Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability)

RTO: Open Colleges School of Health 

Employer: Community Accommodation and Respite Agency  

A disability support worker with Cara (Community Accommodation and Respite Agency), Irshad Haidari completed his traineeship with Open Colleges School of Health in 2020.

Born in Pakistan, Irshad arrived in Australia in 2017 at the age of 20, when his father, who had migrated to the country a decade earlier, sponsored his Mum and four brothers to join him.

Irshad works as part of a supported independent living team at Cara, providing in-home support to non-verbal individuals. Irshad provides support in all areas of life—including mealtime management, personal care, aqua therapy, community support and inclusion.

“When you do this work, you have a profound impact on someone’s life. You are a trusted person in their lives, and you help them to become more independent and confident in their abilities,” says Irshad.

“My Certificate III qualification is just the beginning of my career working alongside people with disability,” says Irshad. “I would like to keep training, do my Certificate IV, and one day become an advocate for people with disability and their families, especially people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds like me, and people who have complex communication needs.”