Independent Community Living Australia

What Independent Community Living Australia does

Independent Community Living Australia (ICLA) is a non-profit, company-limited-by-guarantee organisation founded in 1984 and headquartered in Surry Hills, NSW, that provides specialist accommodation, support, and care services for people with psychosocial disabilities and mental health conditions across Greater Sydney, with virtual services available nationally. Its core service portfolio spans Supported Independent Living (SIL) housing across 8+ properties, transitional housing through the Pathways program (up to 18-month stays), the Bondi-based Prevention and Recovery Centre (PARC, up to 28-day short-term residential recovery stays), and the eFriend virtual peer support service delivered via video and phone. Supporting service lines include NDIS Support Coordination, Core Supports, In-Home Supports, Positive Behaviour Support, Capacity Building, aged care under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), and an Affordable Housing program in Strathfield. The organisation is a registered NDIS provider, registered community housing provider, and CHSP provider, holding QIP Community Accreditation and operating with a lived-experience workforce.

ICLA's business model is built on three government-funded revenue streams: individual NDIS participant plans (covering SIL, Core Supports, Support Coordination, Capacity Building, and Positive Behaviour Support), CHSP block funding for aged care, and government grants for specific initiatives such as the AUD 1.25M Commonwealth-funded Suicide Prevention and Recovery Centre (SPARC). Secondary revenue comes from affordable housing rents (Pathways tenants pay 25% of fortnightly income plus a AUD 50 fortnightly utilities fee) and donations. The organisation is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Nigel Harvey, with CEO William (Bill) Campos — a senior clinical psychologist and former advisor to the Commonwealth Department of Health, NSW Mental Health Commission, and Australian Digital Health Agency — leading a 130+ person team. Distribution is hybrid: direct service delivery in Greater Sydney for housing and in-home programs, plus a self-serve digital channel for the nationally available eFriend service, with referrals flowing through NDIS Local Area Coordinators, the NDIS Provider Finder, and the South East Sydney Local Health District partnership.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally light: no proprietary platform is operated, and service delivery relies on standard NDIS service management systems, video-calling and telephony for eFriend, and a comprehensive website with online referral forms. ICLA's competitive position rests on three regulatory registrations, a 40-year operating history, a lived-experience peer-support workforce, and a vertically integrated continuum-of-care model spanning crisis response, transitional housing, and long-term independent living — a stack that is difficult for single-service competitors to replicate.

Name

Independent Community Living Australia

Legal name

Independent Community Living Australia Ltd.

Website

https://icla.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Independent Community Living Australia (ICLA) is a 40-year-old Australian non-profit providing accommodation, housing, and support services for people with psychosocial disabilities and mental health conditions across Greater Sydney and virtually nationwide, funded primarily through NDIS plans, CHSP, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Mental Health Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Residential Care Facilities (623990)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

Keywords

• Psychosocial disability support
• Supported independent living
• Mental health services
• NDIS provider
• Disability accommodation

Headquarters

HQ city

Surry Hills

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. NDIS Funded Services: ICLA operates as a registered NDIS provider generating revenue through NDIS plan funding. Services include Supported Independent Living (SIL), Core Supports, Support Coordination, Capacity Building, and Positive Behaviour Support, all funded through individual NDIS participant plans.
2. Aged Care Services: Services provided under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) for older people, funded through government aged care programs.
3. Community Housing: ICLA is a registered community housing provider offering transitional and affordable housing solutions.
4. Donations: ICLA accepts donations to support their programs and services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

ICLA delivers supported independent living accommodation, transitional and short-term housing, mental health recovery residential services (PARC), NDIS support coordination, core and in-home daily living supports, positive behaviour support, and aged care services under CHSP for people with psychosocial disabilities and mental health conditions. Services are funded through individual NDIS participant plans, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, and the organisation's community housing provider status, with the eFriend virtual peer support service extending reach nationally.

Product overview

Independent Community Living Australia (ICLA) operates as a not-for-profit social services organization providing a coordinated suite of accommodation, support, and care services for people with psychosocial disabilities and mental health conditions. The portfolio includes Supported Independent Living (SIL) housing with 24/7 staff support, transitional housing through the Pathways program, short-term accommodation and respite care, and the Prevention and Recovery Centre (PARC) offering residential mental health recovery stays. Core support services include NDIS Support Coordination, Core Supports for daily living, In-Home Supports, and Positive Behaviour Support. The organization also provides virtual peer support through eFriend, aged care services under CHSP, and affordable housing options. These services span the Greater Sydney region with virtual services available nationwide, unified by a person-centred, recovery-oriented approach using the CHIME framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PARC (Prevention and Recovery Centre): A Prevention and Recovery Centre providing short-term stays in a homely environment for people who wish to focus on their mental health recovery, with support from a team with lived experience.
• eFriend

