PESA Wellbeing Education

What PESA Wellbeing Education does

PESA Wellbeing Education (legally Positive Education Schools Association Ltd) is an Australian not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, founded in 2014 and operating as the country's peak body for wellbeing education. Originally formed as the Positive Education Schools Association to advance Positive Education in schools, the organization expanded its mission in 2025 to encompass the broader Wellbeing Education category, including Trauma-Informed practice, Social Emotional Learning, and Neuro-Diverse Education. PESA serves over 800 schools and 5,600 individual members across 14 countries, with member schools collectively educating more than 120,000 students.

The organization operates a tiered membership model with annual subscriptions: Institutional ($659/year for up to 5 staff), Institutional Large ($2,700/year for up to 25 staff), Individual ($109/year), Student ($33/year), and Corporate tiers. Revenue is supplemented by the annual National Wellbeing Education Conference (held at Hilton Adelaide in 2025), sale of the Wellbeing in Your School Guide ($49.95 digital or hardcopy), non-member webinar registrations ($30 donation), and corporate partnerships. The technology footprint is a WordPress-based website (pesa.edu.au) hosting membership services, event registration, The Future We Shape podcast, and the Digital PD & Learning Program.

PESA is led by CEO Lisa Davias (since March 2023) and Chair Leonie Abbott (since 2025), with Dr Martin E.P. Seligman (often credited as the father of Positive Psychology) serving as Patron and Professor Lea Waters PhD as Ambassador. The organization distributes through six Australian state chapters, an annual national conference, the weekly Future We Shape podcast, and a multi-channel content strategy across LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and email. Supporters include legal firm MinterEllison and Blackwood, with corporate members such as Grow Your Mind.

Name

PESA Wellbeing Education

Legal name

Positive Education Schools Association Ltd

Website

https://pesa.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PESA Wellbeing Education is Australia's peak body for wellbeing education, operating as a not-for-profit membership association serving 800+ schools and 5,600 educators across 14 countries via tiered subscriptions, conferences, and professional learning programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Education Membership Association / Professional Development

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Wellbeing Digital Curriculum (EDAFACAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Health & Wellbeing Curriculum (EDAGAAAF), Student Wellness & Prevention Programs (Substance Use, Sexual Health, Bullying) (EDAJAIAG), Mental Wellness & Resilience Education (Non-clinical) (EDAAAHAK)

Keywords

• Wellbeing education
• Positive education
• Professional development
• Membership association
• School wellbeing

Headquarters

HQ city

Australia

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Institutional Membership: Annual subscription membership for schools and educational institutions, with two tiers: Institutional (up to 5 staff) at $659/year and Institutional Large (up to 25 staff) at $2,700/year. Provides access to resources, professional development, community of practice, and conference discounts.
2. Individual and Student Membership: Annual individual membership at $109/year and student membership at $33/year, providing access to resources, digital PD program, webinars, events, and community of practice.
3. Corporate Membership: Annual corporate membership for businesses supporting wellbeing in education, providing resources, community access, and event discounts for nominated staff.
4. Wellbeing Guide Sales: Sale of the Wellbeing in Your School Guide at $49.95 for digital download or hardcopy (plus postage). Includes comprehensive chapters on wellbeing education implementation.
5. Conference Fees: Revenue from the annual National Wellbeing Education Conference, including registration fees and associated events such as networking functions.
6. Webinar Registration: Non-members can register for individual webinars at $30 donation, which includes access to the recording and one month PESA membership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

PESA Wellbeing Education operates as a membership-based association serving as Australia's peak body for wellbeing education. It sells tiered annual memberships (Institutional, Institutional Large, Individual, Student, Corporate) that grant access to evidence-informed wellbeing education resources, a Digital PD & Learning Program, an annual national conference, regional state chapter events, and The Future We Shape podcast. It also sells the Wellbeing in Your School Guide as a standalone digital/hardcopy product.

