellbeing)."

Sometimes our work is very challenging because we have to balance individual rights, needs, personalities, behaviours and preferences within the environment of a group program. At the end of the day, our service is a community and we encourage everyone here to be respectful towards others and to work together.

Support workers in this type of role need to be flexible when circumstances change at late notice. Being able to multitask is also a plus. Because our emphasis is on active support and activity-based programs, we require support workers who are ready and willing to lead by example and encourage others to have a go alongside them. People who can take initiative often make high quality support workers.

As an NDIS service provider, it is also necessary for Aspect support workers to do some report writing tasks whereby we document the evidence-based strategies we are using to support our participants to address their goals. Some Active Support Workers at Aspect go on to work as team leaders or in other roles across the organisation, so there are options for further career development for those who are interested in working towards this.

"What I particularly enjoy about working at Aspect is that it is a large and well-run organisation, so I always feel I have the training, information and resources I need in order to perform my duties to a high standard. I also really like the close-knit community of participants and colleagues I work with at the Hawthorn site. I love to keep learning and there are plenty of opportunities to do this in my role."

Meaghan continues to work with families and clients through Aspect Therapy and is also an Occupational Therapy Supervisor. Meaghan’s therapy role is primarily early intervention, supporting families with initial diagnosis, supporting families to develop goals and looking at relevant supports. Days can often be challenging, yet rewarding. As a supervisor, Meaghan supports other Occupational Therapists to build their own knowledge and skills, reflect on practice and to achieve their personal work goals. Meaghan has learnt a lot about working across teams of therapists and across disciplines.

"Our team is full of professionals, seeking to support clients and their families to achieve their goals and to be a different brilliant” “we support neurodiversity and encourage participation on all levels"

Aspect Therapists are primarily itinerant, meaning therapists are frequently on the road driving to clients’ homes, preschools, schools or other locations for appointments. Meaghan explains that although she enjoys the autonomy, it is reassuring being part of a much larger team. “Particularly for new staff or new graduates that come in, our workplace is often a whole new world, and being on your own in a client’s home may be completely different to what you have ever experienced: it’s nice to know you have the team behind you.” Not only do therapists have the Aspect Therapy team for support but also Aspect as a whole with its specialised support services including Research, IT, Communications and Human Resources, available to provide support for its more than 1200 staff nationally.

Throughout employment with Aspect, Meaghan has had the opportunity to be involved in different projects as part of her role. A personal highlight was the opportunity to be the first Occupational Therapist to deliver Early Intervention Services for Aspect to clients, their families and the preschool and school on Norfolk Island. She worked together with an Aspect Speech Pathologist, to build the capacity of families, the preschool and school on the Island, where there had been no prior Early Intervention support.

"There are so many opportunities to grow your skills across a range of different areas. For those trained as an Occupational Therapist, when you join Aspect your skill set will grow exponentially – when you look at the different strategies you can implement from learning from our Speech Pathologists and Psychologists, Positive Behaviour Support Practitioners, Teachers and Social Workers, we bring all of our knowledge and professional development together into the services we deliver. It makes Aspect a great place to work!"