About

swara is a disability service provider based in Woolloongabba, Brisbane. We believe in celebrating who you are so you can achieve to the best of your abilities, determine your future and make a positive impact on the world.

Who is swara

swara is a not-for-profit NDIS registered and DSOA support provider located in Woolloongabba, Brisbane.

For over 47 years, swara has been passionately supporting a community of all abilities. Our aim is to make sure participants feel loved and respected, and that you are given the chance to reach your full potential.

The swara family welcomes all people with mild to moderate disabilities aged 15 and up. We’re happy to work directly with participants, or we can provide information to your family, carers, support network, or NDIS Support Coordinator.

For more information on joining our family, you can contact us online, or call directly on 07 3391 4119.

Our vision

swara is an enduring community leader, empowering people of all abilities to reach their full potential in a loving service environment.

Our mission

Our mission? To foster a thriving community where individuals with disabilities not only receive support but also flourish. We are dedicated to empowering lives by nurturing essential life skills, aiding in goal achievement, and supporting meaningful social connections.

Our philosophy

Loving service in action.

Join us at swara, where each step forward is a celebration, and every milestone reached is a testament to our commitment to your journey.

The Pink Twins’ legacy

swara was founded in 1975 by Pink Twins Dorothy and Moyia O’Brien.

Dorothy and Moyia saw the need to help families and communities by making it easier to access caring disability services. They used their own funds, and those of loyal supporters, to establish swara in the Roma Street Parklands, Brisbane.

First and foremost, the Twins understood that many people with disabilities need a sense of value, belonging, and secure relationships that don’t depend on conformity. These wonderful ladies identified that the greatest handicap was a lack of self-esteem, and the experience of isolation and rejection that befell many in our community.

The Twins would often talk about finding the spark in others and fanning it into a roaring flame. That legacy continues at swara today, where we nurture the flames in every person who joins our family. We work on the human potential in everyone, not just our participants, and we celebrate as we make those flames roar.

We do this through Loving Service in Action.

The Pink Twins are no longer with us, at least not in person. But I have every confidence they are with us in spirit. I also feel they would recognise the new challenges faced by the organisation they founded, and would be thrilled with the Loving Service swara’s precious clients continue to receive.

Extract from TP O’Brien’s annual Chairman Report, November 2018

About swara

swara is a not-for-profit NDIS registered support provider. We are more than just a disability service provider—we are a vibrant community offering tailored support for individuals aged 10 to 70 with diverse physical, mental, and psychosocial disabilities. From centre-based support, community and home supports to navigating post-school transitions, our comprehensive services extend to a dynamic school holiday program and supported independent living options.