Endeavour Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation, headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/791fb9e5-38af-e811-a963-000d3ad244fd/profile It is Australia's largest employer of people with an intellectual disability. The organisation was founded in 1951 by a group of parents advocating for education and support for their children with intellectual disability. It was formally established on December 31, 1952. It now supports thousands of people with disabilities across hundreds of locations in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.
Its primary services are designed to support people with disability in their home, work, and community life, offering supported accommodation, learning and lifestyle programs, and community participation.
As a significant social enterprise, Endeavour Foundation is also Australia's largest employer of people with intellectual disability through its network of supported workplaces (Australian Disability Enterprises).
The organisation's operations are funded through a hybrid model that combines government funding (including the National Disability Insurance Scheme, NDIS), with revenue from its commercial enterprises, major fundraising activities, and the Endeavour Foundation Lotteries.
Endeavour Foundation is an active participant in public policy discussions, engaging in advocacy related to the NDIS and publicly welcoming the Disability Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.
History and Heritage Endeavour Foundation was founded in 1951 by a group of parents of children who sought access to education and support for their children with intellectual disability. At the time, children with an intellectual disability were excluded from mainstream education and community life.Endeavour Foundation. "Our history". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
The group was initially called the Queensland Sub-Normal Children's Welfare Association.Endeavour Foundation. "Our history". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025. In the 1950s, 'sub-normal' was the accepted term to describe a person with an intellectual disability, and it was endorsed in 1954 by the World Health Organisation.Schonell, Fred J. (1954). "The sub-normal school child". World Health Organisation. Retrieved 5 August 2025. The group's ambition was to establish training centres to teach children simple unskilled work.Endeavour Foundation. "Our history". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025. The group received the patronage of Sir Fred Schonell, the first Professor of Education and later Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland.The University of Queensland. "From segregation to integration: the development of special education in Queensland". UQ eSpace. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
Schonell was Endeavour Foundation's first President and extended his research interest in education for people with a disability by creating the Remedial Education Centre, now known as the Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre, one of the first of its kind in the world.The University of Queensland. "Fred and Eleanor Schonell Special Education Research Centre". UQ eSpace. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
In its first two years of operation, the organisation registered 300 children with an intellectual disability.Endeavour Foundation. "Our history". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025. The Association's first school and support group were established in June 1953 in a member's home at 170 Old Cleveland Road, Coorparoo, Brisbane. A teacher was employed to provide basic education to the children, putting into practice ideas developed at the University of Queensland. By 1954, the Association had grown beyond Brisbane, with the formation of the first regional sub-committees in Toowoomba and Ipswich. In May 1955, the centre moved to a large Queenslander-style house on an acre of land on Jordan Terrace, Bowen Hills, in Brisbane.Endeavour Foundation. "Our history". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
The organisation continued to expand rapidly, opening its first service for adults - a workplace in Bowen Hills, and its first accommodation service in Toowoomba in 1964.Endeavour Foundation. "Our history". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
In 1982, the Association voted to change its name from the Queensland Sub-Normal Children's Welfare Association to Endeavour Foundation, reflecting a change in societal attitudes towards people with a disability and the organisation's growth.Endeavour Foundation. "Our history". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
By 1984, Endeavour Foundation had grown to provide services to more than 3,500 people across Queensland in 25 schools, 12 workplaces, six farms, 34 adult residential homes, and numerous other facilities.Endeavour Foundation. "Our history". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
A significant change occurred in 1986, when the Queensland Department of Education took over the provision of education for children with an intellectual disability, including the education of the 1,075 children in Endeavour Foundation's 25 schools. Endeavour Foundation's focus then moved to supporting people with an intellectual disability post-school age.Endeavour Foundation. "Our history". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
In September 2009, Endeavour Foundation acquired Cumberland Industries in Western Sydney, which provided employment for a further 610 people with a disability, making Endeavour Foundation the largest non-government provider of direct disability employment in Australia.NSW Parliament. "Legislative Assembly Hansard - 09 November 2009". NSW Parliament. Retrieved 5 August 2025.Productivity Commission. "Submission 143 - Peter Connolly". Productivity Commission. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
