The Seedling Group

What The Seedling Group does

The Seedling Group PTY LTD is an Ashgrove, Queensland-based, privately held Australian consultancy founded by Nicole Tujague (VET Trainer, Bachelor of Indigenous Studies) and Kelleigh Ryan (Psychologist), both descendants of the Kabi Kabi People and the South Sea Islander community. The company delivers trauma-informed cultural awareness training and specialist Indigenous research and evaluation services to government departments (federal, state, and local), healthcare and mental health organisations, educational institutions, and NGOs across Australia. Its signature programme, 'Billabongs of Knowledge', is a curriculum of eight approximately one-hour modules that combine Indigenous knowledge systems with Western psychological and neurological sciences, focused on culturally safe, trauma-informed practice for First Nations peoples.

The company operates a hybrid delivery model: on-site, Australia-wide enterprise engagements (Thursday Island to Port Hedland to Tasmania) combined with a self-serve online training channel via Thinkific, a published book ('Cultural Safety in Trauma-Informed Practice from a First Nations Perspective: Billabongs of Knowledge', Springer, 2023) retailed through Amazon and Booktopia, and downloadable resources such as an Interactive Safety Plan Template. Beyond training, the firm offers professional supervision for helping professionals (addressing vicarious trauma and burnout), psychology/clinical services (culturally safe counselling, therapy, and critical response), Indigenous-led community research and evaluation using Indigenous methodologies, and cultural adaptation of mainstream programmes. The contributing-specialist bench includes Tania Thomas (Kamilaroi, primary school teacher, Healing Foundation school resource kit developer) and Donna Hensen (Wiradjuri/Wailwan, Stolen Generation, Auslan interpreter).

Revenue mechanics are predominantly professional services (training delivery, supervision, counselling, research and evaluation) on a quote-based, multi-year contract cadence with enterprise clients, supplemented by a smaller self-serve online training stream and minor book royalties. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Select clients include Department of Education (Aboriginal Affairs), Healing Foundation, University of Queensland, USC Thompson Institute, Wesley Mission LifeForce, Blue Knot Foundation, AIPA, ACIL Allen, ABT Associates, Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation, and Southern Cross University. No external funding, partnerships with capital providers, or M&A activity are disclosed; ownership is concentrated in the two co-founder-directors with 11–50 total headcount including contributing specialists.

Name

The Seedling Group

Legal name

The Seedling Group PTY LTD

Website

https://theseedlinggroup.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Seedling Group is an Indigenous-led Australian consultancy providing trauma-informed cultural awareness training, psychology services, and Indigenous research and evaluation to government departments, healthcare organisations, universities, and NGOs across Australia. Its core offering is the eight-module 'Billabongs of Knowledge' programme, delivered in-person and online via Thinkific, complemented by a 2023 Springer-published book.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Awareness Training and Indigenous Research Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Staff Training, Coaching & Professional Development (SEL/Mental Health) (EDAKAMAL)

Keywords

• Cultural awareness training
• Trauma-informed practice
• Indigenous research consulting
• Psychology services
• Professional supervision

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashgrove

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

Revenue model

1. Training Services: Billabongs of Knowledge training program delivered to organizations and individuals. Eight module series covering culturally safe trauma-informed practice. Delivered both in-person across Australia and through online platform.
2. Psychology Services: Culturally informed counselling and therapy for children, adults and families; critical response psychological services in crisis situations; risk management and safety planning for conferences, camps, and group work.
3. Professional Supervision: Professional supervision for frontline staff, managers and senior staff of organizations working with trauma. Supports helping professionals including teachers, counsellors, psychologists, hospital workers and social workers.
4. Book Sales: Published book 'Cultural Safety in Trauma-Informed Practice from a First Nations Perspective: Billabongs of Knowledge' sold through Amazon and Booktopia.
5. Indigenous Research and Evaluation: Community research and evaluation services using Indigenous methodologies for government and NGO clients.
6. Cultural Projects: Development and adaptation of mainstream programs to be culturally safe through community consultation and engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Seedling Group delivers trauma-informed cultural awareness training (the Billabongs of Knowledge Training — eight modules), culturally safe psychology services including counselling, critical response and risk management, professional supervision for staff working with trauma, Indigenous-led community research and evaluation using Indigenous methodologies, and cultural adaptation of mainstream programs for Indigenous populations. Services are delivered through direct field engagement, online training (Thinkific), and a published book distributed via Amazon and Booktopia.

Product overview

The Seedling Group offers a portfolio of trauma-informed cultural awareness services centered around their core product, the 'Billabongs of Knowledge Training' - a series of eight interactive online modules focused on Culturally Safe, Trauma-Informed Practice. This training is complemented by their published book 'Cultural Safety in Trauma-Informed Practice from a First Nations Perspective: Billabongs of Knowledge', which serves as a companion resource for the training program. Beyond these core offerings, the company provides Psychology Services (culturally safe counselling and therapy), Professional Supervision (supporting staff working with trauma), Cultural Projects (adapting mainstream programs for Indigenous populations), Indigenous Research (community-based research and evaluation), and Collaboration & Strategy services. The training is delivered through their Thinkific platform, while supplementary resources include an Interactive Safety Plan Template.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Billabongs of Knowledge Training: A series of eight modules about Culturally Safe, Trauma-Informed Practice, developed specifically for First Nations' Peoples and those who work with or provide services for community.

