Our Story


Umbo is a social enterprise that was founded in 2018, when our three co-founders joined together to combat one of Australia’s biggest hidden problems: access to speech and occupational therapy in regional Australia.

Living in the third least-densely populated country in the world, Australians who need therapy can often find themselves travelling far too many kilometers in order to get the help they need. In many instances, this can be impractical for lots of people, who instead will opt to join a lengthy waiting list for a service that is understaffed in their hometowns.

We make it easier for people to see a speech or occupational therapist by connecting those in need with allied health professionals. Through an interactive approach to therapy, we put therapists in your home, with all the tools they need to assess how best to deal with your family’s needs.

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Our Purpose

Our Vision

Promote access for all communities so they are supported to grow, thrive and connect. We do this by prioritising services for disadvantaged groups and communities.

Our Mission

Via an online methods, allied health professionals provide evidence-based, integrated supports to those in need, particularly those in rural and remote settings. This will be achieved by working with and supporting families to grow skills in their own community, ensuring that families are able to flourish in all circumstances.

Our Values

  • Inclusion

  • Authenticity

  • Respect

  • Creativity

  • Open-mindedness

The Problem

People living in rural and remote areas, and marginalised communities across Australia, have limited access to allied health professionals (speech pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology). The absence of these services results in an inability to appropriately access community, education, employment and other facets of life, leading to worsened health and economic outcomes. Early access to these services is key to long-term social and economic inclusion.

The Solution

Enter Umbo (Uhm-Bo). Umbo is an online allied health service provider. We match a clinician to a family in the bush to deliver therapy online.

We provide accessible online allied health services to clients, who are unable to access, or prefer not to access on-site allied health services. Whether you are living rurally, have disabilities that would make therapy from home easier, or simply prefer the convenience of online appointments, Umbo has a solution for you.

If clients have NDIS funding, they can use it to access therapy through Umbo. We are a social enterprise committed to reinvesting 50% of our profit back in to the company to reach more marginalised communities.

We give our therapists the option of working from home, whenever and wherever they like.