Relationships Australia NSW Annual Report | 2022-2023

Relationships Australia NSW Annual Report

2022–2023

Together in Relationship

Relationships Australia NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land and waters on which we live and work. We acknowledge their Ancestors who first walked on this land and pay our respects to Elders past, present and future, for they carry the cultural wisdom, the stories, the traditions and dreaming. With a commitment to Reconciliation, we acknowledge the enduring impact of past policies and practices and commit our endeavours to creating a just society and sector that celebrates the ongoing resilience and self-determination of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities.

Relationships Australia NSW strongly commits to the Uluru Statement from the Heart which follows decades of research, reports and calls for genuine substantive reform to recognise and protect the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the First Peoples of these lands and waters.

We believe that respectful relationships are founded on all people having a voice in the conversation, and that some voices need to be supported structurally to achieve their rightful place in decision-making. This is the case with our First Nations Peoples. We acknowledge the effect of the Voice to Parliament referendum on our communities, our First Nations staff and the people we serve. Relationships Australia NSW continues in its commitment to walk alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and to actively seek opportunities for progress despite this painful setback.

WE ARE ALL IN RELATIONSHIP

Who We Are + Why We’re Here RELATIONSHIPS CONNECT US

Relationships Australia NSW is one of the largest providers of relationship services in New South Wales.

We have locations all over the state, and provide assistance in person, over the phone, and online. Our services include relationship counselling, mediation and support through separation and divorce, relationship education, professional training and workshops, and customised programs to meet the specific needs of our communities across trauma, resilience, mental health and belonging.

Our purpose, and the work we do at Relationships Australia NSW, exists to actively contribute to strong relationships and strong communities.

We’re part of a larger, not-for-profit network of Relationships Australia organisations that span across Australia, in every state and territory. Together, we believe in the positive impact of happy and healthy relationships, and our people and programs are dedicated to helping people achieve them.

Why Relationships Matter

Relationships are at the core of who we are and the heart of how we live – in our personal lives, at work and across the many communities to which we belong.

From the moment we take our first breath, we are in relationship with ourselves, others and the world around us.

Our relationships grow, expand and change through the course of our lives – across intimate relationships, families, friendships, workplaces, community connections and Country.

Our brains and bodies are wired for connection and a prolonged absence can lead to poor health outcomes, and a strain on services in the community.

Having support, feeling seen, and experiencing a sense of belonging can increase self-worth and positivity, improve resilience in the face of challenge, and even extend a person’s lifespan.

Conversely, lacking in those things can have the opposite effect with low mood, decreased sleep, impaired judgement, impulsivity and reduced immune system function.

Relationships are fundamental to our individual and collective wellbeing. In fact, research like the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has run for 84-years, shows the quality of our relationships is the single biggest indicator of our happiness.

This study found the quality of our connections directly correlates to increased happiness and longevity. Boiling down the findings to a single principle, the authors wrote; “Good relationships keep us healthier, and happier, period”.

This all equates to one pertinent conclusion: relationships matter.

RELATIONSHIPS ARE ESSENTIAL

We’ve been there through war and recession.

75

We’re celebrating our 75th anniversary –a big, proud, milestone for any organisation.

Since 1948 we’ve been supporting relationships in Australia. We’ve seen it all – and one thing we can say for certain is that, while no two years or circumstances are ever the same, what remains a constant is that humans are wired for connection.

Looking back over 75 years of service, we’re proud to have grown and evolved just as your relationships have.

We’ve been there for progress. We’ve been there for peace. We’ve been there for community.

We’ve been there for kids.

We’ve been there for partnership. We’ve been there for challenge. We’ve been there for repair.

We’ve been there for families.

From humble beginnings as a volunteer-based counselling service for returning soldiers and their families, we now support more than 30,000 people each year across 60+ programs and services, spanning a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, genders, ages, sexual orientations, and family structures.

Just like relationships, we can’t do this alone. We’re grateful for the funding and support of the Australian and New South Wales Governments and our valued partners who make it possible for our high-quality services to be accessible to all.

We want to thank all the people who have used our services over the past 75 years for their trust in us, as we work together to achieve our vision for strong relationships and strong communities across New South Wales, and beyond.

We’ve been there in growth and evolution.

We’ve been there for connection.

We’ve been there for loss and grief. We’ve been there for parents.

We’ve been there for new stages of life.

We’ve been there for friendship. We’ve been there for belonging.

We’ve been together with you through it all.

We’ve been there for love.

We’ve been there for hope.

We’ve been there in times of celebration.

Message From Our CEO

Relationships, and how we connect, is one of the single biggest predicators of our individual and collective wellbeing. I’m proud to be the CEO of Relationships Australia NSW and to share a year of achievement and impact, supporting over 33,000 people to build and sustain the important relationships in their lives.

Much has changed in the 75 years since we opened our doors. The notion of significant intimate relationships has evolved, for one — from the traditional union of marriage to greater acceptance of the myriad of important human connections. Landmark shifts, including constitutional recognition of First Nations Peoples, de facto relationship recognition under the Family Law Act, no-fault divorce laws, and same-sex marriage legalisation, reflect this transformation.

We’ve evolved too, expanding our services to foster safe, healthy relationships across all aspects of life, and taking an active role in building relationship literacy, enabling people to maximise the value of their connections through understanding and communication. Research now unequivocally supports the idea that prioritising relationship wellbeing leads to longer and happier lives. This needs to be legitimised and funded appropriately, not only in the community and welfare sectors, but in mental health, legal and broader health sectors as well.

A significant part of fulfilling our purpose is supporting couples before, during, and after relationship breakdowns. For many, this will be the greatest life challenge they face. Our family dispute resolution and mediation services offer non-adversarial alternatives to court proceedings, aiming for quicker, less hostile, and cost-effective resolutions. With a child-inclusive approach, we help to ensure post-separation decisions put children’s wellbeing first.

Tragically, Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) in Australia remains disturbingly common. On average, one woman every nine days is killed by a current or former partner. As relationship experts, we advocate for more support, evidence-based interventions, and long-term investment. In the past year, we secured funding extensions for our early-intervention programs addressing elder abuse and supporting men new to Australia in building respectful family connections, the only of their kind in the state. We also received new funding for a program supporting health professionals to identify DFV and connect patients to critical help, and an increase for phone-based casework for men experiencing DFV.

