Relationships Australia NSW

The team at Relationships Australia NSW were honoured to participate in various events as part of the #16Days of Activism to advocate and draw awareness to ending gender-based violence. 🔵 Susan Elvery, Family Safety Team Leader in Sydney City, shared her insights about our Men’s Behaviour Change Program at a Commonwealth Bank event. Susan discussed the benefits of men working as a group to support and challenge each other, histories of abuse and trauma, and our work to support adult and children victim-survivors. 🔵 Our Northern Sydney teams walked with the Ryde and Hunters Hill communities to make a stand against abuse, repledging our commitment to ending domestic and family violence. 🔵 Sally Mercer, Family Safety Team Leader in the Hunter region, was invited to the Hunter Men’s Projects Network Forum to present on her experience working with men and boys in the domestic and family violence space. 🔵 Elisabeth Shaw, CEO, joined the Mosman community to walk against domestic and family violence, also speaking about the role of Men’s Behaviour Change Programs in interrupting the cycle of violence against women and children. While the 16 Days has ended for this year, our advocacy and commitment to ending gender-based violence happens everyday. Read more about our year of advocacy here: https://lnkd.in/gygEYxyd #16DaysofActivism #EndingDomesticViolence #GenderBasedViolence

If you're prioritising learning and development in 2025, registrations are now open for our Graduate Diplomas in Relationship Counselling and Family Dispute Resolution. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 💻 Learn when and where it suits you through online workshops and self-paced modules 🤝 Gain valuable real-life experience with a fully supported work placement program 🎓 Graduate with qualifications that are formally recognised Australia-wide Feel free to send us a direct message if you have any questions or head to our website: https://bit.ly/4gm7dVG Both Graduate Diploma programs are delivered online through Relationships Australia Victoria (RTO 21977). #GraduateDiploma #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment

Over the past year, we've provided critical support to almost 30,000 clients from across New South Wales who have experienced significant life challenges. From domestic and family violence to out-of-home care, elder abuse, or childhood trauma, we've been there to help people recover, access the services they need, and find meaningful ways forward. We've also provided online education to over 1.8 million people through our digital Knowledge Hub, which is packed with helpful articles, videos, and resources. To learn more about our impact: https://lnkd.in/gXBgzVaj

Want to know more about our brand new Accidental Mediator workshop? Hear from our lead facilitator, Tulsi, who has over 10+ years working with teams to build positive workplace cultures. Throughout her career, Tulsi has witnessed small interactions or challenges that, if left unaddressed, snowball into major conflicts. In the Accidental Mediator training, you'll learn how to tackle disputes early on, resolve them together, and move forward respectfully. If you'd like to join one of our upcoming Accidental Mediator workshops or register for 2025, head to our website: https://lnkd.in/g-xbhk8Z Tulsi van de Graaff, Communication and Conflict Expert

There are just a few spots left on our two-day Effective Group Leadership workshop, which will kick off in January 2025. 📝 This training is ideal for group leaders, managers, and team leaders who want to facilitate engaging groupwork in community and counselling settings. Want to know more? Send us a private message and we'll help you out. Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/g4jP7t5D #Groupwork #ProfessionalDevelopment #LearningAndDeveloping #Training

We’re proud to launch our Impact Report, highlighting our most impactful stories from the people we've supported this year.   In this report, you'll read about a mother rebuilding her life after leaving an abusive relationship; a man in his seventies opening up about lifelong trauma for the first time; a family navigating long-distance mediation; and a grandmother new to Australia finding a path forward from elder abuse.    They represent just a snapshot of the 29,000+ clients we’ve supported through 70 programs and services, plus over 20,000 community members who joined our webinars, seminars or workshops.      We extend our sincere thanks to our clients who agreed to share their experiences – their stories of resilience and courage inspire our work.   Looking ahead, we remain committed to supporting every person on their journey to stronger, healthier relationships. Together, we can make a profound impact. https://lnkd.in/gXBgzVaj

