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The Joseph Rowntree Foundation recently researched and published a report called Neighbourhood identity: people, time and place, which looked at three neighbourhoods in Stirling. In essence, it concludes that a neighbourhood’s reputation is set at an early stage and is difficult to change. Is that really surprising? Think of people. Once a reputation is established - especially a negative one - how hard is it shake? The person labelled the office gossip will not be trusted with anything but leaking information. A company with a poor health and safety reputation will have problems recruiting staff. And a neighbourhood with a poor reputation will have problems attracting tenants.
The main problem with the reputation issue is our attitude. Can we open our hearts and minds to the possibility of change? When we hear the tales of those who do turn troubled estates around, it’s not only because they change their attitude, but they get others around them to as well.
Yes, better infrastructure is often needed - but it starts with our attitude about ourselves and our environment which is what will make the difference.
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