In 2013, Endeavour Foundation opened a $3.8 million fully accredited food packaging facility in the Brisbane suburb of Wacol. This facility currently provides employment, training, and support for 221 people with a disability."New food packaging facility provides work for disabled". Food & Drink Business. 26 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2025. The same year, Endeavour Foundation acquired Bay Support Services Group in Hervey Bay. When Bay Support Services went into voluntary liquidation, the Queensland Government asked Endeavour Foundation to take over the operations of the group, securing the support of 68 people with a disability and 230 staff positions."Disability Service Orgs Merge". Pro Bono Australia. 8 October 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
In 2014, Endeavour Foundation was a recipient of a Queensland Greats Award."Queensland Greats Awards 2014". Queensland Government. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
Also in 2014, Endeavour Foundation amalgamated with two supported employment services, VATMI Group and Community Solutions Group. At that time, VATMI Group was the largest employer of people with a disability in Victoria. The merger with the Community Solutions Group, which included non-government organisations like TORGAS, Acclaim, and Skills Plus/BRACE, helped form Endeavour Foundation's Community Solutions division, which provides health and wellbeing, workforce (including apprenticeships), education, and training services.Endeavour Foundation. "Annual Report 2017-2018". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
In 2017, Endeavour Foundation completed construction of the Kingaroy Kitchen Cafe. The addition of a cafe to the already successful commercial kitchen provides more opportunities for people with a disability to develop skills working in hospitality and customer service.Kingaroy Kitchen. "About us". Kingaroy Kitchen. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
In 2021, Endeavour Foundation was acknowledged by WorkSafe Queensland for its proactive response to the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing safety processes and procedures to protect vulnerable people and staff.WorkSafe Queensland. "2021 award winners". WorkSafe.qld.gov.au. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
From its beginnings in grassroots advocacy, the organisation continues to campaign for the rights and inclusion of people with a disability. Endeavour Foundation promotes access to education, employment, and community participation for people with an intellectual disability.
While much has changed over the last seven decades, the core objective and commitment of the organisation remain unchanged—to provide real possibilities and opportunities for people with a disability. Endeavour Foundation’s mission is to "support people with disability to make their possibilities a reality.”Endeavour Foundation. "Quality, safety and you". Endeavour Foundation. Retrieved 5 August 2025.
Services & Operations Endeavour Foundation’s strategic plan is centred on helping people with intellectual disability feel included, empowered, and supported to lead full and purposeful lives where they can exercise choice and control.Endeavour Foundation Annual Report 2023–2024 It is the largest non-government provider of direct disability services in Australia, supporting more than 4,000 people with disability across over 230 locations in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.Endeavour Foundation – Wikipedia Most of its clients are adults with intellectual disabilities such as Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and Fragile X syndrome.Australian Disability Enterprises – Endeavour Foundation Profile
Endeavour Foundation operates with a dual structure—combining government-funded service provision (mainly through the NDIS) and commercial operations via its social enterprises. This model supports financial sustainability and broadens employment opportunities for people with disability.Business Solutions – Endeavour Foundation Home & Daily Life The Foundation supports individuals to transition to more independent living through Supported Independent Living (SIL) and Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA).Endeavour Foundation – MyCareSpace Through its "My Home, My Life" initiative, it has invested more than $33 million in building and renovating accessible homes in Queensland.Endeavour Foundation Opens New Accessible Home – Courier Mail
Employment Services Endeavour Foundation is the largest employer of people with disability in Australia, providing supported employment and vocational training aligned with personal employment goals. These services support development of job skills in both mainstream and in-house social enterprises.
Employment opportunities include work placements, training programs, and apprenticeships, all tailored to individual abilities and career pathways. Their social enterprises include industrial cleaning cloths, timber furniture, mailing and packing (including food and pharmaceuticals), e-waste recycling, document destruction, and agriculture. Additionally, Kingaroy Kitchen and QArt provide unique employment in the culinary and creative arts sectors.Endeavour Foundation Social Enterprises
Business Solutions (Social Enterprise) Endeavour Foundation delivers commercial services to business and government clients while employing people with disability through a social enterprise model. Services include packing, recycling, document destruction, and timber/electrical product manufacturing.
Learning The Foundation operates Learning and Lifestyle hubs that offer co-designed day programs focused on building practical life skills such as cooking, digital literacy, and travel training.Endeavour Foundation – Learning and Lifestyle Hubs Virtual Reality (VR) tools are also used to help participants safely practise work skills such as warehouse safety and road awareness.Endeavour Foundation Profile – Good Market
Social & Community Participation