The Barkantine Estate’s perceived isolation outweighs its actual isolation in part due to a lack of engagement with the wider community. Any project should seek to raise aspiration levels within the local youth by building links with the wider local community on as equitable a basis as possible. While there is obviously an awareness of the problem there are significant risks that any engagement may be seen as tokenistic or a hand out if it is funded and driven by private interests. Any engagement should be largely determined by the youth themselves.

DSWC represents a real opportunity to build that engagement through the running of ‘corporate events’ where local volunteers are trained to ensure the safety and well-being of those taking part empowering local youth in an environment of mutual trust. While rivalry may always be part of the dynamic between the higher income residents and the Barkantine Estate it could be channelled into a sporting environment boosting the self-confidence of those participating.

The project should aim to provide a diverse range of skills and training opportunities, including paid apprenticeships, beyond increased access to the leisure and services employment sector to ensure its long-term relevance. Building links that allow participants to go on to further training and education should they wish to should be seen as integral to the project.

The project should also consider providing a framework for a shared identity for the Barkantine youths to foster better relations between different ethnicities on the estate removing or channelling the propensity for gang related anti social behaviour.