Relationships Australia NSW is the largest provider of DFV programs in New South Wales, but with existing funding arrangements we’re unable to ensure continuity for staff, sector partners who refer to our programs, and clients who rely on them. For instance, in some areas, men who want to shift their behaviour must join a lengthy waiting list to enter a Men’s Behaviour Change group. In other areas there is nothing. Until we look at an integrated response with longer-term funding certainty, including widely available services for men willing to look at their own behaviour and change it, we will not make significant progress.

More than ever, in this 75th anniversary year, relationships matter, as does the important work of Relationships Australia across New South Wales. In achieving all that we have, I commend our passionate staff and Board who strive so hard to achieve the most impactful outcomes for the communities we serve. I’m excited about what lies ahead for our organisation as we work to nourish, heal and support relationships for the decades to come, in all their changing forms.

Elisabeth Shaw CEO

Message From Our Chair

It is fitting that Relationships Australia NSW launch a new strategy in this 75th anniversary year. Key to this three-year plan is demonstrating the positive impact we can have on people’s lives for every dollar we’re entrusted, by delivering contemporary, inclusive, quality services, how, when and where they are most needed.

Our purpose is to help build and sustain strong relationships and stronger communities –healing in times of fracture, building and maintaining healthy relationships, and assisting individuals, families and communities in finding and maintaining relational connections.

The organisation has continued to respond to the aftermath of the pandemic, cost of living pressures and the impacts of disasters by delivering our core services across the state – growing place-based, online and remote delivery models to meet changing needs, and developing new solutions in response to emerging community challenges.

Advocacy is an important lever. Built out of a genuine desire to see scarce funding dollars used in the most effective way, we have spent much of the year sharing deep customer insights and experience with Government and other potential funders. Our value of being ‘courageous’ leads us to campaign where it is merited and support directions where a significant and meaningful difference might be made – contributions to parliamentary inquiries and public consultations, presentations at conferences and sector events, our support for the Voice to Parliament, and a significant increase in media engagement this year.

Relationship Australia NSW’s deep understanding of the significant complexity at play with couples, individuals, families and communities grappling with relationship challenges has seen us spread our involvement further into mental health.

Our joint venture in the Open Dialogue Centre with Grant Family Philanthropy is one of the innovative ways we are seeking to influence strategies that impact positively on individuals, their support systems, families and the community. Our community resilience work in climate-related disaster regions is another such key programme.

We demonstrate a strong commitment to sector capacity-building and generational development with dedicated training products and professional resources delivered across workplaces and industries.

We work hard to ensure that by the nature and composition of our workforce, we understand the communities we serve. This makes diversity and inclusion critical, leading to a sense of strong belonging. By supporting our people to be their authentic selves, they can make the most impact with those they are assisting and working alongside.

It is a great privilege to Chair the Board and I want to thank my fellow members for their support and dedication to the significant tasks we face. I must make special mention of my predecessor, Chris Bertinshaw, whose term as Chair and as a Director came to an end during the year. Chris brought extensive sector and governance expertise, together with leadership which ensured a well-functioning Board that shared a fruitful relationship with senior management.

The diverse support we offer wouldn’t be possible without the contributions and collaboration of our valued partners and funders. My thanks go to them, our CEO, Elisabeth Shaw, and all our staff and management. It is because of you that we face the challenges of 2023-24 with vigour and commitment to deliver to those most in need across city, regional, rural and remote New South Wales.

Stephen Hollings Board Chair

Supporting NSW

492

TEAM MEMBERS

30+

PROGRAMS + SERVICES

ACROSS NSW (+4 THIS FY)

21

LOCATIONS INCLUDING

10 OUTREACH CENTRES

30+

GROUP PROGRAMS OR WORKSHOPS*

33,675

PEOPLE ASSISTED

With centres and outreach locations throughout metropolitan, regional and rural New South Wales, we have supported people in their relationships through counselling, mediation, casework and group programs. We assisted tens of thousands more through relationship resources and articles, and broader community, school-based, online and telephone support.

Regional

LITHGOW (O) DARUG + WIRADJURI COUNTRY

BATHURST CENTRE WIRADJURI COUNTRY

ORANGE (O) WIRADJURI COUNTRY

COWRA (O) WIRADJURI COUNTRY

FORBES (O) WIRADJURI COUNTRY

MOSS VALE (O) GUNDUNGURRA COUNTRY

KATOOMBA (O) DARUG + GUNDUNGURRA COUNTRY

Metropolitan

ASHFIELD (H) GADIGAL + WANGAL COUNTRY

BLACKTOWN CENTRE DARUG COUNTRY

BROOKVALE (H) GAI-MARIAGAL COUNTRY

CENTRAL COAST CENTRE (BERKELEY VALE) DARKINJUNG COUNTRY

CHATSWOOD (H) GAI-MARIAGAL COUNTRY

HUNTER CENTRE (BROADMEADOW) AWABAKAL COUNTRY

ILLAWARRA CENTRE (WOLLONGONG) DHARAWAL COUNTRY

LIVERPOOL (H) DARUG + THARAWAL COUNTRY

MACQUARIE PARK CENTRE DARUG COUNTRY

NORTHERN BEACHES CENTRE (DEE WHY) GAI-MARIAGAL COUNTRY

PARRAMATTA CENTRE DARUG COUNTRY

PENRITH CENTRE DARUG COUNTRY

SYDNEY CITY CENTRE GADIGAL COUNTRY

WATTLE PLACE CENTRE (HARRIS PARK) DARUG COUNTRY

Our Impact

Our Clients:

WE SUPPORT PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, THROUGH ALL STAGES OF LIFE

Our Support:

17,807

2,789 domestic and family violence-related sessions delivered counselling sessions provided

5,917 people gained skills through relationship education workshops

$75,035 in pro-bono services provided for people facing financial hardship

790,000+ people sought support or education through our website

People Most Asked for Help With:

Co-parenting after separation

Concerns with parenting styles or issues between parents

Family functioning and challenging dynamics

Lasting impact of a significant traumatic event

Our Outcomes:

As we reflect on another year, one of the greatest outcomes is seeing people of all ages and experiences supported and empowered to navigate safely though relationship challenges, to grow in connection and sense of belonging, and enjoy all the richness and benefits that quality relationships offer.

