The Soccer Noodles program seeks to involve disadvantaged young people in Melbourne's Western suburbs in sport to improve their health and wellbeing. Through regular and structured physical activity, the project aims to provide a foundation for positive health outcomes, a constructive outlet for frustration and boredom and the development of skills in the areas of sport, leadership and social inclusion.
The Soccer Noodles developed from a research project in 2006, which studied the effect of using sport (in particular soccer) to decrease the dependency of alcohol and drug taking for young people.
From 2007, Open Family Australia has conducted this program adjunct to its Outreach work, giving young people with problematic drug and alcohol use the opportunity to train and compete in soccer. This program teaches the young person how a healthy life can enable him or her to avoid making detrimental decisions which affect their well being. The team plays under the banner of Footscray Mall United but is nicknamed the Soccer Noodles as they go out after training once a week and have a healthy meal at a noodles restaurant.
The team trains weekly and competes in a yearly competition as well as attending a variety of social activities. In 2008, the team participated in a "Healthy Eating" program which aimed at educating and encouraging Soccer Noodles team members in improving dietary habits. Five sessions were conducted by an accredited dietitian in a relaxed, interactive and fun environment. Each session focused on a different area of nutrition and involved group participation and discussion.
The program was highly successful with many of the participants feeling it was an added value to their existing training regime.
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.
