Boys and young men have become an increasing focus of public anxiety in recent years, with politicians and pundits expressing concern about boys’ educational underachievement, increasing rates of suicide and poor mental health, and involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour. One explanation for the so-called ‘problem’ of boys is that young men today lack positive male role models – leading to initiatives to recruit more men to work with boys.

But is this really the case? Does it really make a difference if boys are surrounded by positive male role models? And how much do we really know about the role of gender in working with boys – whether in schools, youth clubs, or other kinds of services? Martin Robb has spent the last two years leading a research project exploring these issues and will share some of its findings.