85% of people were satisfied with their support

Impacts of detrimental relationships

89%

of people felt safe with their practitioner RELATIONSHIP

Communication that negatively impacts relationships

88% of people report they were listened to and understood

Our People: A Team as Diverse as the People We Serve

E D Y B O Y V E R

469 team members

33% of staff have been with RANSW for >5 years

71% of our senior leadership team are women

21% live with a disability, chronic condition or are carers for someone with a disability or chronic condition

78% staff are in front-line client support roles; 22% in support office

32% full time / 68% part time

08 people identify as Aboriginal and/ or Torres Strait Islander

32% were born overseas

20% identify as sexually diverse or having a diverse gender identity

WE’RE RELATIONSHIP PEOPLE

Our Work

RELATIONSHIP CHALLENGE

RELATIONSHIP CHANGE

RESILIENCE

RELATIONSHIP GROWTH

Counselling

PROGRAMS OFFERED

+ Couples Counselling

+ Individual Counselling

+ Family Counselling

+ Disability Counselling

17,807 sessions provided

81% felt listened to + understood

90% were satisfied with the services they received 79% felt able to deal with their issues better

61 Net Promoter Score*

Counselling is a core service delivery area for Relationships Australia NSW. Over the past 12 months we have delivered 17,807 sessions across our individual, couples and family counselling services. We also continued to deliver our specialised counselling program for people with a disability. Funded through the Disability Royal Commission, it addresses the deficits in care identified by the findings, and supports people with disabilities and their families participating in or affected by the Commission. This year, over 2,000 customers reported living with a disability.

Due to the mental health services shortage across Australia and longer-term impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic on mental wellbeing, we have continued to adapt our services to respond to community need. This included steps to increase accessibility by offering more delivery modes – including online support and new delivery partners – and building counsellor expertise in Single Session Thinking. This helps us to see more people in need and makes optimal use of available sessions.

*NPS is a customer satisfaction benchmark that measures customer engagement and advocacy. Scores can range from -100 to 100. It has been noted that as a general rule, services should aim for an average NPS of 30.

Partnership Expands Reach

Relationships Australia NSW joined forces with headspace – who exist to promote the mental wellbeing of young Australians and their families – to provide ongoing family counselling at four of their centres. By offering a family counsellor in Liverpool, Chatswood, Ashfield, and Brookvale, we can assist more families to cultivate and sustain strong, supportive relationships.

Family counselling plays a pivotal role in rekindling communication, rebuilding trust, and fostering positive connection. Our service addresses a wide range of issues including family conflicts, self-harm, depression, and anxiety, as well as adolescent distress stemming from loss, trauma, separation, and divorce. We also provide support for concerns related to drug and alcohol misuse, identity and sexuality, school-related challenges, technology and social media issues, and breakdowns in communication. This partnership offers valuable support in helping more families as they navigate mental health challenges.

Innovative Single Session Approach

Global research across counselling services shows the most common number of sessions a client or family attends is just one. Working with these findings to optimise the client experience, we integrated ‘Single Session Thinking’ training for all counselling staff throughout the year. This approach emphasises making the most of every counselling session –which has far-reaching benefits regardless of how many sessions a client may need.

Counsellors use core skills to treat every appointment as though it might be the only contact session they have. By implementing this training, counsellors can help those they are working with to elicit and prioritise their primary concerns during a session and support them to get the most out of it. This is a positive enhancement for our counselling offering across the board. Our advancements in this area were presented to industry and sector peers at the Family and Relationship Services Australia (FRSA) Conference in May 2023.

The Power of Customer Voice

In order to deliver best-practice service and action our commitment to listening to our customers and addressing their pain-points, we undertook extensive customer research across our counselling suite. Our research revealed high levels of customer satisfaction, but also opportunities for improvement around wait times, communication, expectations and self-service options.

The project identified wins around streamlining our onboarding conversations, making them more customer-focused, efficient, and capable of resolving most customer needs on the spot. This is expected to reduce our counselling waitlist by 20% and prevent customer dropouts.

The customer voice project will be rolled out next year over four progressive stages, which will gradually transform our client services function from purely administrative to high-value service preparation. This will offer better support for customers and practitioners across the full breadth of our programs and services.

A BETTER WAY FORWARD

Family Counselling

Patricia was referred to family counselling by Legal Aid NSW due to some parenting challenges. Lilia, Patricia’s 10-year-old daughter, had recently started living with Patricia again after Family Court proceedings and a seven-month period overseas without her. Lilia’s behaviour was described by Patrica as aggressive and defiant. Patricia was hopeful that family counselling would help them find a better way forward.

The family counsellor had several meetings with Patricia and Lilia, both separately and together. During a counselling session on her own, Lilia trusted the counsellor to share what it was like when she was not living with her mother. Lilia spoke of physical abuse and neglect by her father. She had been hesitant to share this with her mother as she was fearful that Patricia might stop her having any contact at all with her father, and Lilia still wanted this. The counsellor emphasised the importance of ensuring Lilia’s safety and sought permission from Lilia to discuss her feelings about maintaining a connection with her father with Patricia. Lilia agreed to this.

The counsellor provided support to Patricia in recognising and addressing Lilia’s safety and made a mandatory child protection report. Patricia grew increasingly comfortable and encouraging of Lilia’s discussions about her father. Lilia appeared more content and they were able to start building a more supportive and productive relationship together.

A VITAL TURNING POINT

Couples Counselling

Jon and Maria came to us for counselling, hoping to put an end to frequent arguments and improve their communication. They were parents to two young sons, aged five and three.

After assessing their relationship dynamics during separate counselling sessions, their counsellor found that their fights had escalated to both being verbally and physically abusive, and their children were not protected from this. The counsellor raised her concerns, letting the couple know that to ensure the children’s safety, she would need to make a ‘risk of significant harm’ report to the Department of Communities and Justice. This was a turning point for Jon and Maria to understand the impact of their fighting – not only on them, but most importantly, on their children. Both parents stressed their commitment to protecting their children from further exposure.

