MacKillop Seasons

What MacKillop Seasons does

MacKillop Seasons is a nonprofit division of MacKillop Family Services, a Catholic community service organization headquartered at Suite 2, Ground Floor, 13B Narabang Way, Belrose, New South Wales, Australia. The organization delivers evidence-based social-emotional learning programs focused on change, loss, and grief support for children, young people, adults, parents, and communities across Australia. Its flagship program, Seasons for Growth, was launched in 1996 by Professor Anne Graham AO at Southern Cross University's Centre for Children and Young People and is now in its 3rd Edition after 28+ years of operation; the portfolio has expanded to include Stormbirds (natural disaster resilience, launched 2009), Seasons for Healing (a culturally safe adaptation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, developed 2011-2014), Seasons for Life (a government-funded secondary school suicide prevention initiative), and the Disaster Resilience Initiative (Disaster Ready Fund-supported). Programs are delivered through a network of trained facilitators called "Companions" — typically teachers, psychologists, chaplains, nurses, counsellors, and social workers — who complete structured training and receive ongoing support through a dedicated online Companion Portal, communities of practice, and professional development resources.

MacKillop Seasons' revenue model is exclusively grant- and donation-funded rather than commercial. The organization operates through multi-year government contracts — including the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care funding for Seasons for Life (2022-2027, extended 2025) and co-funding from the Disaster Ready Fund and NSW Government for Stormbirds Disaster Readiness (2023-2027) — supplemented by philanthropic contributions from foundations such as UNICEF Australia, Nib Foundation, St George Foundation, Waratah Education Foundation, Schools Plus, and Healthy North Coast PHN, and a confirmed AUD $870,000 from the Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund (2020-2023 across three grants of $290,000). The organization employs 16 staff and reports having supported over 8,000 children through Stormbirds and 600+ school communities; outcomes include 96% of children reporting the program helped them "a lot" and 85% of adult participants reporting improved acceptance of grief issues. The organization has received an Australian Research Council High Impact Rating (2018-2019) and is recognized in the Be You/Beyond Blue and Australian Institute of Family Studies evidence-based program directories.

Name

MacKillop Seasons

Legal name

MacKillop Seasons (MacKillop Family Services)

Website

https://mackillopseasons.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MacKillop Seasons is a nonprofit Australian provider of evidence-based social-emotional learning programs for change, loss, and grief, delivering Seasons for Growth, Stormbirds, and Seasons for Healing through trained facilitators to schools and communities nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social-Emotional Learning and Grief Support Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Therapeutic & Behavioral Health School Programs (Day Treatment) (EDAJAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disaster Behavioral Health & Psychosocial Support (HLAJAGAM), Community Resilience, Preparedness Training & Exercises (HLAJAGAL), Positive Discipline & Behavior Support Programs (EDACALAD), Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness Education (CPR/First Aid/Disaster Readiness) (EDAAAFAJ)

Keywords

• Grief support programs
• Social-emotional learning
• Disaster recovery programs
• School wellbeing programs
• Bereavement education training

Headquarters

HQ city

Belrose

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funded Programs: Primary revenue stream through government funding including Department of Health and Aged Care funding for Seasons for Life initiative (2022-2027) and Australian Government's Disaster Ready Fund for Stormbirds Disaster Readiness Initiative.
2. Philanthropic Grants: Funding received from various charitable foundations including Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund, Nib Foundation, UNICEF Australia, St George Foundation, Waratah Education Foundation, Schools Plus, and Healthy North Coast PHN.
3. Training Program Fees: Organizations pay for Companion training to deliver MacKillop Seasons programs. Training workshops can be arranged for schools or community organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MacKillop Seasons delivers evidence-based social-emotional learning programs focused on change, loss, and grief support for children, young people, adults and First Nations communities across Australia. Programs are facilitated by trained 'Companions' (teachers, psychologists, chaplains, social workers, nurses) in schools and community settings following a standardized companion training model. The portfolio includes Seasons for Growth, Stormbirds, Seasons for Healing, Seasons for Life and the Disaster Resilience Initiative, supported by an online Companion Portal and eLearning platform.

Product overview

MacKillop Seasons offers a suite of evidence-based social-emotional learning programs and resources focused on change, loss, and grief support. The core portfolio centers on the Seasons for Growth programs (Children & Young People, Adult, and Parent variants), the Stormbirds natural disaster resilience program, and the Seasons for Healing program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. These are complemented by the Seasons for Life Initiative (government-funded secondary school suicide prevention), the Disaster Resilience Initiative, the online Companion Portal for trained facilitators, and supplementary toolkits including the Rockhopper Toolkit and Seasons Toolkit. The programs use a seasonal metaphor framework and are delivered through trained 'Companions' in school and community settings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Seasons for Life: A funded initiative from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care supporting secondary school staff with evidence-based change, loss and grief education programs, including suicide-related loss.
• Stormbirds
• Seasons for Growth
• Seasons for Growth Adult Program
• Seasons for Healing

