In just one month nearly 10,000 disability support workers have taken up a free Positive Behaviour Support training package being offered by the Federal Government. Early results indicate a significant improvement in both skills and confidence.

The numbers speak for themselves.

Almost two-thirds of 15,000 free training packages for disability support workers have already been claimed - less than a month after the launch of the program.

Developed by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, the training lifts participants’ quality of care by giving staff better tools and strategies to deal with problems.

Three modules are on offer: Positive Behaviour Support (encouraging proactive approaches to challenging behaviour), Human Rights (dealing with the rights of people with disability), and Trauma-Informed Support Films (videos explaining how trauma can shape the lives and needs of People with Disability).

The response has already been emphatic. Since the launch on 11 August, almost 9,500 workers have enrolled and completed more than 3,500 modules. Most critically though, feedback is almost unanimous, with 98–99 per cent of participants saying the courses provide strategies they can actually use.

Lola Nicolouleas, founder of Assist Ability Australia, says the training has been a breakthrough. She says these new government-funded courses are more effective than other training her staff has completed. “The language is simple, it’s easy to understand, and staff can put it into practice straight away,” she says.

NDIS Minister Jenny McAllister says the uptake proves that the workforce is hungry for skills.

“It’s crucial our disability workforce is equipped with the knowledge and skills to ensure every NDIS participant receives support tailored to their needs.”

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Lola Nicolouleas has been in the game long enough to know what doesn’t work. For twelve years she was on the frontline, supporting people with disability day after day. Then she shifted to training and running a provider. Now she employs 150 staff at Assist Ability Australia.

Training has always been one of the background costs of doing business. Every month her staff complete online modules. These are important but not cheap. At roughly $100 per person each year, that’s several thousand dollars drained from her budget.

So when the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission rolled out its free Positive Behaviour Support training in August, she took notice and signed up.

“It was simple. It was easy to understand. Most importantly, it was useful,” she says.

This verdict matters. Too often training can drift into jargon or box-ticking. For Lola’s staff, the language made the difference. “You don’t need a degree in psychology to understand,” she says. “It’s basic, practical, and straight away you can see how it applies to the people you support.”

That’s why she’s encouraged her entire workforce to sign up. The numbers show they’re not alone. Nearly 10,000 support workers nationally have already claimed the free places. More than 3,500 modules have been completed.

Shifting the Culture

The appeal of this training isn’t just the price tag, although that helps. It’s the way it’s designed to shift culture.

Positive behaviour support reframes challenging situations. Instead of treating behaviours as something to suppress, staff are encouraged to understand what the person is trying to express, then find constructive responses.

That’s a fundamental shift. It means participants are treated as people first, not cases. Rights are emphasised, trauma is acknowledged, and supports are tailored.

This isn’t theory. It’s practice.

Scaling Skills at Speed

Launched on August 11, the program was designed as a practical fix: free, online, and directly linked to Practice Standards. Within four weeks, nearly two-thirds of all places were taken. That speed of uptake is rare in the sector, where training often languishes.

For a workforce that’s chronically stretched, free modules are an obvious attraction. But the deeper message is that staff do want quality training - but only if it’s accessible, practical, and relevant.

More Than a Certificate

This program goes beyond simple compliance. By reframing “challenging behaviour” as an unmet need, Positive Behaviour Support offers staff the evidence-based tools they need to respond.

It makes theoretical ideas concrete. Human Rights, for example, don’t live in a document at the UN, they’re the foundation of good support. The Trauma Support films explain how trauma affects participants, helping workers to respond with empathy.

Deputy Commissioner for Practice Rod Carracher frames it simply: “Positive behaviour support is all about working with NDIS participants. It focuses on meeting the person’s needs, building their skills, and creating safe supportive environments.”