Through counselling, we helped Jon and Maria commit to eliminating abusive behaviour, establish family safety measures and develop emotional regulation skills. The couple also implemented a ‘time out’ strategy, taking breaks during heated discussions to de-escalate reactivity and become more personally accountable for their angry behaviour.

Over time, Jon and Maria were able to examine their relationship patterns and explore how these connected with their family backgrounds. These conversations increased their understanding of each other’s experiences, which helped them build empathy and compassion. Ultimately, their counselling sessions led to better communication and enhanced closeness in their relationship, and a substantially healthier environment for their children.

Family Mediation

+ Family Dispute Resolution and Mediation (including Property and Parenting)

+ Access Family Mediation Service

956 joint mediation sessions provided 06 locations across NSW + online access now available

1,500 people completed our online post-separation parenting course

83% felt listened to + understood

76% were satisfied with the services they received

In the past 12 months, Family Mediation – also known as Family Dispute Resolution or FDR –has continued to be one of our primary service offerings, delivered online and through our six Family Relationships Centres based in Blacktown, Bathurst, Macquarie Park, Dee Why, Penrith and Sydney CBD.

In response to demands for increased online access, in September 2022 we were proud to launch a new online-only mediation service, Access Family Mediation. This has helped us to respond to the needs of separated families who experience physical or geographical barriers to accessing family mediation in person. We also successfully adapted our Child Inclusive Practice and Parenting Groups for online delivery. Coupled with our core mode of in-person service delivery, this has enabled flexible and responsive choice in how people want to engage in our services.

Parenting-related family mediation continues to be our predominant service, however propertyrelated family mediation – with and without parenting issues – has seen an increase in demand across all centres. Likewise, court referrals to our family mediation services have increased due to changes in the Family Law Court, leading to client engagements with limited timeframes and high complexity. Our centres have responded to these shifts in demand with highly capable, skilled and trained staff to manage and actively implement safe practices to facilitate these needs.

We continue to deliver culturally supportive mediation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families through our Walking Together approach and Aboriginal Family Advisor. We also established and piloted a new groupwork program, My Changing Family and Me, for children whose parents are engaged in, or have completed, family mediation, focusing on their experience of separation. We will be rolling the program out across all Family Relationship Centres next year.

Increasing Accessibility to Mediation

The launch of Access Family Mediation Service in September 2022 is a step forward for families in New South Wales. This new service opens the door to affordable and accessible family dispute resolution online, extending our reach to people who can’t attend face-to-face sessions at one of our six Family Relationship Centres. It allows us to provide vital support to rural and regional communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, culturally diverse groups, and individuals with disabilities, making mediation services more inclusive. The service also bridges the gap for acrimonious relationships where face-to-face interaction is not an option.

Access offers people the freedom to choose how they engage with us, breaking down barriers and ensuring we meet their unique needs. It is an important new addition in our suite of services aimed at fostering healthier relationships and resolving family disputes without additional distress.

Supporting Smoother Co-Parenting

The process of separation can be a difficult and deeply emotional time. It is common for both adults and children to experience a range of distressing feelings, including sadness, fear, anxiety, anger, and guilt.

Our post-separation parenting course, Kids in Focus, is a pre-requisite for parents going through family mediation to help support their children during and after divorce or separation. Traditionally offered face-to-face, it offers valuable insights into children’s experience of separation and supports parents, grandparents and carers to focus on, and prioritise, the needs of children during this challenging time.

During the year, our interactive and self-paced online version was fully integrated into our mediation services to give parents and carers better access to this valuable resource in their own time. Nearly 1,500 people chose to complete the course online this year, with exceptional feedback on its content, convenience and value.

Family Mediation

Miriama and Oliver, a couple of 20 years with two children, aged 14 and 9, had been navigating a deteriorating relationship, exacerbated by a recent affair. For three years, they lived separately in the same house. They eventually recognised their relationship had ended and decided to negotiate a property settlement to secure separate accommodation close to their children’s school.

Both were emotionally and financially invested in their family home, with Miriama’s parents providing financial support towards the purchase. Miriama wanted to take the children to Fiji to visit extended family, but Oliver would not release their passports. The high parental conflict was negatively impacting the children’s emotional wellbeing, raising concerns from their school.

Upon recommendation from Oliver’s counsellor, the couple sought help with family mediation. Both wanted to resolve parenting and property matters and avoid costly legal fees. However, they were also reluctant to alter their individual time with the children or the family home’s ownership.

With the guidance of Family Advisors and mediators, they engaged in child inclusive family dispute resolution, completed the Kids in Focus co-parenting program, and sought legal advice. Progress was achieved: they would alternate weeks in the family home until it sold, repay Miriama’s parents, and equitably split assets. They committed to fostering positive relationships with the children and extended family.

The children now live in two homes near their school, and experience much less conflict in their lives. Both attended the My Changing Family and Me program, which supports school-aged children going through separation or divorce, and told of a better connection between their parents, and getting used to their new lives in two homes.

Names, images and details have been changed to protect privacy.

A PATHWAY THROUGH CHANGE

Domestic + Family Violence

PROGRAMS OFFERED

+ Let’s Talk Elder Mediation and Support

+ Taking Responsibility Program

+ Safer Pathways

+ DFV Linker Program

+ Family Advocacy Support Services

+ Domestic Violence Counselling

+ Women’s Choice and Change

+ Building Stronger Families

+ D isability Royal Commission Counselling

+ Children’s Contact Services

400+ men supported through men’s behaviour change programs

02 programs were given a 12-month funding extension

100% funding increase for male victims program, Safer Pathways

200+ health care professionals supported to better understand DFV programs

Domestic and family violence (DFV) continues to be increasingly pervasive in Australia. Almost 50% of Relationships Australia NSW clients have experienced abuse and violence in their intimate relationships or within their broader families.

Over the past 12 months, we advocated for, and successfully secured, critical funding extensions of over $2.1 million for several of our domestic violence support services. This included a culturally adapted men’s behaviour change program in Blacktown, which provides casework services to assist Arabic-speaking men who use violence in their relationships to make better choices through focussing on cultural strengths and settlement issues. Funding was also secured for an elder abuse early intervention program, which supports older Australians who are being physically, psychologically or financially abused, often by their adult children and families.

We received a 100% funding increase in December 2022 for our Safer Pathways service which is a phone-based, localised support and case coordination program for men who have experienced DFV. This allowed the team, our capacity and geographic coverage to almost double in size.

