Looking after our ageing Australians is essential and highly valuable work. Working as a CAREGiver is not just a job: it’s a purpose and it can also be a career. The Home Instead Academy was established to provide our CAREGivers with growth opportunities to earn an income caring for our ageing community and gain a nationally accredited qualification in a supportive environment.

We spoke with three Home Instead CAREGivers, who are studying their Certificate III in Individual Support, to find out why the Home Instead Academy is so beneficial to them.

Petro Jonck, a CAREGiver from Home Instead Brisbane Inner North and West, describes herself as a CAREGiver who finds hands-on learning a more valuable learning style combined with the option to earn money while she completes her work placement hours.

“I find study with the Home Instead Academy so interesting and I just want to know more,” Petro said.

 

History of the Home Instead Academy

The Home Instead Academy is an enterprise registered training organisation that was launched in February 2022 in response to the growing shortage of nationally accredited community, aged care workers in Australia.

It allows individuals to obtain a nationally accredited Certificate III in Individual Support specialising in ageing, home and community while working as a CAREGiver, providing the opportunity to earn an income while completing the qualification.

Many in-home, aged care providers expect their carers to have healthcare-related qualifications, which can take over  12 months to complete, before they start working. However, Home Instead offers comprehensive, blended learning options incorporating online, face-to-face, and simulation learning in a supported environment, while providing care to clients in their own homes and earning an income.

Home Instead Melbourne Inner North CAREGiver Kathy Anglin finds training with Home Instead inspiring.

“We had the orientation training before we started working with clients and that was important because I didn’t know what I was doing and that gave me the confidence to do my job,” said Kathy, who previously worked in office administration and accounts before deciding on a career change in April 2022.

“The online training with the Academy is really good. It’s clear and it’s quick and it’s very manageable and fits in with my life” she said.

“The quizzes reinforce what you’ve done. I’m nearly halfway through the certificate training already.”

Kathy works an average of 20 hours a week and was looking for a job with more flexibility and with purpose.

“I wanted to do something that would leave me feeling better about what I was doing each day. I was sick of crunching numbers and worrying about profits,” she said.

“I now really love what I’m doing, even though I’ve never done anything like this before.”

The support she receives from the Home Instead office team and the Home Instead Academy is one of the many reasons she enjoys her new role.

“My clients tell me their Home Instead CAREGivers seem more knowledgeable than their other carers,” Kathy said. “I like the fact that I am working while studying so I am really getting a feel for the job and understanding whether I truly like what I am doing. It reinforces the reasons for doing the job.”

 

Convenient, comprehensive training for a CAREGiving career

Caroline Lawless, a CAREGiver with Home Instead Brisbane Inner North & West, made the switch to CAREGiving from a corporate career in March 2022. The busy mother of two, soon to be three, had decided she needed more flexibility and more time with her children. Her role with Home Instead provides her with that.

She is also completing her Certificate III through the Home Instead Academy.

“Training through the Home Instead Academy is very convenient. I’m pleased to be able to get another qualification while being paid to work,” said Caroline, who is currently working around 10 hours a week.

“My work is meaningful and I like the clients that I’ve worked with. They are really lovely and being able to help people is very fulfilling.

“My work now fills my soul in ways that my corporate career wasn’t able to.”

For Petro, gaining her certificate is a crucial part of her new career as a CAREGiver.

 

 

“As long as I can, I want to be the hands and feet for those who don’t have them,” she said.

“My reason for being is to make a difference in someone’s life. I have the opportunity to do that with Home Instead, which is great.”

More information about becoming a CAREGiver can be found here.

 

About Home Instead

Home Instead is a specialist, national provider of high quality, relationship-based, in-home care for older Australians. We help with a range of personal and lifestyle needs while providing welcome companionship. Our services include assistance with personal care, light household duties, meal preparation, medication reminders, and transport to appointments, shopping and social outings. We take personal responsibility for providing the best in-home care and support to meet our clients’ needs and are committed to addressing the individual and national challenges of Australia’s ageing population.