The primary role of Personal Support Workers is to provide the appropriate structure and tools to help individuals establish an independent and healthy way of life. Personal Support Workers should all carry a basic set of core values that include an firm belief in the importance of upholding client confidentiality and dignity, as well as providing services to clients that are tailored to each client's unique cultural background.

Skills Needed

Personal Support Workers are also expected to share a basic set of knowledge and skills. These include interpersonal skills such as empathy and sensitivity, communication skills on a both verbal and non-verbal basis, an understanding of age-related changes and disabilities that clients may face, an understanding of power dynamics and vulnerabilities that may impact clients, and perhaps most critically, the ability to act "on one's feet" in a moment of emergency. This final point could include situations such as abusive environments, a health crisis faced by a client (seizure, etc.), or challenging behaviour related to baseline issues of a client such as dementia.

Accountability

It is also key to recognize that Personal Support Workers must remain accountable to several different individuals at all times. A Personal Support Worker must be accountable first and foremost to his or her client, but must also be accountable to one's employment agency, to legislative regulations, and to one's own professional colleagues.

For additional information you can visit our Personal Support Worker Job Description page.