Products and services

• Seasons for Growth - Children & Young People's Program Small-group social-emotional learning program for children and young people aged 6-18 that strengthens resilience and recovery from change, loss and grief through a safe learning environment. Delivered by trained Companions in schools and community settings.
• Stormbirds - Natural Disaster Resilience & Recovery Program Small-group education program supporting resilience and recovery of children and young people in response to change, loss and uncertainty resulting from natural disasters including storms, floods, bushfires, earthquakes, droughts, cyclones, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.
• Seasons for Growth - Adult Program Evidence-based program delivered in small group environments to support adults in understanding personal impacts of change, loss and grief, and developing communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
• Seasons for Healing - Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Program Peer learning program for First Nations communities adapted from Seasons for Growth into an Indigenous context, supporting social, spiritual, emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Seasons for Life Initiative Government-funded initiative providing wrap-around support for secondary schools including training, resources, whole-school professional learning and parent/carer sessions to help children and young people respond to change, loss and grief including suicide-related loss.
• Disaster Resilience Initiative Initiative funded through the Australian Government's Disaster Ready Fund and NSW Government supporting communities affected by severe weather events and natural disasters in NSW, Queensland and Victoria with fully funded programs and resources.
• Seasons for Growth Parent Program Program designed to support parents in helping their children navigate change, loss and grief.
• Companion Training Program Training course for education and health professionals to become certified 'Companions' capable of delivering MacKillop Seasons programs. Combines theory, content experience, skill practice, and role reflection; delivered online or face-to-face by accredited trainers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 85% of adult program participants felt Seasons for Growth improved acceptance of letting go of past issues of change, loss and grief
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Southern Cross University - Centre for Children and Young PeoplecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing research partnership with Professor Anne Graham AO as author of MacKillop Seasons programs. The Centre conducts program evaluations and develops resources including the Rockhopper Toolkit. Professor Graham continues to support the programs by training trainers and Companions.
• headspace National Youth Mental Health FoundationstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2015, headspace requested a trial of Seasons for Growth as a suicide postvention resource in schools. CCYP researchers modified the program, and after successful trial, 72 companions were trained and rolled out into communities impacted by youth suicide.
• Sydney North PHNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided Connected Community Grant funding enabling MacKillop Seasons to train local professionals to deliver small group programs for adults in northern Sydney communities, including Seasons for Healing.
• Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with MacKillop Family Services to deliver Seasons programs to students in dioceses of Townsville, Cairns and Rockhampton following 2019 Queensland monsoons and flooding.
• STARTTS (NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors)strategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEstablished partnership delivering Seasons for Growth programs with interpreter support for children with refugee experience. Running 4 groups per year in schools where English is the second language for students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Australian Red Cross: Delivers disaster recovery and psychosocial support programs for affected communities, including school-based recovery initiatives following natural disasters. Overlaps significantly with MacKillop Seasons' Stormbirds disaster response offering.
• headspace (National Youth Mental Health Foundation): Australia's primary youth mental health organization offering clinical services, school-based programs, and digital resources. Existing MacKillop Seasons partner; broader incumbent operating across the same school mental health and suicide prevention domain.
• Kids Helpline (Boys Town): Australia's largest free counselling service for children and young people with significant school outreach and postvention programs. A broader incumbent addressing child mental health including grief/loss support and suicide postvention.
• Be You (Beyond Blue): Australia's national mental health initiative for educators delivering a broader evidence-based programs directory and framework that lists Seasons for Growth. A broader incumbent competing for the same school wellbeing budget allocation.

Regional players

• Child Bereavement UK: UK-based charity training professionals and supporting bereaved children and families, with programs structured similarly to Seasons for Growth. Comparable peer in the children's bereavement and grief education niche but operating in a different geography.

Direct peers

• Smiling Mind: Australian nonprofit providing mindfulness and social-emotional learning programs used widely in Australian schools, including digital delivery. Directly competes for SEL program budget in primary and secondary schools.
• Australian Childhood Foundation: Australian nonprofit delivering trauma-informed therapeutic programs for children and young people in schools and community settings. Directly comparable to MacKillop Seasons in providing evidence-based child mental health and wellbeing interventions across Australia.
• ReachOut Australia: Australia's leading online youth mental health organization delivering school-based programs and resources to support adolescent wellbeing. Comparable in targeting secondary school students with mental health education and resilience content.
• Berry Street (Berry Street Childhood Institute): Major Australian nonprofit providing trauma-informed training, education, and therapeutic services for children and young people. Comparable scope of school-based wellbeing programs and trauma training delivery.
• Emerging Minds: Australia's national workforce center for child mental health, developing practitioner resources, training, and evidence-based programs for children experiencing mental health difficulties. Comparable in delivering evidence-based child-focused practitioner training and school/community programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mackillopseasons
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mackillopseasons

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

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 MacKillop Seasons