Tony uses Hireup to find workers he can connect with – which is exactly how he found David. Since they started working together in 2022, the pair hasn’t looked back.
“I really like working with David,” Tony says. “He is kind, funny and is focused on what I want to get out of the shift.”
David feels just as rewarded by their work together, describing their time spent with one another as easy and natural.
“We get on like a house on fire,” he explains. “We love making each other laugh [and] love each other’s company, so it makes the job really easy.”
Their weekly routine typically starts at Tony’s apartment in Sydney’s inner-west before taking a stroll to a nearby outdoor gym, where Tony works on his muscle strength. Next stop is coffee at a local cafe before heading home to either make lunch, write job applications, or do both.
David assists Tony with piecing together his applications before pressing send.
“We’ve been having a bit of luck lately, which is awesome,” David shares.
While celebrating those wins, David says the real reward is seeing Tony work towards goals that matter to him.
“The thing I love most about support work… is really listening to Tony and deeply understanding goals he’s working hard towards.”
That level of understanding has strengthened both Tony’s confidence and wellbeing.
“David has changed my day-to-day life by making sure I can talk to someone,” Tony says. “Every shift, he checks how my mental wellbeing is going.”
For Tony, the flexibility to choose his support team is also crucial. “Good support to me, needs to be client-led. It has to be safe and friendly,” he says.
“I can choose who can support me and what time the support worker comes and goes – I don’t rely on an old-school roster.”
