To Be A Boy

In this wonderfully hopeful episode of To Be a Boy, Joeli speaks to Professor Seán Redmond about boys, belonging and how children can be drawn into criminal networks. Drawing on decades of youth justice experience and his landmark Greentown research, Seán explains why punishment alone rarely works — and why young people need accountability, safe spaces and trusted adults who believe nothing is ever too bad to talk about. He believes that things can always be fixed.

REPPP - Research Evidence into Policy, Programmes and Practice
https://www.ul.ie/artsoc/ccjvs/research/youth-justice/reppp

In this episode of To Be A Boy, Joeli and Elliott are joined by podcast BFF, couples coach, father of three and Be a Happier Parent host Alex Trippier for a raw (seriously, get your tissues READY), funny and deeply honest conversation about modern fatherhood. Together, they explore the mental load, anger, repair, school refusal, resilience, sensitive boys, the manosphere, porn, consent and what it really takes to raise boys without passing on old models of fear, toughness and control. From the shame of losing your temper to the power of apology, Alex makes the case for parenting with more connection, more courage and a lot less certainty.https://www.instagram.com/beahappierparent/

In this episode of To Be A Boy, Joeli and Elliott unpack the newly announced social media ban for under-16s: from TikTok, YouTube and Roblox to VPNs, WhatsApp and the very real risk that teenagers are simply left to “stare at the wall”.
They ask whether the ban is a necessary cultural reset, a blunt instrument, or both. They also look at what young people need instead: youth clubs, third spaces, safer online communities, and more honest support for families. Plus, a detour into The Care Gap, boys and domestic responsibility, dinner fatigue, England football feelings, and Elliott’s surprisingly nerve-wracking mission to give men flowers for Father’s Day.

Joeli and Elliott are joined by Shuab Gamote, advocate for young people, strategic adviser to the NEETs Commission, and co-author of Inside the Mind of a 16-Year-Old.
Shuab has spoken to more than 1,000 young people across the UK, and in this conversation he shares what they are really saying about school, work, confidence, social media, COVID, class, AI, safety, and the future. Together, they explore why so many boys feel misunderstood, why the education system is failing some young people, and why confidence, purpose, trusted adults and real-world opportunities matter so much.
It’s a wide-ranging, hopeful and deeply human conversation about what boys are navigating today, and what parents, schools, employers and policymakers can do to help them feel seen, valued and ready for the world ahead.

In a world of social media, body pressures, dating confusion and manosphere content that’s only getting louder, what does it mean to be a young man right now?

In this episode, Elliott and Joeli speak to Ricardo Barcello, a 19-year-old student and member of the Movember Youth Advisory Board, about what life really feels like for young men today. From gym culture and skincare anxiety to friendship, misogyny, dating and the growing divide between boys and girls, Ricardo brings honesty, empathy and much-needed nuance to the conversation.