If you're worried a family member, friend, or colleague is experiencing domestic and family violence, it can be completely daunting to know how to handle it. We've received countless phone calls and messages from people who are deeply concerned but don't know what to say - or even if they should say anything. We spoke with one of our staff members, Grace, a Practice Specialist in Family Safety who recently completed her PhD research on domestic and family violence interventions. In our latest article, Grace answers some of your most-asked questions and provides helpful prompts to guide the conversation in a respectful and safe way. https://lnkd.in/gZaDCsgc If you need more help, we encourage you to reach out to 1800RESPECT Australia, who support anyone impacted by domestic and family violence, including friends and family members. At Relationships Australia NSW, we also offer individual and family counselling for people to explore their thoughts and challenges in a neutral and non-judgemental space. For emergencies, please call 000. #16DaysOfActivism #16Days #DomesticViolence #DomesticAndFamilyViolence

It’s time for another #MeetTheTeam and we’re delighted to introduce you to Lottie, one of our Family Dispute Resolution Practitioners and Child Consultants.  She first joined our administration team in 2018 after finishing her undergraduate degree in psychology. At the time, she wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to do full-time, but she was keen to learn more about our work.   Lottie says starting in this area was the “best decision” she made, as she saw the full scope of our services and learned about things she didn’t know existed, like family mediation.  18 months later, Lottie realised her passion was for family dispute resolution and mediation and decided to explore this further. She was awarded a scholarship to complete a Graduate Diploma in Family Dispute Resolution and became a certified practitioner.  Most recently, Lottie has also trained as a Child Consultant, an opt-in process for parents to use alongside mediation to give their children an opportunity to share how they’re feeling.  “Children can tell us what’s working well and what’s challenging for them and, with their permission, we give this feedback to the parents. It can help parents make post-separation decisions in the best interests of children during mediation,” Lottie says.  Reflecting on her career so far, Lottie says one of the highlights has been watching the outcomes for children in the ‘My Changing Family and Me’ groupwork program. Over four weeks, kids whose parents are separating come together to share their experiences and learn helpful coping strategies and skills.  “We’re recently run a workshop in the Sydney City centre, and it’s been a privilege to watch changes occur in the children. Even though it’s a short course, it’s been incredibly powerful to witness how the group has grown in confidence.” We’re so grateful to have a strong advocate for children in Lottie on the Relationships Australia NSW team 💖 If you want to discover different career opportunities with us, take a look here: https://lnkd.in/gDMeqG88

Sibling violence is one of the most prevalent types of domestic and family violence, and yet there's little research to understand it. A new study has surveyed over 5,000 young people across Australia about their experiences with sibling violence. Some of their findings included: 🔵 The most common form of violence was verbal abuse, followed by physical and emotional abuse 🔵 Most sibling violence was part of an ongoing pattern - not a one-off 🔵 Almost every person who had experienced or used violence towards a sibling had witnessed or experienced something similar with other family members. Our CEO, Elisabeth Shaw, says violence can cause a sense of "betrayal" between siblings. "When there's something abusive at your generational level, you can feel really alone because they're meant to be your ally," she says. Elisabeth also warns there's a lack of understanding, which means parents can be unfairly stereotyped. "Sadly, parents are often pathologised as if they've lost control, and it's an issue of discipline and control, rather than looking at it as another form of abuse." To learn more about the research, take a look here: https://lnkd.in/ge8G2x-n #DomesticViolence #DomesticFamilyViolence #SiblingViolence Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

On Friday, public hearings began for the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the prevalence, causes, and impacts of loneliness. Among other sector leaders, our CEO, Elisabeth Shaw, advocated for diversifying service delivery so we can truly support people throughout their lifetime. At Relationships Australia NSW, we recognise that the quality of our relationships is directly linked to the quality of our physical and mental health. They're all connected. When loneliness becomes chronic, it can impact people's confidence and identity, and even shorten their lifespan. We look forward to hearing and reading more submissions, and working in partnership with individuals, organisations, and government to support more connected communities. #Loneliness #MentalHealth