These critical services support domestic violence victims and their families to break cycles of abuse and provide interventions to address DFV issues at the core. We believe prevention should be taken seriously, which is why we so strongly advocated for continued funding of men’s behaviour change programs during the year. It won’t solve the problem, but it will play a meaningful part.

In 2022-23, we supported over 400 men who have a history of using violence in their relationships and offered support and casework to their current and former female partners. We look forward to working with the government to drive down rates of domestic and family violence in New South Wales.

During the year we also released the first publicly available evaluation of culturally adapted men’s behaviour change programs. This provided important insights for policymakers about how to design similar interventions in the future to reach men from refugee and new migrant backgrounds.

Deepening Pathways to Change

Throughout the year, our Taking Responsibility Program provided critical services to nearly 100 men using violence. This comprehensive offering combines intensive casework with an 18-week group educational program. It offers an important opportunity for those with a history of using violence, coercive control, and verbal abuse towards their female partners. Participants must be committed to change themselves and their relationships. Post-service evaluation reported that 85% were satisfied with the program and 77% felt able to deal with their issues better.

As part of our commitment to deepen our support, we developed and trialled an extension program for fathers who successfully complete the program. The Parenting Responsibility course, run though our Hunter Centre, is designed for fathers to build on parenting skills and positively contribute to their children’s healing process in the wake of abuse.

To ensure the highest quality of services, our casework and group work staff have all undergone additional men’s behaviour change training, reinforcing our dedication to constant growth and adherence to best practices.

Helping GPs to Recognise DFV

Research has shown that people experiencing domestic and family violence (DFV) tend to first disclose to family or friends, and secondly their general practitioner (GP). It also shows they are more likely to seek help from their GP if asked about it and offered appropriate support.

Our DFV Linker program, funded by Wentworth Healthcare, provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, equips health professionals with tools to recognise signs, respond to disclosures, offer direct referral pathways, and enhance their knowledge of local DFV services. They have the option to refer patients to a local service with the help of our staff (known as Linkers), or put their patient in direct contact with the Linker for therapeutic, person-centered, trauma-informed case coordination support.

Over the past year, we delivered 37 training sessions, building the capacity of over 200 professionals. From July to December 2022, our DFV Linkers program contributed to 30% of the overall success of the five pilot sites across New South Wales – a big achievement as we support one of the smaller PHNs delivering the program.

“

The worker helped me get my ducks in a row, so I was able to leave safely at my own pace. I know a lot of places have waiting lists for caseworkers, but this lady provided me with help straight away. I hope this helps someone else.”

HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT

Domestic and Family Violence Linker

After injuring her hip, Petra consulted with her GP, who recommended seeing a specialist. Petra showed signs of anxiety and distress when she learned of potential costs, and admitted she felt scared, because she knew her partner wouldn’t allow her to pay specialist fees and would become angry if she raised it with him.

Petra’s GP had received the Recognise, Respond & Refer Domestic and Family Violence (DFV) training, and recognised Petra’s disclosure and distress as a possible indicator of DFV. Discussing safety concerns, the GP offered Petra the option to speak with our on-site DFV Linker. She agreed, and together, the Linker and Petra completed a DV-Safety Assessment Tool.

The information Petra provided in the assessment marked her as ‘at serious threat’, prompting an immediate referral to the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (WDVCAS). Petra arranged a two-week follow-up at her GP’s office, with the flexibility for an earlier return, and she and our Linker formulated a comprehensive safety plan.

The collaboration between Petra, her GP, our Linker and WDVCAS provided potentially life-saving support for Petra and her two children. She had been living in a highly controlled and abusive environment, with cameras monitoring her every move.

The support these services offered – prompted by the GP’s training to recognise disclosures of DFV – gave Petra the strength to relocate to a new home, separate to her partner, where she’s beginning a new chapter with her family.

“ I see how my partner’s face has changed and when she looks at me, I see love instead of fear. My children can now express themselves and I can help them with their big emotions instead of screaming at them and scaring them. I appreciate these relationships so much, and I was so close to losing all of them.”

AN END TO FEAR

Taking Responsibility Program

When Steven first approached us to enrol in our Taking Responsibility program, his children were not living with him as there were concerns for their safety. Initially, Steven thought he had nothing to learn, and he rarely took accountability for his actions. After meeting with Relationship Australia NSW staff and learning more about the program, his role in change and the potential benefits for his family, he was open to taking part. Steven agreed to make a conscious effort to focus on understanding others’ feelings and needs, and work to move away from power and dominance as his default response to emotional challenges.

Over time, through casework and group workshops, Steven discovered healthier ways to manage his emotions, choosing safe and respectful methods when things didn’t go his way. He became more aware of how his behaviour had intimidated others, especially his partner. Steven’s change was marked by his increased openness to receiving feedback and a deepened understanding of how his use of gendered power had negatively impacted his family.

As a result of his commitment to change, Steven’s children were reunited with him and his partner. Both parents participated in parenting support programs, and Steven’s partner attended our Women’s Choice and Change group workshop to have a space to think about what she wanted for herself and her family. Steven now takes accountability for the trauma his partner and children experienced and encourages open and safe conversations about their shared experiences.

Names, images and details have been changed to protect privacy.

Community Resilience + Mental Health

PROGRAMS OFFERED

+ Disaster Resilience Leadership

+ Disability Royal Commission Counselling

+ Community Builders

1,900+ children + their parents supported through Community Builders 350 people with disability or disabilities + their carers, supported with mental + emotional wellbeing

+ Ability Groupwork

+ Managing Stress

+ Moral Courage

+ Open Dialogue Centre

While all our services support positive mental health as a byproduct of experiencing safe and respectful relationships, we offered a number of targeted programs throughout the year to support specific communities. With cost of living pressures, climate-related disasters and world events taking a toll on mental health, these programs have become increasingly relevant.

During the year we saw a significant rise in demand for our Disaster Resilience Leadership Program, a community-based program to strengthen resilience and networks, and support disaster recovery, and Community Builders, a program for children, young people and their families to build connection, belonging and individual and community strength.

