The Redskins Basketball Club evolved as a consequence from a small group of twenty young males (14 - 16 years) who regularly played basketball at the newly formed Sunshine YCW Sports Centre (now called RecWest) in Braybrook. These young people formed several teams and entered into the 1995 Sunshine Basketball Association's competition. Their team name at the time was "Ricochet".
The cultural backgrounds of these young people was very diverse, including Asian, Eastern European, African, South American and Anglo-Saxon. Many came from low socio-economic backgrounds, experimenting with drugs and alcohol and testing society's rules. At the time, many of the players were experiencing, among other issues, financial hardship. They were constantly using their living expenses to pay fees to gain access to the Centre, purchase basketball uniforms, train and play basketball. This resulted in individuals not having enough money for other necessities such as food, clothing and education material.
Basketball offered these young people a release from society's pressures and gave them a sense of purpose, self-respect and acceptance. Problems such as team violence, aggression, lack of self-discipline and self-control were experienced at the time and it was decided a name change was needed to start fresh with a new team and a new vision. Thus the Redskins Basketball Club was formed in mid 1997 with 20 registered players. Jim Markovski from Open Family Australia was instrumental in establishing policies and the Club's future direction. Jim has worked with the different groups and also the sponsors at the time to establish a Club ethos. This ethos would not only see the youth learn to have fun and enjoy the game of basketball in its correct context of fair-play, but would also provide an environment where other counseling and services could work with these young people in a non-threatening manner.
In 2009, 416 young people played in in the Sunshine Basketball Association's domestic competition. The Redskins Basketball Club is a shining example of how sport can change a young person's life and enable them to feel a part of their community.
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.
