IN the past 12 months, the Rosewood community has experienced some problems with youth on the streets late at night causing mischief.

Realising that the police and justice system were limited in how they could help, the pastors of some of the local churches got together.

Individually we couldn't do much, but together we could help resource someone to work with the young people.

We invited Younglife Australia, who had a good record mentoring youth in Ipswich, to partner us in walking with these kids.

We also approached the Ipswich City Council, police, local businesses, the Lions Club and sporting organisations that were keen to find a better solution to social problems in the community.

A Younglife youth worker is now working within the local high school and one night a week on the streets building relationships with these kids and their families.

To help us build momentum, the Ipswich City Council and Younglife organised the first Rosewood Youth Festival at the local skate park on 6 July.

There were local bands and dancers, free food and drinks, and a craft workshop.

The kids also had displays of their own with skateboard and bike tricks.

The dancers taught some of the "oldies" how to do the "shuffle".

I found out that I was about 40 years and 40 kilos too late to do it but had fun trying!

Sometimes we have to think outside the box to reach out to the community.

In this case, we have combined resources between churches and people in the community to work out solutions to social problems.

We have also set up a group that has representatives of all the stakeholders to formulate strategies for building a better community.

Photo : From left: Younglife youth worker James Beutell, Baptist Pastor Will Mogensen and Rev Peter Blauw. Photo courtesy of Peter Blauw