First aid, for example, is the support (5)
I believe the answer is:
aegis
'the support' is the definition.
(aegis is a kind of support)
'first aid for example is' is the wordplay.
'first aid' becomes 'a' (1st letter of 'aid').
'for example' becomes 'eg' (short for 'exempli gratia', 'for example' in Latin).
'a'+'eg'+'is'='AEGIS'
(Other definitions for aegis that I've seen before include "Advocacy" , "Protection (originally a shield)" , "Protection, backing" , "Protection (originally of Zeus)" , "Protection - guardianship" .)