About Us

A little bit about us..

Westlakes Access & Support (WASInc) is a not for profit charitable community based organisation managed by a voluntary committee made up of family and community members with a vested interest in the disability sector.
In November 2014 we celebrated in style our 25th year of providing supported accommodation to adults with an intellectual disability at Club Macquarie attended by VIPs past & present.

The celebration was a chance to acknowledge not only the past 25 years of accommodation service but also our very long history. Westlakes Access & Support under differing guises has provided services to people with disabilities since the 1960s.

In response to no school for children with Special Needs in the Toronto area and with the assistance of local community, service clubs, miner’s levies and other fundraising activities such as lamington drives. Westlakes Special School was opened in 1969 by Sir Roden Cutler.
In 1983, when the Department of Education took on the responsibility of the school the direction of the organisation changed.
The association was looking towards the future and began searching for suitable premises for the now young adults to live.

In 1989 a home was found in Booragul & WAS Inc opened its first group home providing housing and support for five young ladies to move from their family homes and find their place in the local community.
In 1993 our second home was opened in Speers Point.
WASInc has successfully survived turbulent years of gross under funding and challenging political decisions through determination and an unfaltering committee.
In October 2014 our residents transitioned to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

In its 2016-2020 strategic planning WAS Inc has identified the need to diversify and grow to ensure viability in providing a quality service.
The first step in this process was to explore where the service was currently positioned and where it wanted to be.
The service decided to have a name change that keeps our history and also moves forward into the future.

Westlakes Access & Support Incorporated (WAS Inc) is a name that signifies provision of a quality supported accommodation and community access service to adults with an intellectual disability.