Why support work might be the most rewarding job you've never considered

A People and Culture perspective

Kate Single.

By Kate Single, Head of People and Culture
Published 10 August 2026

When people think about support work, they often picture a clinical environment, personal care, and shift work. What they don’t picture is helping someone join a sports team, navigate public transport, connect with their community, or achieve a goal they have been working towards for years. Yet that’s exactly what support work often looks like.

As part of my role as Head of People and Culture at CCS Disability Action, I spend a lot of time talking to support workers, leaders, and people considering a career in support work. One thing I’ve consistently noticed is how often people underestimate just how varied, community-focused and rewarding these roles can be.  

Support work with an organisation like CCS Disability Action is community-based, relationship-driven mahi. It happens in parks, libraries, workplaces, and on the marae. It looks like helping someone plan their week, figuring out the bus routes together, joining a local sports team, or just having a good yarn over a coffee. The focus is on backing disabled people to live the lives they want – on their own terms.

It's about doing with, not doing for

Modern disability support is grounded in the New Zealand Disability Strategy, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. All of these affirm that disabled people have the right to be active participants in their own communities, making their own choices. Our support workers take pride in helping people achieve things for themselves. The role isn’t about taking over or making decisions on someone else’s behalf. It’s about supporting disabled people to pursue their own goals, make their own choices, and participate fully in their communities.

Whether that’s learning a new skill, building confidence using public transport, or joining a local group, support workers constantly tell us that seeing people grow in confidence and independence is one of the most rewarding parts of their work.

That shift in thinking, from “doing for”, to “doing with”, changes everything about how the work feels. It's less about stepping in and more about standing alongside someone as they build confidence, skills and connections in their community.

Your interests are an asset

One of the things we actively look for when recruiting support workers is diversity of experience and interests. Some people assume they need a health or disability background, but that’s not always the case. We know that strong relationships are often built through shared interests and genuine connections. Often it’s those shared interests that help build trust, open the door to new opportunities and experiences, and support people to engage with their communities in ways that matter to them.  

A young person who loves rugby thrives with someone who gets the game. A teenager into music might open up with a support worker who plays an instrument or goes to local gigs. Whether you're into kapa haka, gardening, motorsport, gaming, or hunting – those interests become the bridge to trust, to trying new things, and to working towards bigger goals.

Practical, flexible, and rewarding

Support work can also fit around real life. Many roles offer flexible hours that work around study, whānau commitments, or another part-time job. You don't need a clinical background to get started. We provide training, supervision, ongoing development and opportunities to build your skills and grow your career. What we're really looking for is someone with good values, a genuine respect for people, and a willingness to listen.

The deeper reward, though, is hard to put into words until you've experienced it. It's the moment someone catches their bus alone for the first time. It's watching a person join a club they've wanted to try for years. It’s knowing you’ve played a part in helping someone build the life they want and strengthen their connection to their community.

We need you

Across Aotearoa, there is a growing demand for skilled support workers.  We are working to build a workforce that truly reflects the communities we serve – in age, culture, language, and life experience. There is a real opportunity for people with strong local connections to do meaningful, values-driven work right on their own doorstep.

What consistently stands out to me is how many people enter the role expecting to make a difference in someone else’s life, only to discover how much they gain from the experience themselves.

As an employer, we know that attracting and retaining great support workers means creating an environment where people feel valued, supported and able to grow. That’s why we invest in training, development, supervision and flexible working arrangements wherever possible.

The people who thrive in these roles bring empathy, reliability, respect, curiosity and a genuine belief in the rights and potential of others.

If you are looking for a career that combines purpose, connection, flexibility and the opportunity to contribute to stronger communities, support work is worth considering.

If you believe everyone deserves to participate fully in community life, this could be a career that aligns strongly with your values. It's not about being a hero. It's about being a reliable, respectful presence alongside someone as they pursue the goals that matter to them.  If that sounds like the kind of difference you’d like to make, I’d encourage you to explore the opportunities available.

To find out more about community support worker roles at CCS Disability Action, visit www.ccsDisabilityAction.org.nz or call us on 0800 227 2255.