About the Institute

Mission Statement

To assist individuals, partners and families, in all their diversity, to achieve and maintain quality and meaningful lives through quality and meaningful relationships.

The Family Relationships Institute Inc. (RELATEWELL) is a non-profit educational community agency governed by a Board of Management. The Institute has no affiliations with any religious or political organisation. It is part funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

The Family Relationships Institute Inc. (RELATEWELL) was founded in 1978 by Don Burnard, a Senior Psychologist who specialises in Relationship Development Courses and Dr Ron Fitzgerald who was a Commissioner for the Education Section of the Henderson Poverty Report.

The objectives of the Institute are to provide, at significant life stage transitions, opportunities for individuals, couples and families to achieve enhanced relationship skills. RELATEWELL courses help participants recognise that they have the potential to be the experts in shaping fulfilling and meaningful relationships.

The Institute aims to provide courses at a price which keeps them within financial reach of the majority of people in the community. The Institute is incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act.

Statement of Purpose

• To foster an Australian culture which encourages the pursuit of quality and meaningful lives through quality and meaningful relationships.
• To build stronger families and communities.
• To develop innovative models of relationship, marriage and family education which are psychological, experiential and promote skills.
• To provide at significant life stage transitions opportunities for individuals, couples and families to achieve enhanced relationship skills.
• To enhance Australia’s cultural diversity through the provision of culturally sensitive workshops.
• To promote relating well and the nurturing of relationships within families and society as a continuing learning process for adults.
• To develop effective and cooperative partnerships with similar organisations within Australia and overseas.
• To provide psychologically based counselling at affordable prices.
• To influence government policy and directions so that proactive prevention to enhance relationships is taken as seriously as intervention, whether early or crisis, when couples and families experience problems.

To learn more About Us, join us at our September Annual General Meeting.