Some of the best support workers know exactly what it feels like to be on the other side of the relationship. Aled is one of them. He came to Vana Care as a client, living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and feeling like everyday life asked more of him than it did of everyone else. Today he's part of our team, supporting other people to find the same footing he found. This is his story, in his own words where it matters most.
When everything felt uphill
Like many people with ASD, Aled faced hurdles that weren't always visible to the people around him. Additional diagnoses made daily life tougher again, and for a long time he carried it largely on his own.
He puts it with real honesty: "Honestly, before I received support, I'll say that I was adrift… It's no wonder why everything has always felt so much harder for me than most people could understand."
That feeling, of working twice as hard just to keep up, is something a lot of the people we support describe. It's also exactly what good support is meant to ease.
The turning point
When Aled started with Vana Care, the first job wasn't a program or a plan. It was getting the match right. He was paired with Ruby and Alex, two support workers who took the time to understand his goals and his interests, including a genuine love of sport.
That matters more than it might sound. Personalised support isn't a buzzword to us, it's the difference between a worker who fills hours and a worker who actually changes someone's week. Our community access support is built around the things a person already cares about, because that's where confidence grows fastest.
Gym sessions, rock climbing and growing confidence
With encouragement and a bit of structure, Aled got back into fitness. He found his footing at the gym, started paying attention to nutrition, and discovered that progress in one part of life tends to spill into the others.
"Ruby and Alex saw the qualities in me that other people in my life didn't see," he says.
From there, things kept building. He took up rock climbing. He made new social connections. And somewhere along the way, the person who once felt adrift started becoming a mentor for others.
From client to support worker
Aled's biggest shift wasn't a personal milestone. It was the day he decided to become a support worker himself.
He brought something to the role that can't be trained: he knows what it's like to be supported, which means he knows what good support feels like from the inside. The people he works with feel that.
Some of the moments from his work speak for themselves. One person Aled supports took assisted steps again after years of not being able to. Aled is careful about how he talks about it, because the achievement belongs to his client, but the pride in his voice is unmistakable.
Through a placement with a local aged care provider, Aled has also supported people living with dementia. He became a warm, familiar presence in their days, bringing laughter and genuine friendship even when those moments might not be remembered tomorrow. His view is simple: a good day is worth having whether or not it's remembered, and that says a lot about how he sees the work.
What Aled's story means if you're considering support work
We hear from plenty of people who wonder if disability support could be a career for them, including people who have received support themselves. Aled's answer would be yes, and ours is too.
Vana Care was founded in Adelaide in 2021 by Jes & Jason, and our team has grown to more than 100 support workers across Greater Adelaide and nearby regional South Australia. The thing they have in common isn't a particular background. It's the ability to see the person first, the way Ruby and Alex saw Aled. If that sounds like you, take a look at our careers page to see what joining the team involves.
And if you're a participant or family member weighing up providers, stories like Aled's are a useful test of culture. You can read what other participants and families say about us on our reviews page.
Common questions
Can someone who receives NDIS support become a support worker?
Yes. Receiving support and providing it aren't opposites, and lived experience is often a genuine strength in this work. Like every support worker, you'd need to meet the standard screening and worker requirements for the disability sector, and we can walk you through what those are when you apply.
What makes a good support worker?
Patience, reliability and genuine interest in the person you're supporting count for more than any single qualification. Aled's strengths are a good example: he listens, he shows up consistently, and he treats his clients' goals as the whole point of the job rather than a box to tick.
What kind of support did Aled receive?
Aled's support centred on community access: getting to the gym, building routines around fitness and nutrition, trying new activities like rock climbing, and growing social confidence. You can read more about how we approach this on our services page.
The right support changes what's possible
Aled's story isn't about one remarkable person, although he is one. It's about what happens when support is built around who someone actually is. The same approach that helped Aled find his feet now flows through the work he does for others, and that's the kind of circle we love to see.
If something in his story sounds like you or someone you care about, we'd love to talk. You can build a personalised quote in a few minutes at Get Support, or call us on 08 7228 6202 and have a chat with a real person about where to start.