TESSA Inc.

What TESSA Inc. does

TESSA Inc. (Therapeutic Engagement Support Services Association Incorporated) is a small Australian non-profit organisation headquartered in Croydon, Victoria, that delivers therapeutic support services to schools and community agencies serving at-risk young people across Victoria and the Hunter Region of New South Wales. Operating with approximately 9 employees since its establishment in 2013 (evolving from the earlier MATA Inc.), the organisation has accumulated a cumulative reach of 37,472 young people through its Life Skills Programs over more than a decade of operation.

The organisation's core technological offering is the MAT (Martial Arts Therapy) Life Skills Program, an active therapeutic modality that integrates evidence-based frameworks including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Trauma Informed Practice, and Individual Psychology with martial arts training techniques delivered through games, drills, metaphors, and stories. The portfolio extends across complementary programs including CORE (values-based PE activities for secondary students), Expect Respect/MATMAN (gender-based respectful relationship programs), and the Engagement Support Officer (ESO) and ESO Placement Program (ESOP) models, which embed trained staff and tertiary-placement students directly into schools managing challenging student behaviours. Professional Learning services, including Protective Intervention Training, Managing Challenging Behaviour Training, Conflict Management Workshops, and tailored coaching, complete the service suite. Program outcomes have been independently validated by the Statistical Consulting Centre of the University of Melbourne in collaboration with Monash University over more than 7 years.

TESSA monetises through three revenue streams: tax-deductible donations enabled by its DGR (Deductible Gift Recipient) status with the Australian Taxation Office, government funding and grants (including the School Focused Youth Service and the Hugh Williamson Foundation), and fee-for-service professional learning workshops contracted directly with schools. The organisation is one of only two preferred providers of Professional Learning Services for the Victorian Department of Education, a relationship maintained for the past 7 years. Go-to-market is direct-to-institution, with on-site program delivery into schools and community agencies, supplemented by a portfolio of free video resources in English and Spanish used to drive awareness and top-of-funnel engagement.

Name

TESSA Inc.

Legal name

Therapeutic Engagement Support Services Association Incorporated

Website

https://tessainc.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TESSA Inc. is an Australian non-profit delivering therapeutic martial arts-based life skills programs, engagement support services, and professional learning workshops to schools and community agencies serving at-risk youth across Victoria and New South Wales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Therapeutic and Behaviour Support Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAKAMAD

School-Based Mental Health Therapy (Licensed Clinicians)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health Supports (School-Based)

Keywords

• Therapeutic youth programs
• School behavior support
• Professional learning services
• Mental wellbeing programs
• Engagement support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Victoria

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: TESSA Inc. is a registered charity with DGR (Deductible Gift Recipient) status with the Australian Taxation Office, enabling tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations.
2. Government Funding and Grants: Programs funded through Victorian Department of Education and other government sources, including School Focused Youth Service funding and foundation grants such as Hugh Williamson Foundation.
3. Professional Learning Services: Fee-for-service training programs for school staff including Protective Intervention Training, Managing Challenging Behaviour Training, and coaching support. TESSA Inc. is one of two preferred providers for the Victorian Department of Education in this area.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TESSA Inc. delivers therapeutic support services for young people through the proprietary MAT (Martial Arts Therapy) Life Skills Program, which combines therapeutic martial arts techniques with mental wellbeing and emotional regulation principles grounded in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Trauma Informed Practice, and Individual Psychology. The organization provides in-school Engagement Support Officers for behavioural containment, fee-for-service professional learning workshops for school staff, and a placement program for tertiary students in youth work and community services.

Product overview

TESSA Inc. offers therapeutic support services for young people as a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include the MAT Life Skills Program (an active modality combining mental wellbeing and emotional regulation with therapeutic martial art training techniques), the CORE Program (values-based PE activities for secondary students), and Expect Respect/MATMAN (gender-based respectful relationship programs). These are supported by Engagement Support Services including trained Engagement Support Officers (ESOs) and placement programs. Professional Learning services provide workshops including Protective Intervention Training, Managing Challenging Behaviour, Conflict Management, and Coaching. The organization also provides free video resources in English and Spanish covering resilience, emotional regulation, and wellbeing topics. All programs are delivered with evidence-based approaches informed by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Mindfulness Therapy, Trauma Informed Practice, and Individual Psychology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MAT Life Skills Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 37,472 young people empowered by life skills programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 core and minor.

• University of Melbourne (Statistical Consulting Centre)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent evaluation partner that has reviewed TESSA Inc.'s Life Skills Program results over 7 years, providing credible third-party validation of program outcomes and impact data.
• Monash University (Masters on Occupation Therapy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with TESSA Inc. in developing questionnaires for students to better capture the impact of the MAT program in key curriculum areas.
• Victorian Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTESSA Professional Learning is one of two preferred providers in Professional Learning Services for the Victorian Department of Education for the past 7 years, validating the organization's expertise in supporting schools with challenging student behaviour.
• School Focused Youth Service MackillopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity agency partner providing written testimonial on the impact of TESSA's MAT program as a Harm Prevention Strategy for schools.
• Tertiary Learning ProvidersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLong-standing relationships with several institutions facilitating training and experience for students studying Youth Work, Community Services, Social Work and Mental Health through TESSA's placement support program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• batyr: Australian for-purpose organisation running school-based mental health prevention and stigma-reduction programs. Comparable to TESSA as a youth mental health and wellbeing provider delivering into secondary schools.
• Australian Childhood Foundation: Australian non-profit specialising in trauma-informed therapy, child advocacy and professional learning for educators. Highly comparable to TESSA's trauma-informed MAT approach and its Professional Learning services for school staff.
• Life Education Australia: Long-standing Australian not-for-profit delivering health, drug, and wellbeing education programs in schools nationwide. Closely comparable to TESSA's MAT Life Skills Program in serving the same buyer (schools) with curriculum-aligned student wellbeing content.
• Berry Street: Large Australian non-profit delivering a range of family, community and education services including therapeutic interventions for vulnerable children. Comparable to TESSA on therapeutic services delivered in school and community contexts in Victoria and beyond.
• Alannah & Madeline Foundation: Australian children's charity focused on protecting children from violence and bullying, with significant school-based program delivery and advocacy. Highly comparable to TESSA as a non-profit delivering wellbeing programs into Australian primary and secondary schools.
• MacKillop Family Services: Catholic non-profit providing therapeutic, residential and educational support to vulnerable children and young people. Comparable to TESSA on the therapeutic/wellbeing support side, particularly for at-risk youth in school and community settings.

Broad incumbents

• headspace (National Youth Mental Health Foundation): Australia's flagship youth mental health organisation providing clinical and preventative services including school-based programs. Comparable to TESSA on school-based youth mental health, but operating at vastly greater national scale.
• ReachOut Australia: Australia's leading online youth mental health service with school-facing resources and programs. Comparable to TESSA's Expect Respect/MATMAN work on emotional regulation and respectful relationships, though ReachOut is much larger and primarily digital.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tessa-therapeutic-engagement-support-services-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 TESSA Inc.