Dewis Centre for Independent Living (C.I.L.) is a voluntary organisation which offers a range of services. It has contractual agreements with five Local Authorities – Rhondda Cynon Taf, Powys, Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil & Newport.  It works in partnership with the Social Services Departments of each of these authorities.

The original Company employed the personal assistants. As Direct Payments became an option in Rhondda Cynon Taf from 2001, the organisation undertook the role of ‘Support Service’. In 2001 it became a C.I.L. (Centre for Independent Living).

From its inception, the Centre for Independent Living has had a management committee composed of disabled people who use its services and non-disabled people who are supporters of its ethos and values. The Management Committee oversees the work of the staff and helps to develop future policies. 

It remains a non profit-making organisation and is registered with the Charity Commission. It receives its revenue funding from the Local Authorities who derive services from it. 

The Organisation began its work and services around its Direct Payments Support Scheme in Rhondda Cynon Taf. From this original model, it  has developed similar support schemes in Merthyr Tydfil, then Powys, and in recent yeas in the Vale of Glamorgan.

It has continued to expand its services into advocacy, training and accounts management.

It's independent advocacy services for people with learning disability is provided to both Rhondda Cynon Taf and Newport. It has a training programme which supported by grant funding via the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

 
The original organisation was created in 1996 as a non profit-making Company Limited by Guarantee. It was designed to act as a 3rd party organisation run by the disabled people who used its services. Its specific aims were to allow a small number of disabled people to have choice in who they wished as their carers (personal assistants).