10 September 2024
- Achieve and Inclusive Housing Australia respond to a new opportunity to have a positive impact for people with disability
- Approximately 17 people will start receiving Supported Independent Living and services from next month
- Inclusive Housing Australia will own and manage Specialist Disability Accommodation and develop new accommodation options
Achieve Australia (Achieve) and Inclusive Housing Australia (IHA) are expanding to South East Queensland after their successful response to a thorough tender process by Mercy Community to deliver expert services under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Achieve will deliver Supported Independent Living (SIL) and Community Participation (CP) to about 17 people living in 7 homes starting on or about 21 October 2024. It is also exciting that the team currently in place at Mercy Community are being offered employment by Achieve to ensure ongoing employment and continuity of support for these people.
“Mercy Community, and the Sister of Mercy before them, have been delivering services to people with disability in Queensland for 130 years and we are privileged to have the opportunity to build on their incredible legacy,” Achieve CEO Jo-Anne Hewitt said.
“We will do this by drawing on the strengths of the team in place and those of the people we are welcoming to our Achieve community to create a great future together,” Jo-Anne said.
“The transition from Mercy Community to Achieve will feel comfortably familiar for the people we support. They will remain living in their current home, receiving the supports they do now from the team they know well as part of established routines that include the activities they enjoy most,” she said.
IHA will manage the homes and develop new accommodation opportunities featuring best in class SDA design that enables people with disability to live in comfort and style as part of their communities.
The IHA team brings a wealth of experience of engaging people with disability and their families to take part in shaping their current accommodation and planning for future developments.
“IHA is here to create homes where people feel supported, valued, and in control of their lives. We have an existing footprint in South East Queensland and this new opportunity will enable us to collaborate with people with disability and their families to deliver more homes,” IHA Interim CEO Laura Green said.
“Partnering with Achieve to respond to Mercy Community’s call for SIL and SDA enabled us to offer continuity of care for residents and families. However, it is important to note that from transfer our organisations will operate separately ensuring that the people we support benefit from separate housing and support services .”
“IHA strongly believe in the separation of support and housing as an effective way to protect the decision-making rights of NDIS participants and their ability exercise choice and control,” Ms Green said.
Available for interview.
- Jo-Anne Hewitt, Chief Executive Officer, Achieve Australia
- Laura Green, Interim CEO, Inclusive Housing Australia
Please contact Kate Southam on 0408 242 772 to schedule.
About Achieve Australia
Achieve Australia is a ‘for purpose’ organisation passionate about inclusion for people with disability. First established in 1952, Achieve has grown to support nearly 600 people with disability to live extraordinary lives. Services delivered across Sydney and in the Northern Rivers support people to be well, have a home, participate in their community, learn new skills, and have a job if they choose. Achieve currently employs approximately 1200 staff.
Services include SIL, day services, and drop-in support. Achieve also provides supported employment through:
- sewing and haberdashery stores, The Sewing Basket in both Sydney, and the Central Coast
- commercially successful ‘pack and send’ service, AchievAble Enterprises in Sydney
- nursery, café, and function centre Windara in Casino.
About IHA
IHA is a registered provider for SDA under the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
IHA’s purpose is to build and manage a portfolio of best in class, purpose-built disability accommodation to provide individuals with disability greater access to housing that suits their needs and enriches their lives.
Originally formed as a joint venture between Achieve and Leftfield Social Housing Pty Limited in 2019, IHA entered a partnership with Lighthouse Infrastructure in 2024 preparing to work with SIL providers to assist more people to move into new SDA options that enable individuals to fulfil their potential in a safe, supported environment.
IHA’s approach to SDA and partnership with Lighthouse Infrastructure underscores our position to increase the delivery of new housing projects and more purpose-built quality SDA in inclusive communities.