News
Opportunities for people with a disability
November 24, 2011
New South Wales Parliament honours Endeavour Foundation’s 60th anniversary
Endeavour Foundation is proud to have been hosted by both houses of New South Wales Parliament at a bi-partisan reception acknowledging the organisation’s 60th anniversary.
Endeavour Foundation CEO, David Barbagallo, said it was pleasing that Endeavour Foundation’s commitment to disability services in New South Wales had been acknowledged by co-hosts, the Minister for Disability Services Andrew Constance and the Honourable Linda Voltz MLC.
“Endeavour Foundation has been providing supported employment for close to 500 people with a disability in western Sydney for almost 3 years,” Mr Barbagallo said.
“We’re also providing tertiary education for people with an intellectual disability in Sydney through the Latch-On® program, a nationally accredited program devised in partnership with the University of Queensland".
The one-of-a-kind program is funded by Endeavour Foundation without any government support.
Students at Latch-On® complete four study modules that consist of self discovery, looking beyond themselves into the community, reaching out into the world, and then taking on the world.
Latch-On® improves young people’s confidence, employability and life opportunities.
This year, Endeavour Foundation also opened its first recycled clothing store in Penrith with two more due to open in the western Sydney region in the coming months.
The organisation is expanding into New South Wales quickly, but Endeavour Foundation’s history in this state extends back much further to its establishment in 1951.
Mr Barbagallo said it was the New South Wales Subnormal Children’s Welfare Association that provided vital guidance and advice for Queensland parents in the early days.
“With their help we rallied the public and parents on June 14 1951 leading to the creation of Endeavour Foundation, then the Queensland affiliate of the New South Wales association.
“They had already done the hard yards, and we benefited from their work by being able to raise funds through tax deductible donations,” he said.
The Queensland arm quickly grew as a grass-roots organisation with branches all over the state.
It was renamed Endeavour Foundation in the 1980’s.
Six decades later, Endeavour Foundation has returned to New South Wales, this time to offer their support.
In 2009, the organisation provided job security for almost 500 people with a disability when they purchased the ailing Cumberland Industries in western Sydney.
The expansion won’t stop there Mr Barbagallo said.
“We have identified a need for support and services in New South Wales, a need Endeavour Foundation wants to cater for.
“It is a fitting way to express our gratitude for the support we received six decades ago from New South Wales and today we’ve acknowledged that history at a bipartisan reception at New South Wales Parliament House and look forward to many new opportunities to cement our relationship with this fine state,” he said.
CONTACT
Kirrily Boulton
Media & Communication Manager
P (07) 3908 7138
M 0429 077 886
F (07) 3253 7271
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