The 2023 Direct Support Workers (DSW) Conference is Queensland’s only conference for support workers in the disability and mental health sectors. Now in its seventh year and proudly hosted by Multicap and Open Minds, the DSW Conference is an opportunity for support workers to invest in their careers and enhance the quality of service for the people they support.
This year’s DSW Conference will be held on 13 and 14 June 2023 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane. If you have never attended and are wondering how the DSW Conference could benefit you, your organisation and ultimately the people you support, here are seven reasons why you should attend.
1. Keep up to date with industry trends
Knowing what the latest news and trends are in your industry will help you build contemporary, best practices into your services and help give your career an edge. Industry leading experts from the NDIS, academics and those with lived experience will be presenting at the DSW Conference providing insights into all that’s new and relevant for support workers in the disability and mental health sectors.
2. Take a deep-dive into learning
While there may be resources like books, papers and podcasts available to support you through your career, it is incomparable to taking a two-day deep-dive into face-to-face learning. The experience of hearing first-hand from and interacting directly with experts at the DSW Conference will be immersive and enriching. You will have the rare opportunity to ask questions, share ideas and experiences with experts and peers in an environment designed to help you learn.
3. Networking opportunities
The DSW Conference provides an environment that allows you to easily connect with experts, suppliers and peers in your field. There will be numerous opportunities to ask questions and network with others in workshops, panel interviews, smaller breakout sessions, and of course during meal breaks. These connections can be very valuable and helpful over the course of your career.
4. Be inspired
Conference hosts Multicap and Open Minds, are thrilled to have engaged some of the most inspiring keynote speakers in the disability and mental health sectors to present. Hearing what these speakers have done to redefine and attain success in their personal and professional lives can motivate you to do the same. This could inspire you to make meaningful change or incorporate new approaches to your services.
5. Add value to your organisation
Think of attending the DSW Conference as an investment to benefit yourself, your organisation and support clients. Thanks to our generous sponsors, DSW Conference tickets are more affordable than most conferences and are available at an even cheaper rate if you take advantage of the early bird pricing before 30 April 2023. In return for this investment of your time and the cost of your ticket, you will receive an abundance of practical knowledge and skills to help deliver positive outcomes for your clients and organisation.
6. Have fun
Attending a conference or seminar is a great opportunity to meet like-minded people in your industry and have fun in the process. In addition to our incredible line up of speakers and workshops, there will also be lucky door prizes available which means you could take home some interesting prizes. Who doesn’t have fun when they’re winning?
7. Provide outstanding support to your clients
Finally and the most important reason of all, by attending the DSW Conference you will be enhancing the quality of life of people with disabilities and mental illness. The Conference has been designed with the wants and needs of clients front of mind, so that support workers can deliver the best quality, contemporary support possible.