Everyday Greatness: A VALUE-Driven Approach to Disability Support

By Emma Bennison – June, 2025

Introduction

On 5 June, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote presentation for ARC Disability Services’ Cairns Disability Conference on the theme of “every day greatness”. The session explored how we can elevate disability support from good to great. Since the conference, I’ve received several requests to share the material. The response has reminded me that this conversation is both timely and necessary, so I’ve summarised the content of my presentation in this short article.

The Power of Great Support

Support work, at its best, is about far more than tasks and rosters. It’s about dignity, partnership, allyship and trust. But great support work doesn’t just happen. It’s intentional, values-driven, and rooted in a deep understanding of the people being supported.

I speak from lived experience. I’ve been a user of support services for more than 30 years, and I’ve also worked professionally with many disability support workers in the various leadership roles I’ve held across Government, the arts, and the disability advocacy sector. That dual perspective gives me deep appreciation for just how important great support is, and how transformative it can be when done well.

To help make these insights practical, I shared a simple framework: VALUE. Each letter represents a principle I believe is essential to great support work.

V is for Visibility

Being seen and heard as disabled people is foundational. Visibility is about more than being physically present. It’s about social recognition. When we are included, acknowledged, and listened to in public and private spaces, we are seen as people, not problems. In my 2023 TEDX Talk, I explain that it’s common for people to speak to my support workers instead of me when we’re out in the community. In my view, this happens because many people are afraid of speaking to people with disability, particularly if they have never met a disabled person before. So one of the most powerful roles a support worker can play is to amplify us, not overshadow us.

A is for Assumptions

In short, don’t make them. And just as importantly, challenge them. Especially those made by others when you're out in the community. I’ve lost count of the number of times people have assumed my support worker was my carer, my mother or my partner. These assumptions are uncomfortable for all involved; but they’re also damaging. Great support workers question them gently but firmly and create space for the person they support to define the moment.

L is for Listen

Actively listen—whether we communicate verbally or not. Some people use speech, some use technology or gestures, some communicate through actions and patterns. Good support workers pay attention to all these signals. Listening builds trust, and trust is the foundation of good support. Some of the best support workers I’ve had were the ones who asked thoughtful questions, noticed when I needed space, and genuinely listened. Not just to my words, but to how I wanted to be supported.

U is for Uniqueness

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to support. Each disabled person is different, and so is each context. What’s more, support needs aren’t static, they change over time, sometimes even day to day. Embracing flexibility and staying curious are key. Perhaps most importantly though, the person you support is your teacher. We are the experts in our own lives. When support workers are open to learning from us, it leads to better outcomes for everyone.

E is for Enable

Do support with us, not to us. This final principle is perhaps the most important. True support empowers. It respects our autonomy, even when things get messy, complex or even risky. It enables us to live our lives on our terms.

Call To Action

This VALUE framework isn’t just a mnemonic, it’s a call to action. It’s a challenge to every support worker, every service provider, and every policymaker to keep raising the bar. Support work is skilled, relational, and powerful. When it’s done well, it changes lives. Not because it rescues or fixes us, but because it respects and partners with us.

To every support worker striving to bring everyday greatness to their role: thank you. You may not always get recognition, but your impact is profound. To those responsible for training, supervising, or shaping the systems around support work: I urge you to embed VALUE into your culture. Because when we value people, greatness follows.