What Achieve Australia does

Achieve Australia is a Sydney-headquartered not-for-profit disability services organization founded in 1952 (originally as Mt Own, later known as Hornsby Challenge before adopting the current name in 2022). The organization delivers NDIS-funded disability supports across three core service categories: accommodation (Supported Independent Living at multiple SDA-compliant homes across Sydney suburbs and Short-Term Accommodation at Summer Hill House), community-based supports (Community Participation, Lifestyle Programs), and Disability Employment Services. It serves NDIS participants with diverse support needs including physical, intellectual, cognitive, and psychosocial disabilities, and reports responsibility for 300+ people in residential services.

Revenue is generated primarily through NDIS plan-managed funding flows for direct service delivery to individual participants, supplemented by donations and bequests. The organization also operates four wholly-owned social enterprises that provide inclusive employment and ancillary commercial revenue: The Sewing Basket (retail craft stores in Newington, Balmain, Kincumber, Caringbah, and Central Coast), AchievAble Enterprises (packaging and assembly services in Newington serving clients including Unilever, Dnata, Finsbury Green, and Chicane Marketing), Windara (community hub in Casino, NSW with nursery, café, lawn care, and event spaces), and Artful (art-based social enterprise).

Achieve serves a distributed individual-customer base comprising NDIS participants, their families and carers, donors, and commercial buyers of social enterprise output. Geographic reach is regional rather than national, concentrated in Sydney, Northern Rivers (NSW), and South East Queensland. Leadership includes CEO Jo-Anne Hewitt, Chair Kerry Stubbs, and an operations team including an Operations Executive (Daniel Kyriacou) responsible for residential operations. The organization holds NDIS provider registration, achieved Disability Confident Recruiter status in 2024, and maintains a Board of Directors governance structure with no parent company or private equity backing.

Name

Achieve Australia

Legal name

Achieve Australia

Website

https://achieveaustralia.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Achieve Australia is a Sydney-based not-for-profit providing NDIS-funded disability supports including Supported Independent Living, short-term accommodation, community participation, and disability employment services, alongside four social enterprises that deliver inclusive employment for people with disability.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Supported independent living
• NDIS registered provider
• Specialist disability accommodation
• Social enterprise employment

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. NDIS-funded disability services: Achieve Australia generates the majority of its revenue through NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) funded supports, including Supported Independent Living (SIL), short-term accommodation, community participation, and disability employment services. NDIS plan-managed funding flows directly to the organization for service delivery.
2. Social enterprise commercial operations: Achieve Australia's social enterprises (The Sewing Basket retail stores, AchievAble Enterprises packaging/assembly, Windara community hub) generate commercial revenue by providing paid services to commercial clients. AchievAble Enterprises delivers packaging and assembly services to brands including Unilever, Dnata, Finsbury Green, and Chicane Marketing. The Sewing Basket generates retail revenue from fabric and craft supply sales.
3. Donations and bequests: Achieve Australia accepts one-off and regular donations, including bequests left in Wills. All donations are tax-deductible. The organization also receives in-kind donations of goods used as raffle prizes and auction items for fundraisers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Achieve Australia delivers specialist disability support services funded primarily through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), including Supported Independent Living, Short-Term Accommodation at Summer Hill House, Community Participation, Disability Employment Services, and Lifestyle Programs. The organisation also operates four social enterprises (The Sewing Basket retail stores, AchievAble Enterprises packaging and assembly, Windara community hub, and Artful) that provide inclusive employment and training opportunities for people with disability.

Product overview

Achieve Australia is a for-purpose community organization providing disability support services across Sydney, the Northern Rivers, and South East Queensland. The organization operates a coordinated portfolio of services organized into core disability support offerings (Supported Independent Living, Short-Term Accommodation, Community Participation, Disability Employment, and Lifestyle Programs) and social enterprises (The Sewing Basket, AchievAble Enterprises, Windara, and Artful) that provide inclusive employment opportunities for people with disability while generating revenue to support the organization's mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Summer Hill House: Short-term accommodation facility operated by Achieve Australia.

Products and services

• Supported Independent Living (SIL) NDIS-funded specialist accommodation support enabling people with disability to live independently in their own homes with varying levels of support based on individual needs, delivered across SDA-compliant homes in Sydney.
• Short-Term Accommodation (STA) Temporary accommodation services at Summer Hill House and other locations, providing respite and transitional housing support for people with disability, funded through NDIS plans.
• Community Participation Drop-in support services enabling people with disability to participate in community activities and build independence outside their homes, funded through NDIS plans.
• Disability Employment Services NDIS-funded employment support including career planning, job search assistance, and ongoing support to help people with disability secure and maintain meaningful employment.
• Lifestyle Programs Community and lifestyle programs enabling people with disability to make friends, learn new skills, and build independence through various activities and social engagement opportunities.
• The Sewing Basket Network of retail stores across Sydney (Newington, Balmain, Kincumber, Caringbah) and the Central Coast selling donated fabric, yarn, and craft supplies while providing inclusive employment opportunities for people with disability, including 25+ NDIS supported employment positions at the newest Central Coast location.
• AchievAble Enterprises Packaging and assembly social enterprise providing employment for approximately 65 supported employees at its Newington hub while delivering professional services (product packing, liquid filling, labelling, wrapping, and Bertie Beetle Easter Show bag packing for four consecutive years) to commercial clients.
• Windara Community hub in Casino, NSW offering supported employment and training for people with disability, featuring a nursery, café, maze, lawn care services, and event spaces.
• Artful Art-based social enterprise providing creative engagement and employment opportunities for people with disability.

