Debbie and Gary Jew begin their careers. Thirty years across mental health, aged care and disability teach them what every good nurse learns: people do best when someone truly listens.
Debbie starts West End with a small day program and support coordination. When a young woman in crisis spends six months in limbo, Debbie steps up with the four words that became our motto. Supporting her becomes our first SIL home.
Debbie and Gary build the day program a permanent home, our Activity & Leisure Centre, built by Michael, run by Lauren, garden planted by Stephen and Annie. The same year our office opens at Whitelaw Avenue, call in any time, the kettle’s always on.
The people who run West End answer its phone, day and night, with support running 24/7 and registered nurses on call. Keep learning, keep improving, care the way family does.
“People ask why I still do this after nearly forty years. It's simple: I get a front-row seat to joy, and to real change, which is rarely loud. A new skill, a louder laugh, a front door of your own. When a family tells us they’ve got the brightest version of their person back, that’s when I know we’ve done our job.”
Debbie Jew, Founder & Managing Director
Stephen joined West End in 2021 from St John of God Hospital, where he worked as a Registered and Clinical Nurse Specialist caring for people with complex needs. Today he leads the clinical side of the business, from our high physical support homes through to community participation, so every participant, everywhere we work, receives the same high standard of care. Stephen's calm, supportive nature makes him a favourite with participants and staff alike: he is as comfortable sitting down for a chat as he is training and guiding staff, and he brings genuine warmth to the clinical side of care. He was also the driver behind one of the decisions that defines West End: having registered nurses and endorsed enrolled nurses available right across the business, so participants and their families can always feel confident their health needs are in qualified hands.
Lauren grew up helping her mum and dad support people, and she stepped right up herself, helping out and bringing joy to people from the time she could talk. Teaching came naturally to Lauren, and she was especially drawn to supporting children facing challenges at school, work where her experience in the disability sector shone through. She is a qualified teacher who also holds Certificates III and IV in Disability, though disability was never a major for Lauren, it was a calling. For all her love of the classroom, Lauren felt she could make a greater impact at West End. In 2022 she stepped across to take on our Activity & Leisure Centre, and under her lead it has grown: new programs, new spaces and new adventures every year, while staying exactly what it was built to be, a place where everyone belongs. Lauren is a strong, independent woman who fights for the rights of everyone she supports, she shows up with a smile, and brings love and commitment to every single participant. Her belief is simple: kindness and hugs are free, and everyone deserves some.
Every family business needs the person who keeps the wheels turning behind the scenes, at West End, that's Michael. He looks after the daily operations: service agreements, quotes and finance, purchasing, accounting, human resources and IT, along with the quality assurance programs that keep us sharp. Here's the thing about Michael: he's a natural leader with a genuine front-of-house personality, the sort of person you'd happily put out the front of anything. Instead, whenever West End has needed a new specialist in the engine room, he's rolled up his sleeves and become one, taking on each role with real vigour and making it his own. His strengths, leadership, organisation, sound decision-making and a knack for untangling problems, mean things get sorted before most people notice they needed sorting. Data, accounts, systems: if it hums along quietly in the background, Michael is probably behind it. His focus is the bigger picture: a West End that runs smoothly, so staff can do their best work and the people we support get the best outcomes.
Annie brings more than ten years of specialised cardiac care nursing, along with valuable management experience. The hospital system taught her precision, but community work is where her heart landed, supporting and advocating for people as they work towards their own goals. A Registered Nurse with hands-on experience in support coordination, Annie has now stepped up as our Senior Housing Team Leader, where she also leads recruitment, training and staff development. It's the perfect fit: every new team member at West End now learns from her hard-earned, well-practised clinical nursing experience, so the standard she held at the bedside becomes the standard in every one of our homes.
Ash is a familiar and trusted face at West End, and a pivotal one. Working closely with Debbie since 2019, she has worn just about every hat the organisation has: support worker, support coordinator, housing manager, rostering, compliance. With over eight years in the NDIS sector, her hands-on experience spans almost every part of the business. Now our Intake & Compliance Manager, Ash is the first person new participants meet, making sure they feel supported and confident from the very beginning, while also keeping West End's quality and compliance standards sharp behind the scenes. Ash has thrived with every opportunity put in front of her, and it shows in the standing she holds here, loved and admired across the team, and very much part of the family. Solutions-focused and genuinely dedicated to participant wellbeing, she remains a driving force behind the quality and smooth running of West End.
Kellie plays a vital role at West End as our Rostering & Recruitment Manager. She brings over 20 years of administration and customer service experience to the team, along with a level of commitment and loyalty you simply can't train into someone. Her exceptional organisation and attention to detail keep our rosters running smoothly, which means our direct care staff always know where they need to be, and participants always know who's coming. Friendly and people-first, she's a trusted support for staff and participants alike. Kellie takes a genuine interest in the team's development, building strong, positive working relationships right across West End.
