Joel Guest has worked as a trainer for Maybo Australia for almost two years, where he works to improve the quality of life for people receiving support by providing staff with Positive Behavior Support (PBS) and de-escalation strategies. Here, he takes us through some of his favorite moments and what he believes makes Maybo training so effective.
What do you love most about working for Maybo?
Having spent over a decade working in the human services sector, I’ve seen lots of ups and downs, and I’ve learned that success depends on many factors. One thing I hold to be true, however, is that everyone is doing the best they can with what they have. Whether it be staff, family members, or people receiving support themselves, we can only work within our knowledge, understanding, and skill base.
What I love most about Maybo is that the training provides some simple, and yet highly effective, resources that help bridge some of those gaps. For example, tools such as the SEAL test, which can assist staff who are struggling to make choices confidently, or the Risk Reduction Model, which can help teams reduce risk before incidents occur. My personal favorite is the Defuse-Calm-Resolve model, which can provide staff and support personnel with a clear and easy to follow framework to effectively assist a person to de-escalate, therefore encouraging a safer environment providing an opportunity for the person being supported to learn new skills and maintain relationships.
What led you to have a career in this field?
I’ve always been drawn to roles where I can have a meaningful impact on the lives of others. So, when I started working as a disability support worker at 18 years old, it felt like a perfect fit. I have remained in the human services sector throughout my career, working in the disability, aged care, youth, and community services fields in a variety of roles. The most notable of these is my time as a PBS practitioner, where I developed and implemented Positive Behavior Support Plans for people whose behaviour presented a significant impact on their quality of life.
Over a decade later, I feel that my passion for the human services sector has only grown stronger. As a trainer, I love being able to help staff develop the skills and knowledge they need to be able to positively influence the lives of others.
What outcomes do you hope the work you undertake will help to achieve?
I hope that staff members working in human service industries can gain the confidence and understanding needed to help anyone seeking support, whether that be with our training in conflict management, PBS, de-escalation, or another area that requires a more innovative approach.
Do you have any top tips for people working in this field?
Support workers should be open-minded! Let people grow and change. Just because something hasn’t worked in the past doesn’t mean it’ll never work - give people a chance to exceed expectations.
What are your career highlights?
Too many to mention! I love that every day I get to help people with what I do. Hearing from clients about how inspired they are to try new things with the people they support or how they’re going to approach an old issue in a new way is extremely rewarding.
My favorite outcome from Maybo training is when a support worker can look past the incidents and areas of risk and see the human being at the center of everything we do. They can then recognize a person’s hopes, dreams, and goals and appreciate that their journey and experience are not so different from ours.
If you would like to talk to us about training, contact us.
