I Am Coaching Australia To Make This Mindset Shift

As of 2022, 5.5 million Australians, or 21.4% of the population, reported having a disability. The need for additional care or assistance ranges from care and company with gentle help with day-to-day activities to full-time, round-the-clock care. Through the NDIS, skilled and caring individuals who want to support others show up, bringing their hearts, skills, and best minds.

They hold it together when their charge takes a turn for the worst, when young children with neurodivergence bring challenges, and loved ones watch someone terminal slowly fade away.

This is so much more than a job. Sometimes, the nights stretch into dawns even though the shift technically ended five hours ago. Emergencies happen. The unexpected becomes expected.

As an expert in NDIS and coaching in Australia, I know that the strongest people in the room need support. Carers are the emotional and physical backbone of the NDIS, and the NDIS is the backbone for vulnerable Australians. The toll of their work is immense but often invisible.

This begs the question: How are we supporting the supporters?

As a coach in the NDIS sphere, I encourage NDIS providers to make an important mental pivot when it comes to managing their teams. The general guidelines for HR simply do not work in this industry because the job requires so much more from its workers.

This Job Is More Than ‘Just Work’

Care work demands emotional stamina that few other roles require. Compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma are common among care workers and can look deceptively benign. Tiredness, short temper, feeling weepy, and experiencing what appears to be generalised burnout could be a lot more specific. Expecting care workers to find the support they need at home is often unrealistic, especially in a home where there may be small children who will ask for more caregiving. We all know the phrase: You can’t pour from an empty cup, so how can NDIS providers fill their workers’ cups?

Build Teams That Have Each Other’s Backs

Carers need more flexibility than most. The ability to take time is not for pleasure; it’s sometimes non-negotiable. Everyone needs to self regulate, and rather than pizza Fridays or coffee mornings, in this line of work, carers need more space to replenish their mental and emotional capacities. That said, participants depend on their carers showing up. When a carer needs unplanned time off, the rest of the team needs to lean in, and hopefully someone will volunteer to cover the shift. When carers feel bonded, they’re more likely to step in, step up, and support one another, not because they must, but because they care. Connection beats compliance every time.

HR in NDIS and Caregiving Must Evolve: This Is Trauma-Informed Work

Standard HR practices don’t cut it in this sector. Trauma-informed, person-centred HR approaches are non-negotiable. Sometimes the job has massive mental and emotional implications for the carers. Support needs to include mental health awareness, emotional literacy, and compassionate policies. Rather than in-office perks, access to mental health support services, time off for mental health, and other self-care practices go further.

Carers are often the emotional anchors in the room, holding space for others while suppressing their own needs. Without structured support, that strength can crack under the pressure. That’s where coaching becomes not just valuable, but vital.

In the NDIS sector, it’s not just the carers doing the heavy lifting. Business owners, team leaders, and managers are often holding the emotional weight of their entire workforce, and they need support too.

That’s where coaching plays a crucial role. It gives leaders space to reflect, think strategically, and build emotional intelligence so they can lead with empathy while managing burnout, boundaries, and business pressures.

Coaching isn’t a luxury. It’s a tool to help decision makers stay clear-headed and values-driven in a sector where emotional labour is everywhere. When leaders are supported, they’re better equipped to create work environments where carers can thrive, with flexibility, compassion, and a stronger team culture.

Carers don’t need more instructions. They require more effective systems and stronger leadership. Coaching helps leaders build both.

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