Hamers Edge | Est. 2021

Hamers Edge was established in 2021 out of our founder's passion for her clients. With over a decade of experience in the Disability Sector, working as a Social Worker and Specialist Support Coordinator, Gwen found herself restricted by prescribed roles and company policies. The companies she worked for were terrific, but she craved more freedom to meet the needs of her clients holistically and creatively.

Gwen also dreamed of a world where her autistic daughter Norah could thrive by being her true self. Norah became the inspiration for her parents, Gwen and Peter, to start Hamers Edge. Gwen’s experience and standing in the disability sector, combined with Peter’s degree in business management, put them in a great place to start a well-governed and respected business.


The Social Work approach

As a Social Work based provider, Hamers Edge makes a distinction between impairment and disability. While impairment refers to the differences in capacity that can cause difficulty in everyday functioning, disability represents the larger and more complex interaction between an individual with impairment and the structures and processes of society. In our eyes, it is not physical, cognitive, or sensory impairments that cause disability but rather how the world fails to accommodate natural aspects of differences between people.

“Hamers Edge focuses on assisting you in exploring how life best works for you instead of making you fit into narrow societal expectations.”

Meet the Team

Gwen Hamers

Founder - Disability Accredited Senior Social Worker
Pronouns: She/Her
Autistic & ADHD

Gwen Hamers is the Founder and Clinical Director of Hamers Edge Pty Ltd, a disability services provider specialising in Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, complex trauma, and psychosocial disability. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work (Avans University, The Netherlands, 2011) and is an Accredited Member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), with formal recognition as an Accredited Disability Social Worker.

With more than 13 years of post-graduate experience, Gwen has established a strong reputation in both Western Australia and internationally. She began her career in The Netherlands with Prisma, supporting children, young people, and adults with intellectual disability, autism, and complex behavioural and mental health needs. Since migrating to Australia 10 years ago, she has held senior clinical roles in not-for-profit and independent organisations before founding Hamers Edge in 2021, where she leads a team of social workers and oversees clinical quality across all therapeutic supports delivered by the organisation.

Her expertise includes conducting Functional Capacity Assessments and delivering direct therapeutic supports to NDIS participants across all ages. She is a Level B user with Pearson Clinical, enabling her to administer, score, and interpret standardised assessments such as the Vineland-3 Adaptive Behaviour Scales, ABAS-3, and SPM-2. She has undertaken extensive post-graduate specialist training in autism, trauma-informed practice, and psychosocial disability.

Beyond direct clinical work, Gwen contributes to the profession and the broader disability sector. She provides monthly consultancy to the AASW Policy and Advocacy team regarding NDIS and disability reform, ensuring social work expertise is represented at a national level. She has also contributed to university curriculum development and provides supervision to social work students and early career practitioners, strengthening the next generation of social workers.

GWEN PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:

  • Functional Capacity and Support Needs Assessments

  • Social Work Therapeutic Support

  • Employment Related Counselling

  • Clinical Supervision & Professional Coaching

Celeste Fitzgerald

Independent Contractor - Senior Social Worker
Pronouns: She/Her
Autistic (PDA) & ADHD

Following the completion of her double degree in Social Science and Social work in 2018, Celeste entered the field, working with individuals aged 18+ with psychosocial disabilities, chronic mental health and a variety of complex co-occuring presentations. She works in a recovery-focussed and neuroaffirming therapeutic way, ensuring she assesses and supports people in a holistic manner. This involves working with participants directly, yet with a broader integration of the person’s environment and systems.

Celeste’s areas of professional focus include Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Neurodevelopmental diagnoses, Neuroaffirming practice, Psychosocial Disability including but not limited to Mood Disorders, Psychotic Disorders, and Complex Trauma including Dissociative Identity Disorder.

CELESTE PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:

  • Functional Capacity and Support Need Assessments

  • Social Work Therapeutic Supports

  • Employment Related Counselling

SERVICE AREA:
Celeste provides therapy at participants’ homes in Central Perth, NOR suburbs and the Midland area.

PARTICIPANT AGE:
Celeste works directly with teens and adults. For younger NDIS participants, Celeste takes a family systems approach.

Peter Hamers

Administrative Director
Pronouns: He/Him
Autistic (PDA) & ADHD

Peter, originally from The Netherlands, brings a wealth of experience in business management and financial strategy to Hamers Edge. With a Bachelor of Business Administration earned in 2016, he has developed expertise in finance, business analysis, and stakeholder engagement through roles in large corporations in the Netherlands and Australia.

At Hamers Edge, Peter’s strong organisational expertise ensures the development of effective business strategies and cost-efficient operations. He excels in financial analysis, driving informed decision-making to support sustainable growth while ensuring compliance with evolving regulations.

Passionate about building lasting relationships, Peter works closely with stakeholders, business partners, and authorities to foster trust and collaboration. His leadership ensures Hamers Edge delivers high-quality and impactful services to NDIS participants underpinned by sound governance and forward-thinking planning.

PETER DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY DIRECT PARTICIPANT SERVICES.