Working with young people that use violence in the home

RMIT's Graduate Certificate in Domestic and Family Violence is delighted to invite you to this important in person panel discussion. This forum will explore models of practice and interventions in working with young people who use violence in the home. Speakers at this free event include: 

MC:

Anastasia Powell is Professor of Family & Sexual Violence, in Criminology & Justice Studies at RMIT University, and a board director of Our Watch. Anastasia has over 20 years' experience as a researcher, educator, author and advocate for change. She teaches into the Graduate Certificate in Domestic and Family Violence, and her research specialises in responses, policy and prevention of gendered violence. Anastasia's current research projects concern technology-facilitated abuse, as well as long-term recovery and healing in the aftermath of family and sexual violence. 

Panel Speakers:

• Karalyn Davies is a Senior Project Manager at the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare. Her role is focused on identifying current interventions, practice resources and tools to assist the child and family service sector and specialist family violence sector in responding to the needs of young people who use violence in the home. The role involves extensive consultations with the service sector and government departments, facilitation of the specialist Adolescent Violence In The Home Community of Practice, and the development of webinars and training material that supports good practice. 
  
  
• Larisa Freiverts is a clinical family therapist with 25 years’ experience working in the community sector. Larisa has specialised in working with adolescents and their families with a key focus on trauma and the impacts of violence on relationships. Larisa has been the team leader and senior family therapist of the Anglicare Victoria – Meridian Youth & Family Therapy Team since 2009. This team is a multi-funded, specialist adolescent family violence service which provides support to young people predominately aged 10-23 years and their families. The team developed the ‘Breaking the Cycle’ groupwork program 30 years ago, and have been in the forefront of work with adolescent violence in the home, since this time.
  
  
• Ruby Bennett is Acting Manager of Family Violence and Justice Services at Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-Operative. Ruby's experience in community services began in family services in 2020, where she worked as a Case Manager and Senior Case Manager, delivering Integrated Family Services and Family Preservation & Reunification programs.  Her current team consists of youth justice workers, adult justice workers and family violence practitioners. Ruby's role within the Family Violence Team has seen her oversee the Adolescent's Using Violence in The Home (AVITH) program, which has recently launched at Wathaurong. Ruby also graduated from RMIT's Grad Cert in Domestic and Family Violence in 2024.
  
  
• Kate Ball is a Principal Policy officer within the MARAMIS Unit at Family Safety Victoria. Kate is currently overseeing the development of the new MARAM Practice Guidance, supporting practitioners to engage directly with young people using violence.  

Registrations are now open to enrol in the Graduate Certificate in Domestic and Family Violence.For more information about the Certificate, visit the RMIT website.