Lifeline Mid Coast

What Lifeline Mid Coast does

Lifeline Mid Coast is a not-for-profit charity providing crisis support, suicide prevention, and recovery services across the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Founded in 1988, it operates as a regional centre within the national Lifeline network of approximately 48 centres that collectively answer around one million calls per year. The organisation serves an estimated 190,000 people in its catchment and answers more than 26,000 crisis calls annually through the 24/7 national crisis line (13 11 14), online chat, and SMS channels. Leadership rests with CEO Catherine Vaara (ABN 25 524 080 705).

The organisation's service portfolio includes specialised programs such as Eclipse, Support After Suicide, Bloom (postvention support), Toward Recovery (QIP-accredited), and Hospital to Recovery, the latter delivered in partnership with the Local Area Health District. Lifeline Mid Coast also offers fee-for-service training — Accidental Counsellor, DV-alert (under contract with the Commonwealth Department of Social Services), DV-aware, and Mind Your Mates — targeting workplaces and community members. Service delivery is human-driven, with around 33 paid staff supported by approximately 400 accredited volunteers who must complete a 12-month training program before handling crisis calls.

The revenue model combines three streams: community donations and bequests, retail sales through seven Lifeline-branded op-shops, and training fees. All crisis support services are provided free to end-users. The seven op-shops function dually as fundraising channels and physical community touchpoints for awareness, donor recruitment, and volunteer engagement across the Mid North Coast catchment.

Name

Lifeline Mid Coast

Legal name

Lifeline Mid Coast

Website

https://lifelinemidcoast.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lifeline Mid Coast is a not-for-profit crisis support and suicide prevention charity serving approximately 190,000 people across NSW's Mid North Coast. It operates a 24/7 crisis line, recovery programs, community training, and seven retail op-shops, funded by donations, grants, and training fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Crisis Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health Crisis Services Management (988/Hotlines/Mobile Crisis Coordination) (HLAEAHAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Services (EDALAFAD)

Keywords

• Crisis support services
• Suicide prevention
• Mental health helpline
• Community training programs
• Charity retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Macquarie

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Shop Operations: Seven Lifeline Shops located in Forster, Taree, Wingham, Wauchope, Port Macquarie (2 shops), and Kempsey sell donated quality items including clothing, furniture, homewares, books, and unique items. All proceeds fund suicide prevention and crisis support services.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Community donations via direct deposit, online payments, and fundraising events (Push Up Challenge, Lent Together). Donations are tax-deductible for amounts over $2 in Australia. Eventbrite ticket sales for volunteer information sessions.
3. Training Course Fees: Crisis Supporter Workplace Training (CSWT) course costs $520 (subsidized from ~$3400 actual value). DV-alert training is free for eligible participants. Accidental Counsellor and Mind Your Mates training programs offered to community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lifeline Mid Coast is a not-for-profit charity that delivers free, confidential crisis support and suicide prevention services to individuals in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales via a 24/7 telephone helpline, online chat, and SMS. In addition to direct crisis intervention, the organization runs fee-based accredited training programs (e.g., Crisis Supporter, Accidental Counsellor, DV-alert, DV-aware, Mind Your Mates) and operates seven op-shop retail outlets whose proceeds help fund services.

Product overview

Lifeline Mid Coast is a not-for-profit charity providing crisis support and suicide prevention services across the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia. Established in 1988, the organisation operates the national 13 11 14 crisis line (answering over 26,000 calls annually), supplemented by 24/7 online chat and text support services. Its service portfolio includes structured psychosocial support programs (Eclipse, Support After Suicide, Toward Recovery, Bloom), community training offerings (Accidental Counsellor, DV-alert, DV-aware, Mind Your Mates), and peer-based aftercare (Hospital to Recovery). Community engagement is supported through events (Out of the Shadows walk, Memorial Services) and fundraising initiatives (LentTogether, Push Up Challenge). The organisation funds its services primarily through seven Lifeline Shops selling donated goods, with approximately 33 staff and 400 volunteers serving a population of about 190,000.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eclipse: An 8-week closed support group for adults who have survived a suicide attempt, offering skills to cope with suicidal thoughts.
• Bloom
• Support After Suicide
• Toward Recovery
• Out of the Shadows
• LentTogether
• Accidental Counsellor
• Mind Your Mates
• DV-alert
• DV-aware

Products and services

• Crisis Support Helpline (13 11 14)

Quantifiable outcome

• Answers over 26,000 callers in crisis annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Local Councils (Mid North Coast)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Following 2019-2020 bushfires, Lifeline Mid Coast was invited by local councils to join Disaster Recovery Teams. Partnership developed into the Lifeline Community Leadership Program providing training and support to community leaders.
• Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Member of Disaster Recovery Teams responding to 2019-2020 bushfires on Mid North Coast.
• Resilience NSWminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Government agency partner in Disaster Recovery Teams during 2019-2020 bushfire response.
• Lifeline AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLifeline Mid Coast is part of the national Lifeline network (48 centres). Lifeline Australia provides accreditation for training through RTO 88036, brand standards, operational guidelines, and coordinates the national 13 11 14 crisis line infrastructure.
• Local Area Health DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Local Area Health District for Hospital to Recovery program - a peer-based after care service for those who have attempted suicide, providing continuity of care between clinical and community settings.
• Port Macquarie Endeavour ClubhouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in Hospital to Recovery program, supporting reintegration of individuals recovering from suicide attempts into daily community life.
• Suicide Prevention Australia QIPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccreditation body for the Toward Recovery Program. Provides quality assurance accreditation ensuring psychosocial support programs meet national standards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kids Helpline: Australia's free 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5-25, operated by yourtown. Directly competes for crisis contacts and government contracts targeting youth mental health and suicide prevention.
• Lifeline Australia: National peak body of the Lifeline network that Lifeline Mid Coast is a member of. Operates the 13 11 14 crisis line at the national level and provides accreditation, RTO oversight, and brand standards to all 48 centres including Lifeline Mid Coast.
• QLife: National LGBTIQ+ peer support and referral service funded by the Department of Health. Operates phone and webchat support 7 days/week, overlapping with Lifeline's crisis-line service offering.
• ReachOut Australia: Digital-first youth mental health service providing online peer support, self-help tools and information. Competes particularly with Lifeline's online chat and text support channels and is increasingly capturing the same digital crisis-intervention audience.
• Beyond Blue: Major Australian mental health not-for-profit providing 24/7 phone, webchat and online community support for anxiety, depression and suicide prevention. Competes with Lifeline for crisis-line calls, donor dollars, and government mental health funding.
• SANE Australia: National mental health charity providing helpline, online peer support and information for Australians affected by complex mental health issues including suicide. Competes for donations, volunteers, and crisis-line traffic.
• headspace: Federally funded National Youth Mental Health Foundation operating 100+ centres across Australia. Provides early-intervention mental health services for 12-25 year olds and competes for government funding, donations, and volunteers.
• 1800RESPECT: National sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service funded by the Department of Social Services. Operates in the same federally-funded DV response space as Lifeline's DV-alert training and directly supports overlapping client populations.
• MensLine Australia: Telephone and online counselling service for men with emotional health and relationship concerns. Competes with Lifeline for crisis contacts, particularly among male callers, and for related government contracts.

Broad incumbents

• Suicide Prevention Australia: National peak body for the suicide prevention sector that accredits Lifeline's Toward Recovery program through the Suicide Prevention Australia QIP. Operates as an umbrella industry body rather than direct service provider, but shapes the funding and accreditation environment in which Lifeline Mid Coast operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lifelinemidcoast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lifeline-mid-coast

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lifeline Mid Coast