Meanwhile, our Disability Royal Commission Counselling Service and Ability Groupwork Programs supported the emotional and mental wellbeing of over 350 people with disability or disabilities and their carers. In addition, we were proud to see the launch of Open Dialogue Centre (ODC), a joint venture with Grant Family Philanthropy. ODC aims to constructively provoke new ways to deliver mental health services that are built to attend to the experience of those in need, as well as their social networks.

23 local government areas supported in disaster resilience

24 community-resilience events held, attracting over 400 people

Supporting Through Disasters

Disasters may be out of our hands, but we do have some say in how we respond and recover. We have been supporting communities to prepare for and recover from fires, floods and other extreme weather events since 2021. Our Disaster Resilience Leadership Program has trained 169 community members across the NSW Hunter, Central Coast and New England regions, including 17 leaders from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

The first program of its kind in New South Wales, it strengthens community resilience through relationship building and training around the impact of disasters and how to support recovery. Leaders learn to design and implement community-led recovery projects for their own community, strengthening connections to enable them to better recover and prepare for future disaster events.

This year we supported 24 major communityled events that reached over 400 people and worked across 130,000 square metres, within 23 local government areas.

Strengthening Community Connection

Our free Community Builders programs support children, young people, their families and their communities to thrive through strengthened connection and enhanced resilience skills. Specifically for people living within Northern Sydney, and with a particular focus on cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, the programs empower strong connections through parenting, child and youth programs, education workshops for primary and high schools, and social groups for older adults.

Community Builders offers programs in various languages, to support the 42.1% of residents born outside of Australia. Demand over the past year significantly increased and we were able to support 6,143 people including 788 teachers, 1,029 children and 911 parents through a range of programs from managing study stress and parenting teens, to new parent and grandparent groups for Korean and Chinese migrants. School programs make up almost 45% of our work and we were proud to have partnered with 16 schools and over 100 community organisations throughout the year.

Building Teen Resilience

Relationships Australia NSW and The Ethics Centre formed a partnership to pilot and evaluate a program, Moral Courage, to support high school students to navigate the complex issues they increasingly face in their worlds. By developing and deepening their capabilities and skills in moral courage, focusing on decision-making capabilities and knowing how and when to act in bringing courageous decisions into action, students can better deal with daily challenges. These include building and maintain relationships, managing bystander effect, navigating issues of consent and how to deal with bullying, exclusion and the pressures of belonging.

During the year, Moral Courage was endorsed by the NSW Department of Education and is now available for schools in all metropolitan and regional areas of New South Wales.

Workshops are run over one term over a series of four sessions, lasting 90 minutes each. In line with our development plan to expand the Moral Courage program to more schools during 2023-24, we have been building a cohort of trained facilitators for ongoing delivery of the program.

INSPIRATION TO LEAD

Disaster Resilience Leadership

17-year-old Angus has lived in Walcha, a small New South Wales town home to just over 3,000 people, his whole life. Walcha has been declared an extreme weather disaster region seven times in the last decade, with bushfires, floods and drought ravaging the region – and having an untold impact on the mental health of people within that community.

As part of our Disaster Resilience Leadership Program, we supported Angus to develop and host a local event that brought the town and community together and sparked meaningful conversations about mental health, with the aim to reduce stigma surrounding mental health challenges.

After being inspired by ‘The Blue Tree Project’, Angus rallied the Walcha community to paint a dead tree bright blue, which prominently sat on the main road that leads into the community. When people drive past this blue tree, the hope is that the unmissable landmark will encourage conversations about mental health. The tree symbolises the message “it’s OK not to be OK”.

The atmosphere on painting day was incredible, with people from across Walcha coming together to catch up and connect as a community. Paula Paananen, our Disaster Resilience Project Lead, said of the day, “I think that it’s just a testimony that community-led resilience is the best approach and it’s one that definitely gains the most support and community connectiveness.”

A SENSE OF BELONGING

Community Builders Workshops

Cherie was born and raised in Korea, arriving in Australia eight years ago. Her extended family and friends lived overseas and were particularly missed by Cherie as she became a mother, raising her three children without their support. Cherie found cultural differences challenging at this new stage in life.

There were no other Korean people living in her area and although she would call her parents regularly for advice and read all she could, she was feeling isolated and wondered if her parenting approach was the right one.

Cherie found out about Community Builders’ Tuning in to Teens course through her local community centre. Over six weeks, she listened to the experiences of other mothers who had been through similar struggles. Cherie was able to identify strengths and weaknesses in her parenting style and attitude. The group leaders gave her things to try at home with her children, and were able to provide valuable feedback afterwards.

Cherie shared laughs and tears with the other participants and felt a connection she hadn’t had for a long time. This course and the connections with others helped Cherie learn ways to talk to her children by reading their emotions, instead of her own. Cherie grew confident in raising her children and found a new network of friends to support her.

Names, images and details have been changed to protect privacy.

Workplace Support

+ Employee Assistance Program

+ Accidental Counsellor

+ Effective Group Leadership

+ Nationally Accredited Training

+ Professional Supervision PROGRAMS OFFERED

70+ Employee Assistance Program organisations

950 Employee Assistance Program sessions

73 Net Promoter Score for Accidental Counsellor*

Throughout the year we broadened our support of workplaces with a growing number of programs. As a valued provider of Employee Assistance Programs for over a decade, we delivered counselling and other services to over 70 organisations, with a collective workforce in the tens of thousands. We provided over 950 sessions, with an average of 4.5 sessions per client.

We saw an increasing demand for our Accidental Counsellor course due to the positive feedback we continually receive. Empowering staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively deal with colleagues and clients presenting with mental health concerns is incredibly valuable. 98% of participants reported they were satisfied or extremely satisfied with the training, which received a Net Promoter Score of 73. The workshop, which assists people who aren’t trained counsellors, but often find themselves in a counselling role “by accident”, was delivered 24 times to over 320 participants.

We also increased our provision of professional development support for staff, peers and the industry as a whole during the year. We supported over 1,000 participants in over 60 workshops to build skills and knowledge, including clinical leader training to headspace across Australia, Foundations of Systemic Family Therapy to the Mid North Coast Child and Youth Mental Health Service, and Effective Group Leadership training for a number of diverse organisations and audiences.

