The core of Open Family Australia’s business is the provision of assertive outreach support and intensive case management for at-risk and homeless youth - that is we engage with young people one-on-one, on their terms and in their environment, to effectively build a trusting relationship and to connect them with other youth related services. Street frequenting young people face a myriad of complex needs and our model of assertive outreach provides for long-term support to address the complex needs of each individual, rather than applying a ‘one size fits all’ approach to a larger audience. We provide comprehensive ongoing support in all aspects of a young person’s life, rather than just concentrating on one issue, supporting the young person across all of their needs and helping to integrate them back into mainstream society.
Early intervention, that is intervention before or in the early stages of homelessness, is an important component of Open Family Australia’s model of assertive outreach. Without successful intervention, at-risk and homeless young people are more likely to transition from youth to adult (chronic) homelessness. Applying strategies to overcome disadvantage while young people are still in school is the most effective form of intervention and is less intensive than trying to address the issue once a young person becomes chronically homeless.
The risk to disadvantaged young people is that without early intervention they will find it increasingly difficult to break away from a transient lifestyle and associated street culture.
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.
Prevention