When you give somebody a second chance, they make a success story out of it: How SEQUAL built a stronger care team through Hero Foundation

About the business

SEQUAL is a registered NDIS disability support provider operating in the not-for-profit sector. The organisation delivers supported independent living, in-home support and community access services for more than 60 clients across Queensland. With close to 180 employees, the majority frontline support workers, SEQUAL operates in a highly regulated, high-intensity care environment where workforce quality directly impacts service delivery, compliance and client safety.

The challenge

Finding the right support workers in disability care is one of the hardest hiring problems in Australia. It isn’t a volume problem, it’s a ‘values’ problem.

“Obviously being a disability provider working with really vulnerable people, we need to find that quality hire which is values aligned.Hiring the wrong person can be quite detrimental to the quality of care that we then provide to our clients,” said HR Manager Karin Rosen.

With around 300 applicants per role and an industry known for high turnover, SEQUAL needed a different approach. Not more candidates, the right ones.

The solution

SEQUAL partnered with Employment Hero’s charitable arm, the Hero Foundation, that connects purpose-driven employers with skilled, motivated candidates from underrepresented talent pools. Hero Foundation works alongside trusted training partners, including Generation Australia, to prepare job-ready candidates with the mindset, values and support needed to succeed in high-demand roles.

“Being in the not-for-profit industry, we strongly believe in giving people opportunities. We’re looking for the right connection with the right partnership, and that’s what I think Hero Foundation brought together with Generation Australia.” said Karin.

Candidates were assessed through SEQUAL’s standard interview process. No shortcuts, no compromises on compliance or suitability.

“We don’t have to hire anyone who’s not suitable. We just bring them through the door for the interview process.”

The candidate perspective

Ngawai had cared for people for most of her life, as a nursing student back home in New Zealand, as a carer for her grandparents, before stepping back from that work and wondering if she’d ever find her way back into it.

“Hero Foundation really supported me. In my culture, it’s called ‘akiaki’ which means nurture. They really nurtured me, and helped me step into my potential. I felt like it was just a little flicker, and they made sure to add fuel to my flame.”

The interview at SEQUAL was the moment everything clicked. She walked in, answered the questions, and was offered the job on the spot.

“I pretty much screamed. Then I was on the phone to Natasha (from the Hero Foundation) straight away. They gave me a month to get my qualifications, and Natasha moved heaven and earth to get the funding so I could start on time.”

“Working in this field is really humbling. I feel so supported and seen. Since coming through the Hero Foundation, my quality of life has improved.”

Julianna’s path was different, but the destination was the same. After years of skilled work, including a long career in statistics, her circumstances changed, her confidence took a hit, and re-entering the workforce felt like a wall she couldn’t clear.

“There’s nothing more debilitating than going through the job hunting process, knowing you’ve got the skills, and yet you still can’t clear that bar.”

Through Generation Australia and the Hero Foundation, something shifted.

“It’s as if all the doors suddenly opened at once. Through Hero Foundation support, I just found that confidence to be able to get through what was potentially a scary interview, that ended up being meeting the loveliest people ever and getting the job on the spot. My own self-worth took a huge battering. And then trying to come back into the workforce… I feel like I’ve had a chance to reinvent myself and I’m loving it.”

The impact

“Since Julianna and Ngawai have been part of the team, they’ve brought genuine care to everything they do. They are the type of support workers we’ve been looking for,” said Operations Manager Dan.

For CEO Guy Roberts, the signal came through the stories he heard, not in reports, but in conversations.

“I often hear the bad news stories, I hear when things aren’t going to plan. But it was the complete flip side with the recruits through the Hero Foundation. Instantly, there was good feedback, there were good stories about work ethic, good stories about the actual quality of support that those people were providing our clients. And that means a lot.”

Why it matters

For SEQUAL, inclusive hiring isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a mission-critical function in a sector where the wrong hire can have real consequences for real people.

“When you give somebody a second chance and they make a success story out of it. Everybody wins.”

Hero Foundation enables organisations like SEQUAL to reduce hiring risk, unlock overlooked talent and invest in people who are motivated to stay. Turning inclusive recruitment into a clear commercial advantage. And for candidates like Ngawai and Julianna, it’s more than a job placement. It’s a second chance that changes everything.