RAV is a community-based, not-for-profit organisation, with no religious affiliations.
We provide services for all members of the community.
We believe in core values that inform our practice and behaviour.
View the RAV Board.
View the RAV management team.
View a list of downloadable annual reports and financial statements.
The Strategy Plan 2015-19 is the blueprint for our future.
Relationships Australia is the home of Neighbour Day, Australia's annual celebration of community.
A wide range of services to support children, young people and their families.
We offer counselling for relationships in all their aspects.
Also known as mediation, this service is provided to help couples who are separating to resolve their family law disputes.
FRCs offer a range of services and programs, which are aimed at families at all stages of their life.
We provide sensitive, supportive and professional family violence services across Victoria.
Compass is our specialist support service for people affected by forced adoption.
We address mental health at all stages, with preventative and early intervention mental health services, as well as support for families experiencing mental health difficulties.
RAV celebrates cultural diversity and is committed to providing access to all our programs for all Victorians.
We offer group work and post separation parenting courses (including some for court-mandated clients).
RAV has an established reputation for quality professional training and development in FDR, couple therapy and relationship counselling.
Relationships Australia Victoria has been funded to provide support to people contemplating or going through the National Redress Scheme.
We are committed to providing targeted and effective services addressing the needs of senior Victorians and their families.
Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and individuals to help strengthen family relationships.
We provide Employee Assistance Programs, workplace dispute resolution and training.
RAV offers a variety of relationship education courses, run in small groups.
This easy-to-complete course aims to help you keep your love relationship happy and stable.
We have an established reputation for quality professional training in a range of areas related to family relationships.
Our Training and Development Department delivers a range of specialist programs.
Get the latest information about training and professional development news, articles and events.
Contact us to discuss our training and development services.
Find out about our latest news, events and articles.
Keep abreast of our new initiatives, services and programs by reading or subscribing to our regular eNewsletter.
RAV has produced a variety of publications to assist with relationship needs.
View a list of links to relevant external organisations and services.
Innovative resources to support children to deal with common difficulties in the context of important relationships.
Browse a list of books recommended by our Librarian on relationship issues.
Browse a list of answers to questions we are frequently asked.
Videos providing support on a range of topics and common challenges people face.
Information, tips and resources on a range of common family and relationship issues.
We evaluate our services and undertake research to enable us to highlight issues, service gaps and areas for improvement, and measure the effectiveness of our services.
RAV can provide informed commentary on a range of relationship topics.
Would you like to work for us? Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV) is a leading and valued provider of specialist family and relationship services. We are a community-based not-for-profit organisation, with no religious affiliations.
We offer a range of competitive, attractive and flexible employment conditions.
RAV advertises all available positions on this careers page of our website.
All employees require a satisfactory National Police Check and a current Working with Children Check.
What do you need to be eligible to gain employment and work with Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV).
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Fathers contribute to families and the welfare of their children in many ways: these diverse contributions are shaped by cultural and social factors that influence the priority of the different roles fathers play.
In some traditional contexts, fathers are viewed as the head of their families and assume primary responsibility for their children's moral or religious education.
More generally, the roles of fathers as contributors, alongside mothers, to the emotional and practical support of their partners and children, and to the economic security of the family, are now widely recognised.
Fathers provide secure, loving relationships that offer children emotional stability, good role models, support and guidance.
They are companions, carers, protectors, teachers and nurturers, and these paternal roles complement the contributions of mothers. Research shows that fathers and mothers in fact influence children in similar ways: parental warmth, responsiveness, sensitivity and closeness lead to positive child outcomes in both cases, so children benefit from having two highly involved parents.
Fathers are more likely to engage in boisterous, stimulating or emotionally arousing play with children, and fathers are also more likely to interact with children in ways that "challenge" their linguistic and practical skills, helping to provide children with a "bridge to the outside world".
Fathers contribute to their children's cognitive, psychological and social development through play, shared activities, outdoor challenges, sports, adventures, helping with reading, or other school tasks.
Significantly, fathers provide important emotional and practical support to mothers who are caring directly for children, thus enhancing the quality of mother-child relationships, sharing the load for child-related housework, and modelling paternal involvement for children.
Where parents live separately or divorce, the role of fathers is no less important as children consistently fare better when they can maintain meaningful relationships with both parents, unless unusually high levels of inter-parental conflict remain.
Fatherhood is highly regarded and respected across diverse cultures within our society.
Relationships Australia Victoria invites everyone to join the celebration of diversity in families at the Father's Day BBQ Brunch on Sunday 4 September from 10am to 1pm at Riversdale Park in Camberwell.
This celebration of fatherhood and cultural diversity features free activities for the whole family with Sumo wrestling, a jumping castle, Sudanese dancers, Henna painting, an Afghan coffee ceremony, cricket and more. Please see the flyer for more details or contact dadslink@ymca.org.au.
*Akiva Quinn is DadsLink Coordinator
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