Now in its 20th year, the Back to School program continues to provide books and stationery to young people on the Living Away From Home Allowance, young people on bridging visas and young people from indigenous backgrounds. Since its inception, the program has supported well over 5,000 students in schools.
The costs of education can often burden families who are already living on or below the poverty line which often results in young people not being able to access the resources they need. Providing disadvantaged young people with the necessary tools to participate in their education increases the likelihood that they will continue with their education and assists to minimise disadvantage and discrimination.
People who experience disadvantage and homelessness as a young person are more likely to continue the cycle across their lifetime and education is a vital component of a young person’s ability to improve their personal circumstance, now and into the future.
In 2008, the program supported 286 young people from over 30 different ethnic backgrounds. Students were referred from over 80 secondary colleges as well as the tertiary institutions and other agencies. We also had a large number of students who came into the Footscray office to access text books in our office library.
The program is generously sponsored by the Schools Canteen Education Foundation of Australia and private donors.
“Without the support of the Back to School program, I may have ended up like my friends – with no education, no job prospects and probably addicted to drugs. Today I am employed full time as an accountant with a large logistics company and looking forward to a bright career and future.”
Karen, 22 years
Mum and I were fighting all the time and it wasn’t a happy place for me anymore. I had told Mum that one of her relatives had sexually abused me. I don’t know why but she didn’t believe me. I think that is what hurt me the most – I’m her daughter and she is supposed to protect me but when I finally got up the courage to tell her what had been going on, she turned her back on me.
In 2007, Open Family Australia secured funding through the Property Industry Foundation for the refurbishment and fit out for a mobile youth outreach service for Sydney. Recognising that Sydney's CBD is well catered for by other agencies, Open Family Australia decided to launch this service into Sydney's western suburbs, frequenting hot spots in the Warwick Farm, Liverpool and Fairfield regions. 
The Melbourne Chatterbox operates three nights a week in Melbourne's CBD and inner suburbs. The service is manned by a team of volunteers headed up by Open Family Australia's Volunteer Coordinator and Chatterbox Volunteer Committee. The service has been operational in Melbourne since 2002 and is proudly supported by Cabrini Health, the Tattersalls Foundation and PFD Foods.
Our recycled boutique stocks a large range of quality women's, men's and children's clothing and accessories as well as books and bric 'a' brac.
Open Family Australia works in Victoria and NSW, providing Outreach support to young people at risk in these communities. 
Assertive Outreach is a model that offers youth focused services to street frequenting young people in the environments where they congregate. This model of providing comprehensive ongoing support in all aspects of a young person’s life, rather than just concentrating on one issue is successful, as it provides the young person with support from a worker who is available for all their needs and who also works to integrate them into mainstream society.