Quantifiable outcome

• 220+ clients and staff vaccinated during COVID-19 vaccination program
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme)coreOthersThe NDIS is the primary funder and regulatory framework for Achieve Australia's disability services. As a registered NDIS provider, Achieve delivers Supported Independent Living (SIL), short-term accommodation, community participation, and disability employment services funded through individual NDIS plans. The NDIS represents the backbone of Achieve's service delivery model.
• Chicane MarketingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicane Marketing, which manages the iconic Bertie Beetle Easter Show bags for the Royal Agricultural Society, has engaged AchievAble Enterprises to pack the show bags for four consecutive years. The partnership provides meaningful inclusive employment for people with disability while delivering a premium product to commercial clients.
• UnileverminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnilever engages AchievAble Enterprises for packaging and assembly services, providing commercial work that supports inclusive employment for people with disability.
• DnataminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDnata (airline catering company) is a commercial client of AchievAble Enterprises, utilizing the social enterprise's packaging and assembly services.
• Finsbury GreenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinsbury Green is a commercial partner of AchievAble Enterprises and also a labour hire site where supported employees are placed for inclusive employment.
• BSI LearningminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSI Learning partnered with AchievAble Enterprises to deliver a Certificate III in Process Manufacturing course (accredited training) for supported employees, launching in February 2023. 14 employees were enrolled.
• Foundation and Friends of the Botanic GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThis organization engages supported employees from AchievAble Enterprises for mailouts, member packs, and other administration duties, providing inclusive off-site employment opportunities.
• Royal Botanic Gardens (Sydney)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported employees from AchievAble Enterprises work on-site at the Royal Botanic Gardens, where they assist with mailouts, member packs, and administration. This arrangement has been in place for over 20 years for some supported employees like Jenny McCullum.
• Dr Jamal Rifi and Belmore MedicalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGP Dr Jamal Rifi and his nursing team at Belmore Medical partnered with Achieve Australia to deliver a COVID-19 vaccination program, administering Pfizer vaccines to 220+ clients and staff in July 2021. Belmore Medical later ran a drive-through booster clinic in January 2022.
• The Bloom MovementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bloom Movement ran inclusive wellness workshops at Summer Hill House, providing opportunities for people with disability to experience floral arranging and the healing properties of flowers. The partnership supports personal wellbeing and community connection.
• Australian Government (NDIS Review Panel)minorOthersAchieve Australia was selected to join an Australian Government panel to help the disability services sector navigate COVID-19, sharing resources and real-life case studies of effective practices.
• National Disability Services (NDS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAchieve Australia participates in the NDS Teamwork Works campaign advocating for NDIS protection and participated in early discussions that led to the campaign's creation. NDS is the peak industry body representing disability service providers.
• National Disability Services (NDS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDS created the Teamwork Works campaign, which Achieve Australia supports, putting people with disability and workers who support them at the center of a national conversation about protecting the integrity of the NDIS.
• UNSW Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry (3dn)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAchieve Australia publishes educational content sourced from UNSW's 3dn department, which conducts research on intellectual disability and mental health. Articles on depression in people with intellectual disability feature research from this department.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Benevolent Society: Australian not-for-profit delivering NDIS disability services alongside aged care and family support, including supported independent living, community participation, and disability employment. Comparable service mix and non-profit governance structure to Achieve Australia.
• Endeavour Foundation: Large Queensland-headquartered NDIS disability provider offering supported employment, accommodation, and community participation. Highly comparable to Achieve Australia's social enterprise model (e.g., Windara, AchievAble Enterprises) and supported employment approach.
• Cerebral Palsy Alliance: NDIS-registered provider offering supported independent living, allied health, therapy, and disability employment across NSW. Directly comparable to Achieve Australia's complex care and SIL offerings, with additional clinical/therapy depth.
• Northcott: Major NSW and Queensland-based NDIS disability services provider delivering supported independent living, accommodation, respite, and disability employment. Comparable to Achieve Australia's geographic overlap (NSW and SE Queensland) and core service mix.
• Sunnyfield: NSW-based NDIS disability services provider with a comparable portfolio including supported independent living, short-term accommodation, community participation, and social enterprises (e.g., Sunnyfield enterprises providing packaging and assembly). Very close peer on size, geography, and inclusive employment model.
• Life Without Barriers: One of Australia's largest NDIS-registered disability and out-of-home care providers, delivering supported independent living, accommodation, and community participation across all states. Directly comparable to Achieve Australia in core service mix and NDIS funding model, but at significantly greater national scale.
• Aruma: National NDIS disability services provider formed from the merger of House with No Steps and Scope, offering supported independent living, accommodation, employment, and community participation. Comparable to Achieve Australia across the full disability service portfolio with broader geographic reach.

Others

• National Disability Services (NDS): Peak Australian industry body representing disability service providers, including Achieve Australia as a member. Relevant as the sector advocacy body and policy counterpart rather than a direct competitor; Achieve actively supports NDS campaigns (Teamwork Works).

Regional players

• Yooralla: Victoria's largest disability services provider offering NDIS-supported independent living, accommodation, and community participation. Comparable service model to Achieve Australia but primarily focused on Victoria rather than NSW/Queensland.

Emerging players

• Kinetic Life Sciences / Kinetic (NDIS supported employment): NDIS-registered supported employment and disability services provider operating Australian Disability Enterprises. Comparable to AchievAble Enterprises' social enterprise and packaging/assembly model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/achieveaus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AchieveAustraliatv
• Facebookfacebook.com/AchieveAus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/achieve-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/achieve.australia
• TikToktiktok.com/@achieve.australia

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Achieve Australia