Products and services

• Supported Independent Living (SIL) NDIS-funded accommodation service providing long-term housing with 24/7 trained staff support for people with psychosocial disabilities and/or mental health conditions, enabling them to live independently with daily living support across multiple group homes in Sydney's Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, St George, Sutherland Shire, and Western Suburbs.
• Pathways Transitional Housing Program Transitional housing program offering safe accommodation for people experiencing homelessness with mental health conditions, providing stability and support for up to 18 months while residents explore longer-term housing options. Rent is calculated as 25% of fortnightly income plus a $50/fortnight utilities fee.
• PARC (Prevention and Recovery Centre) Short-term residential mental health recovery program located in Bondi, offering free accommodation and support for up to 28 days to adults 18+ with mental health conditions referred through SESLHD Mental Health Service. Provides 24/7 support from a team with lived experience in a homely environment to focus on mental health recovery and avoid hospital admission.
• Support Coordination NDIS-registered Support Coordination service helping participants manage their NDIS plans, identify suitable service providers, maximise funding, and implement tailored supports aligned with their specific needs and goals.
• Core Supports NDIS-funded individualized and ratio-based support enabling people with psychosocial disabilities to maintain and grow independent living skills, covering assistance with daily living activities, consumables, social and community participation, and transport.
• Short Term Accommodation (Respite) NDIS-funded Short Term Accommodation and respite care providing support and accommodation for participants away from their usual home for short periods, typically up to 14 days, including accommodation, food, activities, and self-care support.
• In-Home Supports Personalised in-home support services for individuals with psychosocial disabilities in Inner West Sydney, Eastern Suburbs, Sutherland Shire, and Blacktown areas, including everyday support (meal preparation, medication, domestic assistance, transportation), personal and social support, respite, overnight care, and capacity building.
• Independent Living Options Transitional and long-term housing solutions for people living with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities, tailored to individual needs and goals.
• eFriend Virtual Peer Support Virtual online peer support program connecting people feeling low, lonely, or isolated with peer support workers who advise or empathise using their own lived experience, delivered via video call or phone call and available self-referred nationwide across Australia.
• Positive Behaviour Support NDIS-registered Positive Behaviour Support service helping reduce behaviours of concern and build safer, more supportive everyday lives through person-centred, evidence-based behaviour support plans.
• Aged Care (CHSP) Entry-level aged care support delivered under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), providing personalised assistance to help older people continue to live safely and independently at home.
• Affordable Housing Program Affordable apartments in Strathfield available for rent by eligible tenants, provided as part of ICLA's registered community housing provider portfolio.
• Capacity Building Personalised skill-based NDIS capacity building support helping people with psychosocial disabilities achieve their goals and increase independence.

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BlackDog InstituteminorOthers · 2 June 2022BlackDog Institute completed the Phase 1 evaluation of ICLA's eFriend virtual peer support program with very favourable outcomes and strong business case for its impact. The evaluation reviewed eFriend and peer work online effectiveness and impact across all Australian communities.
• South East Sydney Local Health District Mental Health Service (SESLHD MHS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2021Bondi PARC (Prevention and Recovery Centre) was developed in partnership between South East Sydney Local Health District Mental Health Service and ICLA. The partnership focuses on early intervention and recovery promotion to provide more intensive community support, avoid hospital admissions (step up), and provide residential support following discharge from hospital (step down). SESLHD MHS provides clinical oversight and referral pathways while ICLA delivers the operational service with peer workers.
• Roses in the OceancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2019Roses in the Ocean led the co-design of the operational model for SPARC (Suicide Prevention and Recovery Centre) and provided training to Peer Workers who deliver 24-7 empathetic care and support. Founded by Bronwen Edwards after her brother Mark took his own life in 2008, the organisation brings lived experience expertise to suicide prevention.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Roses in the Ocean: Australian peer-led suicide prevention organisation that co-designed ICLA's SPARC operational model and trains its peer workers. Strong thematic peer in lived-experience workforce and suicide prevention, though not a direct service competitor.
• Stride Mental Health: Listed Australian mental health provider operating NDIS psychosocial recovery coaching, clinical services, and peer support programs. Comparable to ICLA in psychosocial disability NDIS services, with a more national footprint and clinical offering.

Broad incumbents

• Uniting (NSW.ACT): Large NSW/ACT non-profit delivering aged care, disability, mental health, and community housing. Comparable across aged care under CHSP, SIL, and community-based mental health services, with overlapping geographic footprint.
• Wesley Mission: NSW-based non-profit providing community housing, mental health, disability, and aged care services. Comparable in transitional housing and community support services within the Sydney market.
• Endeavour Foundation: Large Australian non-profit providing disability accommodation, employment, and NDIS services nationally. Comparable in NDIS SIL and supported independent living, though primarily focused on intellectual disability rather than psychosocial.
• Mission Australia: Major national non-profit delivering homelessness, housing, mental health, and disability services. Comparable to ICLA's Pathways transitional housing and broader community services mission, but at much larger scale across multiple states.
• Life Without Barriers: One of Australia's largest non-profit disability, mental health, and aged care providers, operating NDIS, out-of-home care, and youth services across all states. Directly comparable to ICLA in NDIS SIL, psychosocial support, and community housing, but at national scale.

Direct peers

• Achieve Australia: Sydney-based NDIS provider offering Supported Independent Living, accommodation, and community participation for people with disability. Direct competitor in the same Greater Sydney SIL market as ICLA.
• Wellways Australia: National NDIS-registered provider specialising in psychosocial disability, mental health, and community-based recovery services. Comparable to ICLA across SIL, support coordination, peer support, and community mental health programs.
• Flourish Australia: Mental health-focused non-profit providing psychosocial support, peer-led recovery, housing, and NDIS services across NSW and other states. Closest direct peer to ICLA given shared psychosocial disability focus, peer workforce, and recovery-oriented model.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/livingaus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGgBvK5BhwdPcwdseEh-0BA
• Facebookfacebook.com/independentcommunitylivingaustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/independent-community-living-australia-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/everydaylifechanging/?hl=en

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Independent Community Living Australia