Endeavour Foundation

Endeavour Foundation was founded in 1951 by a group of parents of children with an intellectual disability. Initially called the Queensland Sub-Normal Children's Welfare Association, the group's ambition was to establish training centres to teach the children to do simple unskilled work.[2] The group received the patronage of Sir Fred Schonell, the first Professor of Education and later Vice-Chancellor of the University of Queensland. 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.

In its first two years of operation, the organisation registered 300 children with an intellectual disability. The Association's first school and support group were established in a member's home. In June 1953, the association established its first centre in Coorparoo in Brisbane with a teacher to provide basic education to the children, putting into practice ideas developed at the University of Queensland.[3][4] By 1954, the Association had grown beyond Brisbane, with the formation of the first regional sub-committees in Toowoomba and Ipswich.[5] In 1955, the centre moved to a large property in Bowen Hills in Brisbane.[5]

Endeavour Foundation's Head Office, one regional office and a non-vocational day service were previously based at the location, now known as Schonell House in Jordan Terrace, which was sold to property developer BMI Group in the late 2000s and has since been on sold.

The organisation continued to expand rapidly, opening its first service for adults – a workshop in Bowen Hills, and its first accommodation service in Toowoomba in 1964.

In 1982, the Association voted to enact a change of 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.

By 1984, Endeavour Foundation had grown to provide services to more than 3,500 people in 19 non-vocational day services for adults, 25 schools, 12 workshops, 6 farms, 34 adult residential homes, 24 group homes, and 13 clinics across the state. In 1986, the provision of education to children was taken over by the Queensland Department of Education, and Endeavour Foundation's focus moved to support for adults.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, Endeavour Foundation continued to grow, despite recognition that the organisation was losing thousands of dollars per week through the provision of services to people without individualised funding packages by the Queensland Government. This resulted in the shedding of major property assets by the organisation, and the movement and closure of some services.

Currently, Endeavour Foundation's services are divided among four geographical areas. These areas are: Queensland North (incorporating Far North Queensland down to Bundaberg), Queensland South (Hervey Bay down to Caloundra and out to Stanthorpe), Queensland Metro (from Moreton down to the Gold Coast and west to Gatton, including Brisbane), and New South Wales/Victoria. The organisation is managed by Chief Executive Officer Andrew Donne and senior management, guided by an elected Board of Directors.

Endeavour Foundation has ten Area Committees made up of Endeavour Foundation members. The committees provide feedback on policy and services, build community links and vote on elected members of the Board.

In September 2009, Endeavour Foundation acquired Cumberland Industries in Western Sydney, providing employment for a further 610 people with a disability, making Endeavour Foundation the largest non-government provider of direct disability employment in Australia.[6]

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. 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.

2014 saw the amalgamation of Endeavour Foundation with supported employment service VATMI Group and also the Community Solutions Group of non-government organisations including TORGAS, Acclaim and Skills Plus/Brace. VATMI was the largest employer of people with a disability in Victoria, with four locations and various facilities in Kew, Keon Park, Bendigo, Wangaratta and Stawell. The merge with Community Solutions Group helped form Endeavour Foundation's Community Solutions Division; providing valued and complementary health and wellbeing, workforce (including apprenticeships), education and training services.[7]

In 2017, Endeavour Foundation completed construction of the Kingaroy Kitchen Cafe. The addition of a cafe to the already successful commercial kitchen provides even more opportunities for people with a disability to develop skills working in hospitality and customer service.[8]

The Endeavour Foundation of today is a diverse and embracing collection of like-minded businesses and communities from across the country. While much has changed over the last 66 years, the core objective and commitment of the organisation remains unchanged – to provide real possibilities and opportunities for people with a disability.

In order to bring real possibilities to life, Endeavour Foundation's disability services are tailored around an individual's goals and aspirations. Endeavour Foundation currently supports more than 4,000 people to live fulfilling lives across 230 locations in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Most service users are adults with Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, Fragile X syndrome and non-specific intellectual disabilities. Endeavour Foundation is the largest non-government provider of direct community services (to any group) in Australia.

Endeavour Foundation runs 26 recycled clothing stores in Queensland and New South Wales, known as Endo's, as well as an online eBay store. These stores sell new and recycled clothing, furniture, books, bedding and bric-a-brac.

Kingaroy Kitchen Fine Foods, which provides employment and training opportunities for 27 supported employees in the South Burnett region, produces hampers, preservative-free chutneys, marmalades, jams, biscuits and cakes available for purchase. The addition of a cafe in 2017 provides additional employment opportunities as well as the option for customers to dine-in and experience the Kingaroy Kitchen hospitality first-hand.[8]

Endeavour Foundation has partnered with local Queensland councils to manage Tip Shops and Recycle Markets. There are currently ten Endeavour Foundation Tip Shops and Recycle Markets in Queensland that salvage and sell household items and furnishings, collectables, books and toys, and sporting equipment.

All funds raised through Endeavour Foundation's shops are reinvested into providing real possibilities for people with a disability. The stores also provide a valuable range of employment opportunities for people with a disability.

The Great Endeavour Rally is Endeavour Foundation's flagship annual fundraising event, which has been running for more than 30 years.

Endeavour Foundation is also well known for their prize home lotteries, which have been raising funds for the organisation for more than 40 years. Seven prize home lotteries and five Ultimate Life Changer lotteries are run each year.

All funds raised through lotteries and fundraising events go directly towards Endeavour Foundation's programs to support people with intellectual disability.

Endeavour Foundation has been subject to some criticism for its large size, conservatism, and influence on government policy. Since 2000, the organisation has been shedding property assets and closing some services.

In 2000 and 2001, Endeavour Foundation attracted major controversy when it decided to cut case management services, with some staff discovering their positions had been made redundant through the press. In 2004, Endeavour Foundation was again subject to criticism[9] for its decision to cut the Specialist Services team, an innovative service supporting staff to support service users with challenging (aggressive and assaultive) behaviour, only to announce in October 2005 that it would be reinstating the staff support service in a reduced form (though the employment of Disability Advisors) and combining abuse response and advocacy functions.

• Social model of disability
• Social role valorization

• Queensland Subnormal Children's Welfare Association (1975), The Queensland Sub-Normal Children's Welfare Association providing community care for the mentally retarded, Queensland Sub-Normal Children's Welfare Association, ISBN 978-0-9596565-0-3

• Official website
• 'Disabled centres facing closure' 8 October 2004