Meet Raph, founder

About The Raph Project

“I’m the person I needed at that age.”

Raph, in his own words

My story

Hi, I'm Raph.

I grew up neurodivergent at a time when hardly anyone understood what that meant, including the adults around me. I always felt different from everyone else, and I didn't have the words for why.

School was where it showed up most. I found it hard to focus and hard to thrive, and when you're a kid, that sticks. It did a number on how I saw myself, and my sense of self-worth was pretty warped for a long time.

As I got older, I started to see it differently. Being different wasn't a bad thing. I just had different strengths to other people, and I'd spent years measuring myself against a standard that was never built for me.

In my mid-20s, I realised my calling was to help other people, in whatever way that looked. Since then I've done five years of support work and support coordination here in Geelong. It's taught me a lot about what good support looks like, and what it doesn't.

Now I'm starting The Raph Project so I can offer support that's genuine and authentic, and done my way. That means treating people as people, not just a plan on paper.

What keeps me going is the difference I make for others, and knowing how much the person I am now would have meant to the kid I used to be.

If that sounds like the kind of support you're after, I'd love to have a chat.

How to get started

What we believe

Support backs you to live your life
It's not about servicing a plan or filling in hours. Good support backs someone to do the things they actually want to do, and to get better at them.
One consistent person beats a rotating roster
Nobody should have to re-explain themselves every fortnight. You work with the same person each week, so trust has a chance to build and progress sticks.
Confidence is built by doing
Real things, in real places. Confidence doesn't come from talking about catching the bus. It comes from catching it, one trip at a time.
You set the pace
Some weeks are big steps, some are small, and some are just showing up. All of that counts, and none of it gets rushed.
Neurodivergent isn't a problem to be managed
Different brains work differently. The goal is never to make you less you. It's to help you do more of what you want, your way.

Checks and background

Qualifications, checks and background

There's no single formal qualification needed to become an NDIS support worker — the strict qualification rules apply to clinical and allied health roles. So rather than hide behind vague credentials, here's exactly what Raph brings: the checks the NDIS requires, five years in the sector, and lived experience of being neurodivergent.

NDIS Worker Screening Check: current
Working with Children Check: current
First aid and CPR: current
Fully insured: public liability and professional indemnity
Five years in the Geelong disability sector as a support worker and support coordinator
Registered business: The Raph Project, ABN 55 202 619 827

The name, in Raph's words

Why “The Raph Project”

Naming this business was harder than I expected. Plenty of ideas came and went, but hardly any of them felt like me.

One that stuck, and that I liked the sound of, was something I found out already existed, so it was back to the drawing board.

After days of going round in circles, I realised the simplest answer was the honest one. When you work with me, you're not getting a big agency or a rotating roster. You're getting me. So I put my name on it.

It's about accountability, too. You know exactly who's turning up, and so does everyone in your corner.

Moments