If you're weighing up a career as a support worker, you’re in the right place. Becoming a support worker is actually a lot easier than people might think and it’s an incredibly rewarding experience. You don't need existing qualifications or experience to get started with social support, you’re in complete control of your hours, and get paid competitively. This guide walks through what the role actually involves and exactly how to get started as a support worker on the Like Family platform.
What does a support worker do?
Support work covers a wide range of non-medical support and Personal Care, depending on what a person needs and what you're set up to provide. At Like Family, we call our support workers "Social Carers" because most of the work is about connection and community, not just tasks.
Day to day, that can include:
- Helping with household tasks like light cleaning or meal prep
- Being a companion for social events, hobbies or appointments
- Assisting with grocery shopping and errands
- Exercising, playing sports or getting active together
- Arts, crafts and other shared interests
- Skills training, like budgeting or digital literacy
- Transport to and from activities
For Carers with the right training, it also extends to Personal Care. This refers to hands-on support like showering, toileting and medication assistance.
5 reasons to consider becoming a support worker
1. It's flexible, and pretty much anyone can do it
Like Family's community of Social Carers include uni students, retirees, parents and people between careers. Many had no background in care, disability or nursing before starting. You choose your hours, who you work with, and what kind of support you offer, and most Carers build their work around other commitments like study, childcare or a business of their own.
2. No qualifications needed for social support, but Personal Care requires training
Getting started as a social support worker doesn't require any pre-existing qualifications or experience. You'll need to pass standard legal checks and complete mandatory training modules, which is a requirement under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), but these are built into onboarding rather than something you need to arrange beforehand.
Personal Care is different. If you want to offer hands-on support like showering, toileting or medication assistance, you'll need relevant training and qualifications on top of the standard checks, since this type of care carries additional responsibility. Pay for Personal Care reflects that, it's higher than social support activities in recognition of the extra skill and training involved.
If you're not sure which path suits you, you can start with social support and add Personal Care qualifications later once you've got a feel for the work.
3. You'll support a wide range of people and make a real difference
Support workers work with people with physical and intellectual disabilities, neurodiverse people, people recovering from injury or illness, and older Australians. Members range from kids to people in older adulthood, and every person's needs and interests are different.
Carers and Members are often matched based on shared interests as much as support needs. If you've got a particular hobby or skill, there's a good chance someone on the Like Family platform also shares these interests and is looking for someone like you to connect with. It's part of what makes support work feel more like a genuine relationship.
4. It's a career, not just a gig
Some Carers use support work as flexible, ongoing casual income around other commitments. Others build it into a genuine career path, taking on Personal Care qualifications, specialising in particular support types, or working toward roles like support coordination over time. Either way works, and you can adjust as your circumstances change, giving you greater control over your time.
"I love being a Like Family Social Carer. I'm always meeting new people and having fun and learning new skills whilst helping vulnerable and isolated members of the community." Alison
5. The pay is competitive
Not only is support work rewarding and meaningful, but it pays competitively too. Our pay rates are above the SCHADS Award and well above the minimum wage. Rates vary depending on the type of support you provide, for example, Personal Care is paid at a higher rate to recognise the qualifications it requires.
View Like Family's support worker pay rates.
How do I sign up?
Like Family's sign-up process is easy and fast. Most carers are able to book their first client within a week of being activated on the platform. Here’s how it works:
- Start your profile. Visit the Support Worker Jobs page and complete a short, video-based sign-up. You'll answer a handful of questions on camera, each under two minutes. Your answers are used to build your profile for you, making it easy for Members to find and match with you. Don't worry these videos are not used or shared anywhere outside of the onboarding process.
- Complete your verification. You'll need an ABN and NDIS Worker Screening Check as a minimum, which can take a couple of weeks to process. A Working With Children Check is required if you want to work with Members under 18. You’ll also need to provide three reliable references.
- Get activated. Once your documents are submitted and verified, activation can happen within 24 hours.
- Start applying for Activities. Once you're active, you can browse and apply for Activities posted by Members. Most support workers book their first client within a week of joining.
You don't need any qualifications, experience or a car to get started. Like Family is currently looking for support workers across NSW, VIC, QLD and SA.
If you're ready to start a career making a real difference, start your application on the Support Worker Jobs page.
Frequently asked questions
Can anybody become a support worker?
Anyone can become a social support worker with no prior qualifications or experience required. You'll need to pass legal checks and complete training modules as part of onboarding, and Like Family guides you through the whole process. Personal Care roles require additional training on top of this.
What's the difference between a carer and a support worker?
A carer usually refers to someone providing unpaid care and support to a family member or friend with a disability, illness, or other support needs. A support worker is typically a paid professional providing support to people with disability, mental health conditions or other needs, in settings like a person's home or community.
Is being a support worker hard?
It can be challenging at times, since it often involves supporting people with complex physical, emotional or developmental needs. It's also genuinely rewarding: you're helping people live more independently and stay connected to their community, and the flexibility means you can build the work around your own life.
Is being a support worker a career?
Yes. Many people start in social support and stay flexible and casual, while others build toward Personal Care qualifications, specialise in particular support types, or move into roles like support coordination over time.
Find more answers to common questions on our website.