Product overview

PESA Wellbeing Education operates as a membership-based association offering tiered membership programs (Institutional, Institutional Large, Individual, Student, and Corporate) that provide access to evidence-informed wellbeing education resources, professional development, and community networks. The core offerings include the Digital PD & Learning Program, annual National Wellbeing Education Conference, The Future We Shape Podcast, and the Wellbeing in Your School Guide (available as digital download or hardcopy). State Chapter Events provide regional networking and learning opportunities. The organization expanded in 2025 from a Positive Education focus to broader Wellbeing Education encompassing Trauma-Informed practice, Social Emotional Learning, and Neuro-Diverse Education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Future We Shape Podcast: A podcast by PESA Wellbeing Education exploring how educators and leaders are building thriving school cultures through evidence-based insights, human stories, and small shifts that spark big change. Hosted by Kerrin Smith.

Products and services

• Institutional Membership

Quantifiable outcome

• PESA member schools collectively educate over 120,000 students in Australia
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered event partner, event sponsor and supporting partner.

• Hilton Adelaideevent partnerOthers · 8 September 2025Hilton Adelaide served as the venue for the 2025 National Wellbeing Education Conference, hosting hundreds of educators for the two-day event.
• The Wellbeing Distilleryevent sponsorOthers · 8 September 2025The Wellbeing Distillery provided prize packs for the 2025 Conference giveaway. David Bott, co-founder of The Wellbeing Distillery, serves on the PESA Board.
• Grow Your Mindevent sponsorOthers · 8 September 2025Grow Your Mind provided prize packs for the 2025 Conference giveaway. Grow Your Mind is also a Corporate Member of PESA.
• MinterEllisonsupporting partnerOthersMinterEllison is listed as a supporter of PESA, providing pro-bono or discounted legal services. As one of Australia's leading law firms, their support helps PESA navigate legal and governance matters as a not-for-profit association.
• Blackwoodsupporting partnerOthersBlackwood is listed as a supporter of PESA, likely providing venue, accommodation, or other in-kind support for PESA events and activities.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• International Positive Education Network (IPEN): A global non-profit network connecting educators, researchers, and practitioners committed to advancing positive education. Highly comparable to PESA in mission and constituency; PESA's Dr. Anne Johnstone serves as IPEN's Global Chair, evidencing direct overlap.
• Visible Wellbeing: A wellbeing education framework co-created by Professor Lea Waters (PESA's Ambassador). Directly comparable as an evidence-based wellbeing education program sold to schools, and benefits from deep leadership overlap with PESA.
• Geelong Grammar Institute of Positive Education: Australia's pioneering positive education training and research institute, founded by Dr. Martin Seligman and associated with Geelong Grammar School. Directly comparable as a positive education training/research provider serving Australian schools, with overlapping leadership ties to PESA.
• The Wellbeing Distillery: An Australian wellbeing consultancy for schools and workplaces founded by PESA Board member David Bott. Comparable as a commercial wellbeing training provider serving Australian schools in the same buyer segment as PESA.
• Berry Street Education Model: An Australian trauma-informed education training program for schools. Comparable as a competing peak-style training framework in wellbeing/social-emotional education, and is directly connected through PESA Chair Leonie Abbott, a co-founder.
• Grow Your Mind: An Australian SEL curriculum and resources provider for primary schools. Comparable as a wellbeing/SEL product business selling into the same school buyer segment; Grow Your Mind is a PESA Corporate Member and conference sponsor.

Emerging players

• Mindful Schools: A US-based non-profit delivering mindfulness and SEL training to K-12 educators. Comparable as a membership-style wellbeing education provider serving schools, though geographically separate from PESA's primary Australian base.

Broad incumbents

• Independent Schools Victoria (ISV): The peak body for independent schools in Victoria. Comparable as a membership-based association serving schools with professional development, advocacy, and resources; PESA Chair Leonie Abbott is a former ISV Senior Consultant.
• Alannah & Madeline Foundation: An Australian national charity focused on keeping children safe from violence and supporting their wellbeing. Comparable as a national wellbeing-focused organisation that engages schools and educators, though broader in mission than PESA.
• Be You (Beyond Blue): A national mental health and wellbeing initiative for Australian educators and early learning services, delivered by Beyond Blue. Comparable as a large-scale wellbeing education program with free delivery to schools, representing a broader-funded alternative to PESA's paid membership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PESAAustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pesaaustralia
• Instagraminstagram.com/pesa_au

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 PESA Wellbeing Education