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 executive team.
View a list of downloadable annual reports and financial statements.
The Strategic Plan 2019-23 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.
For people who have experienced violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, and those affected by the Disability Royal Commission
A service to help couples who are separating to resolve their family law disputes, including conflicts about children, parenting, financial arrangements and property settlement.
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.
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.
Free support for people who grew up in institutional care prior to 1990, also known as Pre-1990 Care Leavers.
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.
Helping to maintain and improve the health, functioning and productivity of employees and workplaces.
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 can tailor programs across a broad range of topics to cater varying training needs.
We have an established reputation for quality professional training in a range of areas related to family relationships.
For clinicians and practitioners working in a variety of fields in the community sector.
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 e-Newsletter.
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.
RAV can provide informed commentary on a range of relationship topics.
RAV has provided written submissions to several Royal and Human Rights Commissions.
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).
Please take a moment to read our Employment Application Privacy Statement.
Dr Andrew Bickerdike is CEO of Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV).
He holds tertiary qualifications in both economics and psychology, and a Doctorate in Dispute Resolution. Andrew has experience and specialist training in individual, marital and family therapy, and family dispute resolution, and has practiced as a mediator and family dispute resolution practitioner for over 20 years.
Andrew has a particular interest in research and evaluation and has initiated and implemented many research projects examining the efficacy of family services programs, in particular mediation services, in the naturalistic setting. He has recently been an industry partner in three current large Australian Research Council Linkage research projects. Collectively these research activities have attracted national and international interest and have influenced the design of models of practice.
Andrew holds positions on external boards, committees and advisory bodies including:
- Board Member of Relationships Australia National
- Board Director of the Mediation Standards Board
- Board Member of the Australian Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts'
- Foundation Member of the Australian Dispute Resolution Advisory Council (ADRAC)
- Member of the Subject Matter Expert Group for the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council – Family Services
- Chair of Relationships Australia National Family Dispute Resolution Network
- Chair of Relationships Australia National Research Network
- Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Former Part-Time Commissioner of the Australian Law Reform Commission to the Review of the Family Law System (appointed June 2018)
- Former Member of the Family Court of Australia Expert Reference Panel
- Former Member of the National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council (NADRAC).
Shiranthi Sivarajah is the Chief Financial Officer of Relationships Australia Victoria and has responsibility for the sound and proactive stewardship of the organisation’s finance, long-term sustainability and business management. She is responsible for the leadership of the corporate services areas of Information Communication and Technology, administration, assets and property management, executive support and business contract compliance.
Having more than 15 years’ experience in financial and operational management within the private and community-based not-for-profit sector, Shiranthi provides a commercial focus with the ability to streamline business operations that drive growth, sustainability, increase efficiency and bottom-line surplus. Shiranthi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, with majors in Accounting and Business Law, and is a member of both AICD and CPA.
Anastasia Panayiotidis is the General Manager of Clinical Services at Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV). She has over 20 years’ experience as a clinician, with a background in psychology, family therapy and clinical hypnotherapy. She is passionate about systemic practice which informs and empowers people, and practice standards which are of the highest clinical standards, ethical and humanitarian, helping to keep children and families safe, and to make a difference to our society.
Anastasia has worked both in private practice as a consultant and clinician, and in government. She has taught in Masters programs in family therapy, counselling, psychotherapy, ethics, research methods, psychology and social work, at La Trobe University and Monash University, both in Melbourne, and in Hong Kong and Singapore. Anastasia’s specialised research interests are in medical research ethics, trauma and the impact of trauma on people’s lives, having conducted post-graduate research on the impact of Traumatic Brain Injury on couples and families.
Anastasia has been the Vice-Chairperson of the Human Research Committee at Austin Health for seven years, having previously sat on the Human Research Ethics Committee as a counselling expert for seven years. She is passionate about multiculturalism and encouraging diversity in our society, and is committed to community service, having Chaired the Board of Directors at Pronia, a leading ethno-specific agency providing community services to Victoria’s Greek speaking community. Anastasia has served on the Board of the Institute of Social Neuroscience.
She has over two decades of clinical, teaching, leadership and governance experience, overseeing clinical governance and the strategic direction of the clinical and community programs at RAV, based on respectful relationships, care and compassion, innovation, and research and evaluation.