In collaboration with Relationships Australia Victoria, we delivered the Graduate Diploma of Relationship Counselling (Responding to Family Violence) and the Graduate Diploma of Family Dispute Resolution in New South Wales this year. This comprehensive training grants graduates formal qualifications and equips them with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for successful employment post-graduation. To attract the most talented and diverse students, we offered a number of scholarships to alleviate course fees for those facing financial challenges. Following graduation, candidates can apply for positions within Relationships Australia NSW, where they can actively contribute to valuable relationship support for our clients and make a meaningful impact.

*NPS is a customer satisfaction benchmark that measures customer engagement and advocacy. Scores can range from -100 to 100. It has been noted that as a general rule, services should aim for an average NPS of 30. 73 ranks as ‘excellent’.

AN EXPANDED TOOLKIT

“Amazing training, very eye opening and empowering. Great tools to use in our personal and professional lives. I feel much more equipped to converse with families experiencing strong emotions (so common in the disability sector) and my own emotions and dealing with that afterwards on a day to day. Thank you to the amazing trainer. She was really interactive and insightful.”

Accidental Counsellor Training Participant

“I enjoyed my session with my counsellor. She has demonstrated her genuine care and listened to me wholeheartedly in a professional and respectful manner. She has provided me with strategic tactics to challenge myself and shift my focus from the negative to the positive and the most imperative, which makes me strongly believe that I am on the right path in developing myself further. Thank you!”

Relationship Literacy

PROGRAMS, RESOURCES + TOOLS OFFERED

+ Online Knowledge Resource Hub

+ Relationships Explainer Videos

+ Relationship Content Social Media Channels

+ Media Appearances

+ Relationship Education Programs

145 media appearances 01 new website featuring 130+ articles, videos and e-books

570,000+

reach on Instagram + Facebook

790,072 people accessed services or support via our website

5,917 people enrolled in group programs

Part of our work at Relationships Australia NSW is to build the relationship literacy of people across New South Wales, so they are better equipped to support themselves and others in their relationships. We do this in a number of ways, from the provision of over 30 relationship education programs, regular blogs and resources on our website and social channels, to media appearances across print, online, radio and podcasts.

The launch of our new website in December 2022, was a major milestone which followed many months of research, design, development and testing. The site houses over 130 articles to support the building of relationship wellbeing and literacy, and these are regularly shared via our social media. These channels have also seen a significant increase in audience size and reach with over 570,000 people engaged through Facebook and Instagram alone.

In January 2023 we launched our Instagram account to help build relationship literacy amongst a younger audience. While still in its infancy, audience data shows a higher percentage of our followers are aged 18 to 44, compared to Facebook.

Our CEO, Elisabeth Shaw, featured in 145 media appearances throughout the year, guiding on topical relationship issues from new relationship trends and complicated family dynamics to the cost of living impact on victim-survivors of domestic violence. She appeared in a wide range of mediums and publications from The Women’s Weekly, The Sydney Morning Herald, Triple J, The Daily Telegraph, Mamamia’s The Quicky podcast and had regular appearances on ABC Radio, where callers often shared their relationship challenges and experiences on air.

New Online Knowledge Hub

In December 2022, we were thrilled to launch our new website. This online platform was developed to make it easier for people to access comprehensive information to support them through their relationship challenges –including services, workshops, and an extensive knowledge hub. Hosting over 130 articles, videos and e-books, with insights on everything from friendships and family to domestic violence and divorce and separation, it accounted for around 50% of our total website views, demonstrating that easy to access relationship advice is in-demand and valuable.

From the launch in December to 30 June 2023, we attracted over 790,000 unique web users, a 113% increase on the previous period. The site has also supported easier access to services with a 61% increase in enquiries via online contact forms, an 86% increase in group workshop enquiries and a 162% increase in media enquiries over the period.

Learning Through Groupwork

Customers tell us that while they want to access relationship education, getting to physical spaces for group workshops is increasingly challenging. In response, we shifted to online delivery for 70% of our programs, allowing us to reach a new audience of rural and regional customers, which saw demand subsequently increase by 61%.

Participants responded with praise, describing courses as “amazing” and “life-changing”. A Parenting After Separation workshop attendee expressed their appreciation, saying, “I have no words to describe my gratitude for this course. Every parent should participate.” Even those initially hesitant to engage online have found value in the insights, support, and inclusivity provided.

We delivered 165 programs, supporting 5,917 people in building relationship literacy, including 380 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 1,248 people with disability and 653 who identify as culturally and linguistically diverse. 86% reported feeling listened to and understood, 85% felt satisfied with the program and 73% reported they were able to deal with their issues better.

Parenting After Separation

Sam (they/them) and their former partner had recently separated. Faced with emotional turmoil, communication breakdowns, and concerns about their children’s wellbeing, Sam decided to enrol in our Parenting After Separation group workshop.

The group focused on effective communication, conflict resolution and child-centred parenting. Sam was supported in focusing on their children’s needs and developing a collaborative co-parenting relationship with their former partner. The program also offered support in coping with their emotions and building resilience.

By the end of the program, Sam reported significant positive changes. Sam and their former partner have established open lines of communication and are now making joint decisions about the children’s upbringing. Sam’s children have shown improved emotional wellbeing and are more settled at school.

A POSITIVE CHANGE FOR ALL

Strengthening Our Future

Building Cultural Fitness

During the year we launched a new Cultural Fitness program for all staff. Cultural Fitness challenges the ‘one-off’ cultural training day approach, understanding that competence – like physical fitness – is better viewed as a continuous process and an ideal to strive towards. Rather than simply complying with policy, or meeting minimum standards, cultural fitness is a process of ongoing learning, which continually evolves. We’re incredibly fortunate to have our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Practice Specialist, Aunty Julie Wilson, leading the program.

During the year she delivered 17 Reflective Yarning Circles involving 216 people across 10 of our centres. The interactive and experiential workshop ‘Journey Through Aboriginal Eyes’ also began rolling out in March 2023, with 76 staff taking part so far. Content for an online Cultural Fitness package was finalised during the year and will be rolled out in 2023-24.

Futureproofing Our Systems

In October 2022, we launched our new customer relationship management software, Muru Dturali – meaning pathways to grow in Darug language – replacing our former 12-yearold system. Muru Dturali was a critical system upgrade, designed to provide efficiency for administration staff to spend less time on manual data entry, and for practitioners to be able to spend more time doing what they do best, supporting clients.

