Boys Impact 2025, Reflections from the Back Row

Daniel Todd 4 Oct 2025

It’s funny, when I work with young men, I usually try to keep the back row closed off to stop them sitting there. But that’s exactly where I found myself over the two days, engaged with those around me, but out of the hustle and bustle of the front and middle rows of a full lecture theatre.

The Boys Impact Conference has become an essential event for anyone serious about improving outcomes for young men. Hundreds attended across the two days for their biggest event yet, and the energy in the room reflected a growing sense of ambition and momentum across the sector.

Last year was mine and Cosmos’s first year involved, and it felt new and exciting. Since then we have been actively involved in various Boys Impact hubs and this year felt more like a community gaining more and more momentum. There were more of the right people in the room, more organisations getting involved, and more conversations shifting the support for young men in exciting ways.

Last year was mine and Cosmos’s first time attending, and it felt new and exciting. Since then, we’ve been actively involved in several Boys Impact Hubs — and this year felt more like being part of a growing community gathering more and more momentum. More of the right people in the room. More organisations invested. More conversations shifting support for young men in exciting ways.

From topics like masculinity and mental health to AI, deepfakes, and algorithms, the sessions reminded us: if we don’t engage boys early, someone else will.

Primary education entering the frame

One of the most promising developments was the added focus on primary education.

For the first time, a full panel of primary school leaders shared the action they are taking, and hearing from them was brilliant. Their message was clear: the challenges boys face don’t begin at 14 or 15. They start much earlier.

It was interesting to hear how even at primary age, it’s still more often than not boys, struggling in the classroom, working with the TA, or ending up in front of the headteacher. The behaviours are often the same – just in smaller bodies.

It is still early days, but having primary properly enter the conversation felt like an important step, and one that can only be positive.

Listening Rooms

I’ll be honest, Professor Richard Waller’s reference to an old Radio 4 feature, ‘Listening Rooms’, went a bit over my head. But the research approach itself didn’t.

Developed and implemented by Emma Heron at Sheffield Hallam, it involved young men being paired with friends from similar backgrounds – one in higher education, the other not. They were given prompt cards and asked to record their conversations on key topics. No researchers were present. No pressure. Just honest conversations.

The recordings were then transcribed and discussed through roundtable analysis with people in a position to affect change with the insights.

It felt like a powerful, non-intimidating way to give young men space to share. It ties in with something I’ve always believed (and reinforced with what I heard at last year’s conference): if you give boys the space to talk, they will.

Talking back to the algorithm

AI, deepfakes, the manosphere, and media literacy were also part of the discussion.

Professor Debbie Ging from Dublin City University led some eye-opening conversations around algorithms and how quickly boys can be drawn into manosphere content.

The study discussed, involved creating fake male profiles to see how quickly they received manosphere content. Some accounts deliberately searched for manosphere topics. Others searched only for things common among young men, like “how to make money” or “gym workouts.” I mean, I’m 34, and I search for those too. The results were shockingly similar. Within hours, both groups were flooded with harmful messaging. Short video after short video.

The room laughed at some of the clips – the way these men spoke, the values they claimed to promote. Beliefs that feel so far removed from reality once you reach adulthood. But for younger men? It is easy to see how that messaging can resonate and stick.

The takeaway was clear: if we don’t offer a positive influence early, there are plenty of others ready to fill the gap.

The wider picture (and some honest moments)

Some significant stats and tough truths stood out:

As always, funding, or the lack of it, was a key topic. Schools do the best they can with limited resources. Ferndown Upper School, with Denine and Oliver, is a great example of work being undertaken with young men (a school we actually delivered Marginal Gains in many years ago!)
Many schools are trying to build their own internal alternative provision, but again, the lack of funding is holding many back
It’s been 21 years since any major research explored how teachers view relationships with boys in the classroom. That gap says a lot.
One recent study found that only 5% of participating teachers reported having spaces where boys could talk about their mental health. No wonder many seek answers online.
The UK ranks poorly (one of the worst) for NEET rates (young people not in education, employment, or training). Other countries have nearly returned to pre-COVID levels. We have not, and the gap is widening.
There were strong calls to address the lack of recognition for disadvantaged young men in national policy and Access and Participation Plans. They are still too often overlooked.

Side note

Am I the only person in this field who hasn’t written a book yet? I might have to add that to my to-do list for 2026.

New voices, big reminders and relationships matter

Relationships came up frequently. They always do. But this year, the reminder hit harder: OFSTED doesn’t inspect relationships. League tables don’t recognise them, and often our systems don’t support them. Yet we all know they are crucial for progress with boys.

The Lost Boys Taskforce stood out too – chaired by the CEO of Brighton & Hove Albion FC , it’s a rapidly growing national network focused on ensuring no boy is left behind, by pairing them with a reliable adult. I’ve already looked into how Cosmos and I can get involved.

One of the student speakers also left a lasting impression. He discussed the importance of being relatable. For him, it was football. For someone else, it might be music, family, gaming, or faith. His message was clear: it’s not about being louder. It’s about finding common ground and not giving up on young men.

A space worth being in

On a personal level, the conference was a great chance to reconnect with colleagues and other brilliant people, including those I’ve only ever seen virtually.

We were also fortunate to contribute. We delivered a spotlight session sharing insights from our Marginal Gains programme, and its impact on confidence, resilience and the educational outcomes of young men. It was a fantastic opportunity to bring our real-world experiences into the room and hear how others are tackling similar challenges.

It was also a nice surprise to hear a teacher (Karen Lamb!), using images in her talk, from one of our recent Marginal Gains sessions with her students.

We’ve definitely reached a point where this conference is more than just a talking shop. It is a real opportunity to maintain momentum. Yes, you hear about research, but you also meet people doing the work, having tough conversations, and pushing for better in their schools, organisations and communities.

Looking ahead

There’s always more to do. But the energy, honesty, and connections over these two days reminded me why these spaces matter. Supporting young men isn’t just a one-off effort. It’s long-term, often complicated, and always evolving.

This work isn’t finished. If anything, it’s just getting started and I look forward to seeing where we’ll be next year.

For now, I’ll end with this which I think sums up working with young men perfectly:

Nurture the good. Confront the negative. Stay present in the messy middle.
(Dr Richard Gater, Boys Impact 2025)

P.S. I also want to mention that there were many more conversations, topics, keynotes, panels, and discussions I haven’t had the chance to mention. I apologise for that.

Thanks for reading,

Danny | Head of Content & Development

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