An Indian-Kashmiri Support Worker’s Journey in Embracing Diversity with Empowerment

CALD (Culturally and Linguistically Diverse) backgrounds can bring unique challenges and massive exposure when it comes to working in the disability industry. Sachin Raina, a support worker at Maple Community Services, shares his story and experiences about on working with clients from different cultural and religious backgrounds while being CALD individual himself.  

Sachin Raina was born and raised in Jammu and Kashmir, India, where he belonged to the Hindu community. However, his family believes in the value of humanity above all religions, which has been ingrained in him from a young age. Sachin came to Australia for studying purposes and has been working in the community services sector for some time now. 

Sachin speaks multiple languages, including Hindi, Punjabi, Dogri, Urdu, and Poonchi, which he usage of these languages are not limited to his family and friends but also to his clients. He believes that importance of praying to God and believing in karma are two integral parts of his cultural practices. As a member of Hindu culture, he also takes pleasure in commemorating cultural festivities like Lohri, Holi, Navaratri, and Shivaratri.

His qualifications, which include a BSc. Stenography, a Diploma in Computer, and a Personal Development Certification, have enabled him to apply his knowledge of medication salts and diseases to his role as a support worker. Sachin works with clients from a diverse range of backgrounds, including Australian, Aboriginal, Vietnamese, and German. The majority of the clients, Sachin works with are over the age of 18, and he enjoys hanging out with them rather than them, socialising them, and doing activities like cooking, playing games, and storytelling. 

One of the challenges Sachin faced when starting his job was making a trust bond with his clients. However, he believes that establishing this bond is crucial for effective communication and providing the best possible service to the clients. Sachin has been successful in creating a trust bond with his clients, which has made his job easier.

He joined Maple Community Services because he was impressed by its diverse and multicultural platform, growth opportunities, and cooperative and respectful staff. Working in this industry has provided him with new opportunities, challenges, and experiences every day. He hasn’t encountered any cultural barriers with his clients while working at Maple so far. He believes that being respectful and open-minded towards the clients’ culture and beliefs can help in overcoming any cultural barriers that may arise. His service as a support worker at Maple has given him the opportunity to gain the respect of those around him, enjoy and learn from his daily experiences, and be a good listener and observer. They are valuable traits that has enabled him in developing both personally and professionally.

Sachin Raina’s experience as a support worker at Maple Community Services highlights the challenges and rewards of working in the CALD background. His experience shows that with patience, understanding, and an open mind, support workers can overcome cultural barriers and build strong relationships with their clients. Working in this industry can be fulfilling, providing new experiences and challenges that allow one to grow and develop as a person.