Reasons to Care Episode 17: Tales of a Life - Dave Austin
Shownotes - Episode 17
Tales of a Lifer with Dave Austin
If it’s possible to be a celebrity in the world of caregiving, then there’s nobody with more star power than our very own Dave Austin.
Everyone knows him. Everyone loves him. But not everyone knows his story - both in the 34 years he’s spent with Diverse Abilities, or in the mysterious time before…
Join us for another lifer’s fabulous story, and discover just long and illustrious a career you can make in the caregiving profession!
This episode covers:
Dave’s inspiring 34-year journey, showcasing career progression and the many roles within the sector
The power of person-centered care and how it transforms lives for both staff, and the people they care for
Positivity, adaptability, and lifelong learning in overcoming challenges and making a difference
The lasting connections built among staff, families, and those who we support
Dave’s story as living proof that that care is anything but a short-term or limited career
Our highlights from this episode…
“What do you want to learn? What do you need to learn? Do you want to just come to be social and learn how to interact with other people? It's just about identifying needs and then designing the centre around that.” - 8:30 - Dave Austin
“Everybody has different needs. It’s a broad spectrum. Whether we’ve got a disability or not, we all want to be able to choose; When you had enough, what you wear, what aftershave you have on, all the basic things in life.” - 18:10 - Dave Austin
“We must have saved thousands over the years by learning DIY jobs and having that network of people we can call upon.” - 29:15 - Dave Austin
“It's positivity that's the main key to life and work, because it's so easy to fall in the negative pit. I've been lucky, I've been blessed.” - 38:20 - Dave Austin
“If we didn’t have someone unblocking drains, posting on Facebook, running events, being an accountant, we couldn’t deliver the direct care. There’s so much that makes up care!” - 47:25 - Clare Rochford
Links & references
Dave Austin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-austin-302871273/
Clare Rochford
https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-rochford-65b9501b7/
Join the Diverse Abilities Team
https://diverseabilities.org.uk/careers
Diverse Abilities
https://diverseabilities.org.uk/