Products and services

• Billabongs of Knowledge Training

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of participants reported they can use what they learned in their role/family/community
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Healing FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on embedding Indigenous perspectives into Queensland School curriculum through the Bringing Them Home Project for the twentieth anniversary of the Bringing Them Home Report. Also collaborated on research projects and publications including work on strengths of Australian Aboriginal cultural practices in family wellbeing.
• ACIL Allen ConsultingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on research and community focus groups for Communities for Children program. Also collaborated on evaluation and research for Department of Communities, Child Safety & Disability Services regarding domestic and family violence service systems.
• University of Queensland School of PsychologymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered workshops around Trauma Informed Practice and Cultural Safety for psychology students and faculty.
• University of Sunshine Coast - Thompson InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered workshops around Trauma Informed Practice and Cultural Safety at the Sunshine Coast Mind and Neuroscience Thompson Institute.
• Wesley Mission LifeForcemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdapted and delivered Suicide Prevention Training for Indigenous communities.
• Blue Knot FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered Trauma Training specifically designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• Australian Indigenous Psychologists AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped a masterclass to support Allied Health Providers to deliver focused psychological strategies to Aboriginal and Torres Strait People.
• Gestalt Therapy Brisbane CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered Cultural Competency Workshop for students and practitioners.
• Department of Education, Aboriginal AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered Indigenous Staff Workshops on cultural safety and trauma-informed practice.
• Yorgum Aboriginal CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered trauma-informed cultural awareness training. Testimonials indicate high satisfaction with training quality and cultural awareness.
• ABT AssociatesmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered on Indigenous research and evaluation projects for government clients.
• Link-Up QueenslandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivered training and presentations at Link-Up (Qld)'s Apology Day events. Kelleigh Ryan delivered speeches on privileging Indigenous perspectives.
• Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization representing survivors of the Stolen Generations.
• Australian Psychological SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKelleigh Ryan participated in APS RAP Working Group for Reconciliation Action Plan. Collaborative work on Indigenous perspectives in psychology.
• CRANAplusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrepared webinar series on mental health and trauma topics for remote healthcare workforce.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Blue Knot Foundation: National trauma training organization delivering trauma-informed practice training across Australia, including Indigenous-adapted programs. Competes for trauma-training budgets in healthcare and human services sectors; collaborates with The Seedling Group on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-specific training.
• Yorgum Aboriginal Corporation: Aboriginal-controlled counselling, family healing, and trauma recovery services in Western Australia. Provides Indigenous-led mental health services and cultural awareness training that overlap with The Seedling Group's psychology and trauma-informed practice offerings.
• Healing Foundation: National Indigenous-led organization focused on healing from intergenerational trauma, producing training programs, school resources, and research on Stolen Generations impacts. Operates as both a partner and a peer in the trauma-informed Indigenous training space, with deeper policy reach and a broader resource library.
• Australian Indigenous Psychologists Association: Professional association delivering Indigenous-specific psychological training, masterclasses, and culturally safe practice resources for Allied Health providers. Overlaps directly with The Seedling Group's masterclass, psychology services, and supervision offerings for Indigenous mental health practitioners.
• Australian Indigenous Governance Institute: Indigenous-led organization focused on cultural governance, research, and capability-building for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Overlaps with The Seedling Group's Indigenous research, evaluation, and cultural projects service lines, particularly for government contracts.
• CRANAplus: Peak professional body for the remote and isolated health workforce, providing mental health, trauma, and cultural safety training across Australia. The Seedling Group has delivered webinar content through CRANAplus, indicating deep overlap in remote-workforce cultural safety training.
• Link-Up Queensland: Queensland-based organization supporting members of the Stolen Generations through family tracing, reunions, and culturally safe counselling. Delivers community-facing cultural safety events and trauma-informed practice, overlapping with The Seedling Group's Indigenous-led service portfolio.
• Cultural Perspectives: Australia-based cross-cultural and Indigenous cultural awareness training consultancy with a similar product-led, professional services model. Delivers tailored cultural competency training to government, corporate, and education clients, directly competing for the same enterprise training budgets as The Seedling Group.
• Wesley Mission LifeForce: Suicide prevention training organization that has worked with The Seedling Group to adapt its LifeForce program for Indigenous communities. Overlaps in mental health, suicide prevention, and trauma-informed training targeting community and frontline workers.

Broad incumbents

• Reconciliation Australia: National peak body driving reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. Operates RAP (Reconciliation Action Plan) framework and offers cultural awareness learning at scale, competing with The Seedling Group on enterprise cultural-safety mandates but with much broader reach and brand recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-seedling-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The Seedling Group