What you need to know about your first meet and greet with an independent worker

Mable’s flexible, transparent model of finding and booking support provides clients with ultimate control over the support they choose. With this choice comes responsibilities, including setting the right expectations when you meet any potential support workers. Here’s how you do it.

Many independent support workers using the Mable platform will offer free the first hour of support for a ‘meet and greet’. While these meetings are often informal chats to explain the role and discover if you have common interests, they’re also a crucial opportunity to set out your expectations for how you would like to work together. Both parties must ensure they are comfortable with the job arrangements before proceeding. Meet and greets are available via Team Chat on the Mable platform or in person.

Before you decide whether you and your chosen independent support worker are a good ‘fit’, it’s important to be clear and specific about what you will require of them during your time together. This will also allow the support worker to ask questions and decide whether they’re able – and willing – to do the required tasks.

Are they qualified for the job?
Support workers on Mable must provide certain qualifications and evidence of relevant experience to offer particular services via the platform. For example, someone offering personal care must have a Certificate III or IV in Aged Care or Disabilities, or other relevant qualifications or experience. But there are also specific skill sets within this – such as medication management, or the use of a hoist – that require additional training or expertise.

We recommend creating a list of the duties involved in your day-to-day support requirements and going through these tasks one by one with your support worker. It’s also appropriate to ask them to bring copies of any relevant qualifications and references for you to review at your first meeting.

Are you both clear on the duties that are required?

Once you know your chosen support worker is able and qualified to perform the job’s duties, be specific about your expectations of what those duties will involve. Even if the tasks don’t require specific skills, be specific with the worker with your views of what they should encompass.

For example, cleaning and domestic assistance are broad terms that can be interpreted differently. Some support workers might be happy to perform light housework duties like dusting or washing up but are uncomfortable climbing a ladder to clean your windows.

Similarly, if you’re engaging someone for social support, do you expect they will provide you with transport or are you happy to spend time together at home? This conversation will also allow your support worker to share any concerns about what’s expected, or set their own boundaries regarding what they are willing to do as part of the job.

The Mable platform provides helpful categories and definitions to help you to break down the types of work provided on the platform. For example, the social support and domestic assistance categories are outlined below.

Activities, Outings & Community Access

Accompanying clients with activities of their choice, including social or community-related activities.

Home Maintenance

Minor home repairs include changing light bulbs, batteries in smoke detectors, furniture, cupboard doors and more.

Companionship

Providing social support to clients in their homes.

Light Gardening

Including weeding, cutting lawns, planting and clearing small plants from gardens.

Light Housework

Light housework, including vacuuming, dusting, cleaning bathrooms and toilets, and washing floors.

Meal Preparation

Assisting with meal preparation for someone with no specific swallowing or chewing requirements or complex diets.

Personal Assistant (Admin)

General administrative tasks including writing letters, posting mail and other administrative assistance.

Shopping

Either accompanying a client to the shop or shopping for them in accordance with client needs.

Sports and Exercise

Assisting a person with community sports, fitness and daily exercise.

Provide Transport

Transporting the client in either their car or the client’s car.

You can find more details for each support category on Mable’s Independent Support Workers page. Use these as a basis to create your own list of services, which will be set out in your Mable agreement.

Set it out in writing

This is where your Mable agreement comes in. Once you’ve decided on your chosen support worker and are comfortable that you have a shared understanding of what’s involved in the job, your support worker creates an agreement clearly setting out the details of your arrangement.

Once this has been created, you can review it and provide your approval before any work commences. We also provide more information for understanding your Mable agreements here and further meet and greet tips here.