I recently had the opportunity to speak with Deepak Dangal, Service Manager for our Blacktown Cluster. Deepak has been working in the disability sector since 2009. He started his career as a support worker, assisting children with complex needs in schools. He also spent some time working as an Environmental Consultant after studying Environmental Science at ACU, though he realised it wasn't where his true passion lay.
When talking about why he works in this sector, Deepak says, "I can see people smiling. Families are happy. Having those interactions, seeing how we can work better, implementing better ways of working, collecting ideas and turning them into plans for participants – that's the goal."
After progressing through roles including Team Leader and Practice Lead, Deepak knew he wanted the opportunity to make decisions that could have a real impact on people's lives. As a Service Manager, he can lead and support his team while supporting participants to work towards their goals.
We then dove straight into the conversation.
Can you tell us a bit about your role as a Service Manager and what you do day to day?
Deepak currently oversees four homes within Achieve's Blacktown Cluster.
"Day to day, I ensure operations and services are running smoothly. We follow recommendations, work towards participants' goals, advocate for the right supports and explore what our participants can achieve."
He works closely with families, gathering valuable information and helping coordinate activities and experiences that align with individual goals. Deepak also manages a team that includes rostering officers, a registered nurse and service coordinators, who support the daily operations of the homes.
Alongside managing day-to-day activities, Deepak contributes to strategic organisational projects, ensuring his team is aligned with Achieve's vision and direction.
What attracted you to the role and working in the disability sector?
Having worked in the sector since 2009, Deepak often asks himself one important question:
"Where can I see this participant in the next five years?"
"We're all working towards the same goal, so how can we achieve it?" he says.
Deepak believes in building strong foundations. When participants or families are feeling anxious or stressed, he enjoys being able to support them and help ease their concerns.
Most importantly, he values teamwork and the shared commitment to helping people achieve meaningful outcomes.
One standout example involved supporting a young man whose family shared that he had loved riding a bike 15 years earlier. The man is non-verbal, so Deepak's team worked closely with behavioural support practitioners and allied health professionals to develop a plan. Over time, he was riding a bike confidently again.
Today, he is more involved in his community, goes shopping independently and enjoys greater opportunities than ever before.
"We're achieving great outcomes for our participants."
"This role is goal-oriented. We make a plan and work towards it."
Can you tell me about the people you support across your cluster? Are there any highlights or standout moments you can think of?
"This job gives me a boost of energy to come to work, spend time with participants and do the work behind the scenes to make sure everyone is safe and getting the most out of each day."
One person had always dreamed of visiting the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
"We worked towards it to make sure everyone understood why we were going there," says Deepak. "We organised lunch at Circular Quay, with the long-term goal of participants taking a helicopter ride over the Harbour Bridge."
To help build confidence, the team introduced smaller experiences first, including visits to high-rise buildings and attractions such as the Sydney Tower Eye.
"Many of the people we support have never been in large crowds before and may have lived quite isolated lives. Families love seeing their loved ones joining the community and socialising."
Another person now attends a disco every fortnight, but it wasn't an easy journey.
"It took six or seven attempts. With non-verbal communication, autism and intellectual disability in the mix, it was difficult to understand what was causing the hesitation."
At Achieve's Christmas Party, that same person confidently joined more than 150 people on the dance floor.
"They had never been out with more than three people before. That's a great achievement."
Deepak also credits Achieve's leadership team for encouraging innovation and supporting calculated risks that lead to greater independence and inclusion for people.
How do you support your staff to feel confident and capable in their roles?
"I don't want to be their boss. I want to be their mentor or coach."
Deepak has built a culture where team members look forward to meetings because they know they will learn something valuable.
He encourages staff to think beyond their immediate role and consider situations from different professional perspectives, whether that's an allied health professional, an NDIS worker or an Official Community Visitor.
"When they do that, their observations and understanding completely change."
At the end of the day, everyone is working towards the same goal.
How do you prepare for each day, knowing every person has different needs?
When Deepak first joined Achieve, he managed five sites before taking on several more across a large geographic area stretching from Blacktown to Hornsby.
"Working across more than ten homes wasn't easy, but I loved it."
Managing a larger portfolio exposed him to a wide variety of participants, staff and family needs, helping him develop an adaptable approach to leadership.
"Things go wrong all the time, but if something happens at one site, that's a learning opportunity for the other nine sites."
Deepak believes in sharing successful ideas and testing new approaches before implementing them more broadly.
His routine includes regular check-ins with staff, weekly meetings with his registered nurse and ongoing communication with operational teams.
"Every visit is meaningful because someone's time is valuable."
At the end of each week, Deepak and his team reflect on challenges, lessons learned and actions for the following week. They then begin the new week with a stand-up meeting to discuss priorities and requirements.
What skills are essential for a Service Manager in disability services?
"It's like a mixed cake," Deepak laughs.
A successful Service Manager needs knowledge across multiple areas, including:
NDIS funding and plan interpretation
Participant support and advocacy
Payroll and award compliance
Human resources processes
Data analysis and reporting
"If something happens, you need to understand why it happened and what the data is telling you."
The skill he considers most important, however, is active listening.
And just as importantly, he says, you need to know how to switch off and look after yourself.
What advice would you give someone wanting to enter this field?
Deepak shared several pieces of advice:
"You need to have the compassion to support people."
"Reach out for support and don't hold onto challenges for too long."
"If you don't know, ask. No one is 100% trained or skilled in everything."
"Be present, get involved and reflect on how the work makes you feel."
This was such an insightful conversation with Deepak, and I came away with a much deeper understanding of the important role Service Managers play every day.
Thank you, Deepak, for taking the time to share your experiences, and for the incredible work you and your team do for participants and families across our communities.