Topic 1: Develop strategies to manage personal stress
Working in the community services sector can expose workers to stress as a part of their job. Unless properly managed, stress can represent unnecessary risk factors to workers. Every worker needs to know how to deal with their own reactions to stressful situations, and how to use stress management strategies to assist them to respond appropriately. They also need to be aware of the type of support available and how they can cope with stress.
If you feel yourself becoming stressed or fatigued you should raise this with your supervisor or health and safety representative so strategies can be developed and implemented to address this issue. It is important that you regularly review how you are dealing with stress in your workplace and seek help if you are not coping. Supervisors and coordinators also need to provide support to team members, the person requiring support and family members.
In this topic you will learn how to:
- 1A Recognise sources of stress in your own job role
- 1B Recognise triggers and your own response to stress
- 1C Identify strategies to effectively prevent, reduce and manage stress
- 1D Identify internal and external options and resources for additional support
- 1E Develop a personal stress management plan that responds to identified stressors and triggers
