Access Industries has been providing services for people with disabilities for 70 years. In fact, we are one of the oldest organisations of our type in Australia. Access Industries for the Disabled Limited was not always the name of our Company. The organisation was originally set up by a group of people with physical disabilities as the Civilian Maimed and Limbless Association (CMLA) back in 1949
. As the name suggests, the organisation was established as a self-help group for people within the community whose disabilities were not due to war service. Then, as now, the intention was to be an organisation that was controlled by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities. One of the earliest aims of the organisation was to help people with disabilities to gain meaningful work and develop their work skills, with a view to increasing their personal and financial independence and enabling them to take their rightful place as productive and valued members of Australian society. Initially, this was done by undertaking sub-contract work in a variety of factory-based locations. With the subsequent growth in our employment services our organisation began to provide assistance to people with a wider range of disabilities, and also became more commercially-oriented in order to provide a greater range of employment opportunities to suit their differing needs. In 1980 we changed our name to Access Industries for the Disabled Ltd. Access Industries now has operational divisions: Business Services in Seven Hills, Horsley Park, Erskine Park, Newcastle and Lithgow, (providing supported employment for around 250 people with disabilities);
We also have our Fundraising; Activities where we run a Art Union draw to win fabulous prizes.
