Sheetal Naidu

Support worker

Pacific Island Homecare Service Trust

Sheetal was born in Fiji in a small town called Bau. She has lived in New Zealand for the past five years and is married with two school aged daughters. Some of Sheetal’s interests include meeting and talking to new people and watching movies.

When Sheetal moved to New Zealand her dream was to interact with and learn more about other cultures. This is what she’s doing right now! Through her role, she has also learnt to be patient when things don’t move as fast as she’d like them too.

Favourite inspirational quote:

“I like to give my best service to the people...wherever I go in whichever culture I go, I want to be part of their family, I want to be in their heart and I want them to be in my heart.” – Sheetal Naidu.

Profile

Describe your job

I work for Pacific Island Homecare Service Trust as a support worker where I look after clients’ personal care and household care needs. I work with people from a range of different backgrounds.

What do you do on an average day?

As I have young kids, my working day allows me to drop them off and pick them up from school. My average day at work involves assisting clients with personal and home care such as showering and cleaning. I also spend time talking and catching up with them.

What do you love about your job?

I enjoy talking with my clients and learning about their lives. It’s also great because I learn about different cultures other than my own.

What opportunities does your job offer?

As a result of working here, I have been able to further my education. I’ve recently completed my Level 3 qualification. I also continually learn from other people, share ideas with them and broaden mind-sets.

What skills, training, education or past experiences helped you secure your job?

I was an accountant in Fiji but was always stuck in an office. I have always enjoyed working with people and in this role helping people has been a big part of it. The willingness of my organisation to keep supporting me to develop my skills has been really important.

Why did you want to work in the disability sector?

I enjoy working with people and learning about where they come from and how they live their lives. These are two big reasons why I work in the disability sector today.

How does your role impact or help Pacific people with disabilities and their families?

In this role I get to give Pacific families the opportunity to rest while I support the needs of their family member with the disability. For some Pacific people with disabilities, my work also means that they can be much more independent.

What advice do you have for anyone wanting to work in the disability sector?

My advice to someone interested in working in the disability sector would be hurry and apply – don’t wait because you’ll get a job that you will enjoy.

Find out more

For more information about becoming a support worker like Sheetal, check out these links from Careers New Zealand to learn more about similar roles:

• Education and training requirements to become a Home Aide
• The job requirements, working conditions, renumeration and career progression
• Career planning
• Job hunting, CV and Interview tips and information
• Information on study, training and career planning for Pasifika New Zealanders
• Information on scholarships, grants and awards and how to apply for them

For job vacancies in the mental health, addictions and disability sectors, check out our job vacancies page. You can also check out Futures that work, Le Va’s Pacific health workforce development programme, for information on our scholarships and awards.