Our History

Established in South Australia in 1984 as Community Living for the Disabled Incorporated, DLi began its journey by providing long-term accommodation and support for young adults who had reached a stage where their traditional housing options had narrowed.

Since then, DLi has grown significantly to now employ over 260 support staff in multiple locations across metropolitan Adelaide and its regions to provide disability services, including:

Supported Independent Living (SIL)

Lifestyle and Community Participation

In-Home Support

Short and Medium Term Accommodation (STA & MTA)

Specialist Behaviour Support

Today DLi currently supports participants on the NDIS age 7 and older for Specialist Behaviour Support and ages 10 and older for all other services.

DLi provides support to clients across the needs spectrum, from low-level support to high and complex support needs including High Intensity Daily Personal Activities supports.

DLi currently provide SIL services across 19 sites and STA services in 2 sites, along with community-based participation and in-home services across Adelaide and its regions.

Timeline

1984 – Community Living for the Disabled (CLD)  formed with one house and two units supporting 5 adults at Payneham

2000 – Campbelltown house was opened

2004 – Windsor Gardens accommodation was built. Residents had grown to 25 people and 40 support workers

2007 – Two new houses were added to Campbelltown

2009 – Name change from CLD to disAbility Living Inc. (DLi)

2009 – Redwood Park house was opened

2009 – Max Birrell retires as Chair after 25 years

2010 – Semaphore house was opened

2012 – Semaphore transition and respite service was opened

2012 – DLi moves its head office from Payneham Road to the current site at 6 George Street Stepney, sharing the building with Interchange SA

2013 – Semaphore South site opened to extend respite and transition services

2013 – 11 clients from Semaphore respite and transition were supported with the transition to permanent accommodation including 4 clients to new premises at Hilton

2013 – Pilot program Riverside is launched supporting children and young people. DLi subsidised the cost to use the service and supported families to gain funding to use Riverside. 50 families expressed interest which lead to 38 referrals and 31 children using the service.

2014 – Seaton house was opened

2016 – Mitchell Park respite service transitioned from SA Government

2016 – Two Developmental Educators join DLi for first time to establish the Specialist Support Team

2016 – Broadview houses opened

2016 – Gawler houses opened

2017 – DLi clients begin transition to NDIS

2017 – Payneham redevelopment begins in May (demolished house to be rebuilt into individual units after 30 years)

2019 – DLi and Interchange SA merge

2019 – Payneham residents moved into their newly built individual units

2022 – Marion houses opened

2022 – Mitchell Park Short Term Accommodation relocates to Dover Gardens

2022 – Windsor Gardens redevelopment commences renovating and upgrading the houses and units and creating a community and lifestyle hub for skills development and social inclusion

2024 – Windsor Gardens redevelopment opens