The Big Issue Morwell Street Soccer Program, which is supported by regional sports assembly GippSport, took home the inaugural Medibank Healthy Participation Award ahead of a strong field of nominees.

The program uses soccer to promote social inclusion and personal change for the homeless, marginalised and disadvantaged, and has grown considerably since its establishment nearly three years ago.

"Literally for the first three to six months it was me as coach and a few blokes kicking a ball around," Morwell Street Soccer coach Gene Parini said.

"Now, it varies but we have about 25 participants most weeks and over 100 have come through over the three years."

Parini said the award was "great reward for volunteers and participants of the program" and official volunteers were still to decide how to spend the $2000 prize money.

"We were very surprised, it's very important at that regional level to be acknowledged," Parini said.

"We've been brainstorming ideas on how to spend the prize money, maybe with some new equipment, or we might even spend it on other programs, it's a good problem to have."

He said the aim of street soccer was to demonstrate "how exercise can improve your life" and that the participants themselves were key to the program's success.

"I think (it is successful) because it's a regular thing; there are no breaks over the holidays, so they have that regular weekly contact, it's free and it's not competitive, we just encourage all participants to have a go," he said.

"Everyone is welcome and it's amazing how they react and adjust to people with different abilities, it's great."

The Big Issue Street Soccer program runs in Morwell Thursdays at the Morwell Town Common.

The program is free for men and women aged 16 years and older.

For more information email morwellsoccer@bigissue.org.au