Gellibrand team member Phil Johnson thought he’d only last two weeks as a support worker, but 15 years later – and with a role in the finance team as well – he said it’s the best job he’s ever had.
Phil Johnson came to Australia in 2008, at the age of 45, and his first job was delivering leaflets into letterboxes for $25 per week.
“I didn’t have an employment record in Australia so I struggled to get a job,” he said.
He and his now ex-wife had decided to leave China where they’d been working for three years. She had employment as an interpreter, while Phil had taught English.
“We felt like our time in China was coming to an end and also our son Jason was coming up to the next stage of schooling, which was very pressurised,” Phil said.
Belgium, Australia, and Canada were chosen as potential options to make their home – and Australia came out the winner. Phil’s ex-wife got work easily due to a then shortage of interpreters, but his work history in finance, administration, and teaching weren’t recognised here. After delivering pamphlets, he worked for 18 months stacking shelves with a large retailer, an experience he described as “horrible”.
“You were treated as just a number and I had a supervisor whose idea of good management was just to ‘whack everyone with a stick’ – if one person came in late, everyone had to stay back, that kind of thing.”
He obtained a heavy vehicle license and a real estate license, but neither led to employment. Then, Phil saw an advertisement for a job with Gellibrand and, despite his only experience of the sector being a sister-in-law with a disability, he decided to apply.
“I got the job, did the training, but honestly, I didn’t think I’d be able to hack it once I started. I thought I’d only last about two weeks!” Phil recalled.
He started with morning client shifts and said it was challenging to suddenly be supporting people with personal care and busy breakfast and medication routines. But Phil said the work soon became second nature for him.
“I got used to it and I always felt like I was quite empathetic with people, so I suppose that’s always been a good thing to have working here,” he said. “I get to know the clients and their foibles and what makes them tick.”
He said that can mean understanding that, on a particular shift, one client may want significant support, while another is adamant about seeking only minimal support. He’s also acutely aware of clients’ moods and how paying close attention to them can help him discover when they’re needing extra support.
“I’ve also now worked closely with two clients in my 15 years here and one of them loves to talk all the time and be active, while the other is much quieter. You have to really learn when to engage with him. I think it’s important for clients to have consistent support.”
In his first couple of years at Gellibrand, Phil continued his house shifts and added ISP shifts. Soon, Customer Wellbeing Manager Margaret Given invited him out for coffee – and cake – after she’d heard about Phil’s history in administration.
“Along with my client shifts, I was offered work in the OH&S team and then I got to talking to people and they found out about my banking history,” he said. Phil is now in the finance team, but he still does ISP shifts, and he is glad to be able to use his teaching skills when training new team members.
“It’s the best job I’ve ever had; it’s certainly the longest I’ve stayed anywhere. The team members are just so nice and you’re always learning something new,” he said, adding that one of his first shifts involved supporting a client to go to court. Phil has also been fortunate to accompanying clients on holidays.
“That’s been great because I’ve got to see parts of Australia while supporting clients who often have never had the chance to go on holidays,” he said.
