Dare to Ask | Building genuine relationships

Full episode transcripts here:

Richard: Name's Richard Lebrocq. I work as a disability support worker. Do a little bit of SLES, which is early school leaver stuff, and then, community stuff. So personally, I have some hearing impairment stuff.

Interviewer: Do you have lived experience with disability?

Richard: So personally, I have some hearing impairment stuff. Basically caused by industrial, working in construction. Also have a history of some stuff with my little fella. We found out he had ADHD, the expressive and receptive language delay. He still got PTSD. He was there when my best mate, he passed away playing rugby league, and at that time I was struggling. So I left, I left the company I was with, and I was fortunate enough to come into this role for a friend who's a psychologist, and at the time, was my football coach. He got me a job and I've been doing this type of work ever since.

Interviewer: Can you describe your role at Castle?

Richard: I do a range of things. The stuff I'm mainly in now is working with younger guys who have left school and are looking to find employment. The other side of it is the community side, where clients have social anxiety and are not confident enough to head out into the community themselves. So we support them to, you know, engage socially and make friends, and you know, visit places that we take for granted. 

Interviewer: What aspect of your role do you love the most? 

Richard: For me, it's the relationship that I build with the participant. Most people that know me know I'm pretty laid back. I can be serious when it calls for it, but I'm pretty laid back and pretty genuine. I take an interest in finding out, you know, who my participant is and what they love most.

Getting to know a person is probably one of my greatest strengths. As I said, I take interest in finding out who they are and what they love. Most of the participants have, like I said, social anxiety, so they find it hard to express themselves or even talk to someone new. But, you know, since I've been here, some of the guys have really come outta their shell, and they're really engaged, and they're almost like a different person. 

Interviewer: Any learnings from your journey you would like to share? 

Richard:  I've been through a few tough years of struggle and I was always one to sort of shut down and close off, and not allow people in. And during that time it's cost me a relationship and stuff. Coming out the other side, I understand that, you know, they're the people that love you most, so hold 'em near and dear.

Interviewer: Any message you would like to send to people watching?

Richard: Just basically the urge people to be more understanding. You know, cost nothing to be nice. It's pretty simple.