Rabin's Story

Inside Parkside House: Rabin’s Role as Team Leader

As of 2024, Headway currently owns 11 homes that offer a range of different facilities and amenities (depending on the needs of each house member). Each home has a dedicated Team Leader, and we were lucky enough to have a conversation with Rabin, the leader of our Parkside location. The first question we asked Rabin was about his responsibilities as a Team Leader with Headway ABI.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about your role as team leader at Headway?

Rabin: “I’m responsible for ensuring our Parkside house runs efficiently and smoothly. I would say a major part of that is being very much on top of the routines of our staff and our participants.”

“For participants, it is my responsibility to ensure they have what they need to be comfortable and reach their goals, while I also need to ensure our staff members have the resources available to do their job to the best of their ability.”

“An important skill is to multitask effectively. You have to be really good at multitasking and thinking on a range of levels.”

“There’s a lot of different variables that go into participant care, for example, an extremely important one is to make sure they’re sticking to their schedules. I have to ensure they’re up to date with their medication, consistently eating healthy meals, and getting the exercise advised by their GP.”

“I think two essential qualities you need to be a Team Leader are observation and communication skills. People living with an ABI can sometimes have trouble expressing themselves in the way they’d like to, so you really have to communicate with them on a level they find most comfortable. Is everyone happy? Are the participants getting along and are comfortable with each other? Is everyone getting enough free time and space?” 

“If there’s ever any issues, my job is to get it fixed ASAP so everyone is happy!”

We asked Rabin how he provides support to his staff members.

Rabin: “Scheduling is also a big part of that. We maintain a very strict shift length of 8 hours, so my job is rostering and keeping up to date with our staff’s hours. It’s essential to avoid anyone feeling overworked. When we’re all well rested, we can be the best versions of ourselves for our participants.”

“Throughout the week, there can be as many as 20 different staff members coming and going, so I need to be on the ball when it comes to where each team member is with their workload.”

“There’s also the added responsibility of ensuring my team has what they need to do their job effectively”, Rabin continues. “Does anything in the house need replacing? Do we need additional modifications or support equipment? Do we have plenty of amenities or equipment to administer the right medication? I need to be at my best when mitigating risk, so it’s a role that requires me to plan and predict.”

Before working in care, Rabin worked in marketing for Coles.

“Moving into care has been a complete career shift, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I went from a job where I was pushed to maintain things like KPIs or profit and loss margins. My meetings and experiences at Headway ABI Australia are completely different.” Rabin continues.

“Our meetings are about our participants. The staff across each client and we all provide insights to each other regarding their progress and how we can constantly improve our services and standards of care.”

We asked Rabin what he enjoys about working with the Headway team.

“Every day I complete with Headway doesn’t feel like work”, Rabin continues. “I’d honestly do this for free. The level of pride and satisfaction I feel when I see participants progress is very special. What I do has a lot of purpose, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Q: What do you think makes Headway ABI different to other carers?

Rabin: “I think what really separates Headway ABI is that nothing is too hard for our participants to do. Our CEO, Julie, is so incredible with the collaborative atmosphere she’s built within the company. If we have new ideas for activities or day trips, she tells us to go for it! If we have new ideas on how to do our jobs more effectively, she makes it happen.”

“Nothing is too hard if it’s for our participants and everyone’s feedback is respected and heard, regardless of your role in the company. For me, that makes Headway a very special place to work.”

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Located on the Gold Coast, we’re a not-for-profit providing expert rehabilitation and specialist housing for those with an ABI.

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