Melissa brings seven years in the disability sector to her role, and the kind of knowledge and compassion that can't be separated from each other. She knows how much it matters for people to feel empowered and supported through every step of their NDIS journey. Now our Senior Team Leader for Support Coordination, Melissa leads the team the same way she supports participants: in her kind, gentle way, sharing her experience generously, teaching as she goes, and backing her coordinators so they can back the people they support. Holding a Certificate in Disability, Melissa puts communication at the front of everything she does. Her approach is person-centred every time: take the time to understand what matters most to each person, then make the NDIS work around them, the right providers, well-managed plans, the right services. Choice, control, and a clear path to every goal.
Sharon brings over 30 years of experience working in the community sector as both a Case Manager and Support Coordinator. With a background in nursing and aged care, and qualifications in Disability and a Diploma of Mental Health, Sharon offers a broad skill set and deep understanding of participant needs.
She takes a holistic and person-centred approach, always striving to achieve the best possible outcomes for her clients. Sharon is dedicated to supporting each individual to reach their personal goals, empowering them to live with greater independence and confidence.
Mariah has spent more than twelve years in the disability sector, and she brings something rarer than experience: her own lived experience of the NDIS. She knows what this system feels like from the other side of the table, and it changes how she does the work. Support worker, respite and outreach coordinator, plan management, support coordination, Mariah has worked nearly every role that touches a participant's plan, with a Certificate II in Healthcare Support and Certificate IV in Disability to match. Her passion is making the NDIS make sense. For Mariah, a good plan isn't paperwork completed, it's a person set up to live their best life, with the whole process feeling easier and more empowering at every step.
Emily comes to Support Coordination the best way possible: from the front line. She has spent four years as a disability support worker, backed by twelve years at Ballarat Health Services, so she knows what great support looks like because she has delivered it herself, day in and day out. That hands-on experience means she understands participants' plans from the inside: what the supports actually feel like, what works in the real world, and what to push for. A natural advocate with a warm, calm and reliable nature, Emily is now extending that extensive experience into coordination, mentored by Melissa and our senior team as she helps participants connect with the right services and get the most from their plans.
Zach has been part of West End for over five years, bringing a customer service background and a natural way with people. He's known for the real connections he builds with participants and colleagues alike. As a Team Leader at the Activity & Leisure Centre, Zach plans and runs the day-to-day programs, making sure every activity is engaging, inclusive and shaped around the people in the room. His measure of a good day is simple: every participant supported, respected, and a little more independent than they were yesterday.
Kelsey has been with West End for six years, with experience across support coordination and house management before stepping up as a Team Leader at the Activity & Leisure Centre, so she understands both the person in front of her and the plan behind them. She holds a Certificate in Community Services and leads with confidence, practicality and person-centred care. A close family connection to the NDIS gives her a lived appreciation of what quality care and real inclusion actually mean. And inclusion isn't just her day job: outside West End, Kelsey volunteers running an All-Abilities netball program with the Ballarat Bulldogs, creating places where people of every ability can connect, play and thrive.
Ebony joined West End straight out of high school seven years ago. She started in our day program and completed her Certificate in Individual Support while working here, putting everything she learnt in class straight into practice on the job. Today she is one of our Housing Team Leaders, and some of our participants have known her since the very beginning. That history shows. Ebony's warmth and the connections she's built mean people feel comfortable enough to be completely themselves around her. Happy, safe and valued is her baseline, and thriving is the goal. Loved by participants, families and staff alike, Ebony's long standing knowledge of our services and the people we support makes her an integral part of the West End family.
Sinead leads at the deepest end of support work: high physical complex care. She now works across several of our houses as a Team Leader, supporting participants to live better lives, guiding the staff around her, and passing on her nursing skills as she goes. Her path was deliberate: a Certificate III traineeship in 2018, four years in aged care and memory support units, the move to West End in 2022, and then back to study, completing her Diploma of Nursing in 2025 to qualify as an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse. She is exactly the qualified clinical team Stephen built this business around. For Sinead, great care comes down to independence, dignity and quality of life. Clinical knowledge in one hand, genuine care in the other.
Bec looks after all things administration at West End. She brings more than 21 years of admin, customer service and management experience, wrapped in positive energy and a genuine love of getting things done. Working closely with Michael and Ashleigh, she helps keep the engine room of West End running smoothly, then jumps onto our busy reception to make sure everyone who walks through the door feels welcomed and valued. She is dedicated, enthusiastic and approachable, and we are lucky to have her.
Rachael is the friendly face at reception, usually the first voice you hear and the first smile you see at West End. With a strong background in administration and customer service, she keeps our busy office humming while making sure every visitor and team member feels valued. Whatever you need, Rachael's answer starts with a smile.
Call (03) 5336 4876 or email admin@westendss.com.au intake@westendss.com.au