Fifteen British army vehicles pull into Legahory, a working-class area of Craigavon. The soldiers begin searching a row of derelict houses frequented by drug users.
"UTH" is sprayed on street signs nearby and on wire fencing surrounding Moylinn House, a community centre situated just yards from the security operation. "Up the Hoods," explains Mr Michael McGoldrick, the project co-ordinator of the 1825 youth project, based at the centre. "It isn't paramilitary, there isn't even sectarianism in this estate - there're cross-community hoods."
Burnt-out cars are a common sight in the area and, in a recent shooting incident on a nearby estate, an 18-year-old shot another youth in the ankles for stealing his money. Two pupils were injured in a stabbing incident in school toilets earlier this year. Mr McGoldrick speaks enthusiastically about the 1825 project, which operates in seven areas around Craigavon, Portadown and Lurgan - areas deeply scarred by the Troubles and ongoing sectarian tensions.
His uncle, Mr Michael McGoldrick, also works with the project, bringing youths on trips to Romania to distribute aid for United Christian Aid. He helped found the charity after the killing of his son, also Michael, by the Loyalist Volunteer Force in 1996 at the height of the second year of Drumcree disturbances.
"A year ago there was no positive contact with young men in this area whatsoever. But a social worker has told me recently that our work is effectively reaching some of them and it's having a huge preventative effect.
"We know we can't solve all the ills. There are bad boys on both sides that we will never reach but you have to roll the dice and see what happens," said Mr McGoldrick.
Drumgor/Drumellan is the only religiously mixed area. Six additional areas divide down religious lines - the Catholic Parkmore, North Lurgan, and Garvaghy Road areas and the Protestant Mourneview and Grey estates, Killicomaine and Portadown West.
Project workers walked through neighbourhoods, visiting local hangouts to ask young men if they were interested in becoming involved. Their mission was to help transform the negative label attached to the young men and instead listen to them.
Ms Lucy Duffy, one project worker, admitted she had initial reservations about working in the Drumgor/Drumellan area. Violence forced her out of a flat on the estate five years ago and she now lives in Lurgan. "There were numerous incidents. I even had a bottle held to my throat but I eventually left when ten glue-sniffing teenagers broke into my flat when I was there. I was terrified and moved out. They burnt out the flat after I'd gone."
She is now glad she returned to work on the estate. But she is concerned the scheme may not continue past June, when funding from the Craigavon District Partnership runs out. One youth, David Greene (17), a member of the project group in Drumgor, felt the project had equipped him well for job interviews. He was recently short-listed for a factory job but says his long-term goal is to be a youth worker. "The biggest thing around here is drugs. A lot of people are hooked around the estate," he says.
Seven youths from Drumgor recently became the first graduates of the 1825 project after completing a 10-month scheme. The occasion was marked by an award ceremony attended by the Ulster Unionist Mayor of Craigavon, Mr Fred Crowe, a long-time friend of party leader, Mr David Trimble.
Mr Crowe made no promises for future funding of the project, but added "it would be a pity if this effort was lost in any way."
The project can be contacted at www.eighteen20five.net