THOUSANDS of people will unite at the Beat the Street Community Festival on October 15 to help wipe out youth homelessness in the Moreton Bay community. 

The free festival will showcase musical performances from headline act Sydney band New Empire, Dissonance, a national beat box artist Joel Turner and Gold Coast band Burning Brooklyn.

Entertainment will kick-off mid-afternoon with a high school Battle of the Bands competition. Finalists have written a song themed around youth homelessness. The winner will receive a trophy and have their song professionally recorded at a studio.  

Commentary from local Caboolture boy Keith Urban will feature in The Couch Surfing Arena, where attendees can have their photo taken to show support for those at risk of homelessness in the bayside precinct.

Couch surfing describes a situation where a young person is between accommodation without secure housing elsewhere. Often it includes the young person moving between houses of their family and friends.

The festival will also provide a variety of stalls to keep families entertained, hot food, cold snacks and beverages and will feature a fireworks display.

Beat the Street is part of the Reconnect program, administered by Intercept Youth and Family Service.  Reconnect is an early intervention program working with 12 to18-year-olds and is funded by the Federal Government.

Intercept Youth and Family Service Manager Michelle Barton said the festival will lift the profile of youth homelessness.

“Statistics have shown many adults who are currently homeless began the journey while they were teenagers,” she said.

“All of our clients have been through homelessness at some stage and we have met more than 250 since we started three years ago.”

Redcliffe State High School Principal Shona McKinlay said the school supported the festival’s vision to provide young people in the community with stable housing, more support and positive relationships.

“We have students who are homeless and it’s important for us to support Intercept Youth and Family Service who are helping to care for our kids,” she said.

“Students are our future and if they can show support and care about their fellow students it’s a sign of working toward building a better and brighter future.

“There will be a number of students participating and we want to get behind our entrants who are particularly talented and we think they are in with a good chance to win it.”

Redcliffe State High School student Mike Murrell, 16, is one of the Battle of the Bands acoustic entrants playing the guitar alongside singer Julie Miller.

“It will be exciting to get up in front of a crowd for a good cause and a great experience,” he said.

“The first verse of our song is about a girl who’s homeless and struggling, the second verse is about a guy who is homeless and the final verse talks about helping them.

“I had no idea homelessness was so prevalent in this area and it would be good to see these homeless kids get some important help.”

Member for Morayfield Mark Ryan said the festival would raise awareness of youth homlessness and link people at risk with the available support strategies.

“Then they can reengage with the community and become positive contributors out there,” he said.

“Ultimately community problems require a community solution and the more a community gets behind a great initiative like this, the closer we will be at receiving real results for these people.

“I commend Intercept Youth and Family Service not only for this festival but for also being so committed and connected to the community by providing support for people in need each day.”

Catching public transport to Centenary Lakes will be the best way to get to the festival. Limited parking will be available at Centenary Lakes and the nearest train station is Caboolture about one kilometre away.

Intercept is funded through the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.