The new system will simplify bookings, payments and reporting for our staff, and offer those we support enhanced privacy, automated session reminders, faster referrals, online payment and self-serve contact detail updates. Importantly, it will also enable us to more easily view the data we have available, creating greater transparency around the work we do, who we serve, demand trends, and core areas for improvement. We’re looking forward to a new level of insights that will allow us to deliver more effective and efficient services and make it easier for customers to engage in our services.

Providing Insights for Change

During the year we significantly strengthened engagement with government, sector stakeholders and the broader community. The voice of customers and experience of our staff, along with demographic and service data, evaluation and research, provided these groups with key insights into need within the community and the impact of services. During the year we engaged in more than 60 meetings with Ministers, Local MPs and key Department of Social Services and Department of Communities and Justice decision makers.

We contributed to parliamentary inquiries and public consultations, including the National Mental Health Commission Consultation, Children’s Contact Service Accreditation Consultation, NSW Domestic and Family Violence Plan 2022-2027, NSW Primary Prevention Strategy Consultation, and the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse Consultation. We were also invited to attend the Coercive Control legislation announcement with then Minister Natalie Ward at State Parliament, as a result of our Coercive Control submission and subsequent appearance before the committee in 2021.

Advocacy for Longer-Term Funding

In order to secure a sustainable and predictable funding pathway for all our family and relationship support services, we worked with our Government Relations consultants, Australian Public Affairs, on our ‘Missing Piece Campaign’ prior to the NSW election. A significant proportion of our government grants are for two years or less, which has a big impact on our ability to service an evergrowing waitlist, and retain valuable staff, who are looking for job certainty that short-term contracts can’t provide.

We’re not alone in this challenge, which is endemic to the social services sector, so we took a joint campaign approach with aligned stakeholders, including NCOSS. The campaign received significant media coverage and we were delighted when Chris Minns, then in Opposition, endorsed a minimum five-year contract term for key community service providers as one of his election promises.

Ongoing funding advocacy throughout the year also secured an emergency funding extension for Let’s Talk, our elder mediation support service, and Building Stronger Families, a culturally adapted men’s behaviour change program, the only of its kind supporting men in Western Sydney.

Strengthening Our Future

We launched our first Co-Creation Framework this year. The framework sets our organisational aspiration to work alongside the people who are impacted by our decisions, not only in designing products and services, but also in our planning, research, development, service delivery, and evaluation.

Our Co-Creation Framework describes the core principles that our staff are expected to integrate into participatory activities. The framework will help to include people who are impacted by our decisions in the decision-making process – including our customers, employees, partners, and members of the public – ensuring they can participate meaningfully wherever possible, and that we’re transparent about situations where participation isn’t possible.

These six principles encompass our approach to co-creation.

A New Framework for Co-Creation SHARE POWER

A Brand That Reflects Who We Are

Our new brand positioning continues to roll out over more touchpoints, most notably our website. The brand uplift and transformation acknowledges our legacy, while introducing a recognisably relational approach, with a brand that is human, inviting and relevant, increasing our appeal and connection with a wider audience, particularly younger and more diverse. With a strong focus on why relationships matter, engaging brand imagery and dynamic graphics that symbolise relationships and connection, the new brand spotlights all the many ways we are in relationship every day. It reflects back the fullness of our shared human experience and the breadth of people we serve, so that people across New South Wales can see themselves in the visual representation of who we are and feel welcome.

Building on the brand development of previous years, we continued to work with strategic agency, Glider, to apply the new brand to our various communications channels. This year we were able to create a social media content framework and launch a suite of enaging new social media templates to take the brand messaging and relationship content out to a wider audience in a medium that is highly shareable and accessible to many. We also developed and launched a series of dynamic, animated explainer videos covering a range of common relationship issues including spotting toxic relationships, setting healthy boundaries, and having complex conversations. We have worked with both customers and colleagues across the organisation on the brand and have received extremely positive feedback.

Continuing to build on this strong foundation will aid us to be front of mind for anyone who needs our support, enabling us to offer them a range of programs, resources and tools for their relationships.

Financials

In the FY23 financial year, Relationships Australia NSW delivered a deficit of $2.234M. The was a result of continued investment in strategic initiatives and systems improvements across the year, and compared more favourably to the $2.733M deficit in the previous year. Total FY23 revenue was $40.917M, an increase of over 5%, or $2.063M, on the previous year’s revenue of $38.854M.

Of total revenue, $38.7M was received in funding from various government sources including the Department of Social Services, Attorney-General’s Department, NSW Department of Communities and Justice, Legal Aid NSW and Primary Health Networks.

Additional Financial Report details are available on our website.

Governance

Relationships Australia NSW is a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in Australia and governed by a Board of Directors. We are grateful to our Board of Directors for their guidance and support.

Board Members from 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023:

• CHAIR: CHRIS BERTINSHAW (RETIRED 18 NOV 2022)

DR STEPHEN HOLLINGS (APPOINTED 18 NOV 2022)

• VICE CHAIR: STEVE RUST

CEO from 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023: ELISABETH SHAW

• ANDREA CHRISTIE-DAVID

• KATIE MOORE

• SANJAY SRIDHER

• KATHRYN GREINER AO

• CAMERON O’REILLY

• LIZ FORSYTH (STARTED FEB 2023)

Thank You to Our Valued Supporters, Funders + Partners

Thanks to our amazing supporters, we’ve been able to work provide invaluable relationship support services to our customers and community.

Your contributions, both financial and otherwise, have made all the difference during the past 12 months. With your vital support, we’ve been able to help more than 33,000 people from across New South Wales through another challenging year.

We’d also like to acknowledge all the incredible community organisations who we collaborate with to provide responsive, accessible services across New South Wales. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Funders

Partners

As we celebrate 75 years, we celebrate you. We are here to support you to build strong, healthy relationships in all areas of your lives, to enjoy all the richness that brings.

Quality relationships are the fabric of full and meaningful lives, resonant partnerships, connected families, vibrant cultures, thriving organisations and healthy societies. REL

T E O E

T H R

They connect us to ourselves, and each other, and to the world we all shape and share.

ATIONSHIP