Under their sports vocational programme, 12 young men, once deemed as ‘at risk of drifting into serious crime’ , have completed community sports leadership award courses such as the Duke of Edinburgh and are also qualified in first aid and child protection. Many of them had ASBOs or were under ABCs.

This is all funded by the Positive Futures project, which runs 108 youth projects throughout the UK, in each of the 30 worst affected areas of drug-related crime in the country. Also involved were CivicWatch, a unique partnership project that not only tackles anti-social behaviour and poor environmental conditions, but also signposts alternatives for offenders. Included in CivicWatch are Westminster Council, the Police and the Fire Brigade as well as local communities. The scheme aims to improve the sense of public safety and community confidence in specific areas.

Six of the young men are now employed by the council; the other six found jobs with the post office or on building sites. Last month Westminster confirmed funding for a further three years, and the scheme will be rolled out to other deprived parts of the borough. In addition, some of the first 12 youths will be mentoring new recruits to the scheme