About The Boys [Boys]

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

20240502

[LISTEN NOW]"

20240503

[LISTEN NOW]"

Becoming A Man

20240429

20240821 (R4)

In this episode, teenage boys all over the UK talk candidly to Catherine Carr about what it is like to be a boy in 2024. They reflect on where they get their ideas about masculinity from, and whether those might be different if they lived elsewhere in the country. They also discuss the importance of role models - if they have them. Catherine also hears from adults making a difference in boys' lives and finds out how examples of masculinity online can put real pressure on boys thinking about what it means to be a ‘successful man'.

South Dartmoor Community College

Dr Martin Robb, Open University

DRMZ Carmarthen Youth Project

Thomas Lynch from Dad's Rock

Elliott Rae Founder of MusicFootballFatherhood

Cambridge St Giles Cricket Club

Dance United Yorkshire

Movember

Rebecca Asher Author ‘Man Up How Do Boys Become Better Men?

Teenage boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about their ideas of masculinity.

Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about being boys, becoming men, their ideas of masculinity and role models.

Green Lane Masjid Birmingham

Life Online

20240430

20240828 (R4)

In this episode, teenage boys all over the UK talk candidly to Catherine Carr about their lives online. They talk about playing together - while being alone, about lockdown and about the differences they see in the ways that girls and boys socialise. Experts provide evidence for boys' online habits from social media to YouTube. Boys reflect on what life might be like in an analogue world and describe how social media can be used to build e-commerce businesses from their phones. There's also talk about porn, (and porn addiction), its effects on boys and their sexual relationships, and how sex seems to colour everything online.

DRMZ Carmarthen Youth Project

Cambridge Museum of Computing

Zach Rausch New York University

The Boys' Brigade (Glasgow Battalion)

Haberdashers' Boys School

Brook Advisory

Craig Haslop University of Liverpool

Freddie Feltham The News Movement

Olivia Dickinson

Teenage boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about their lives online.

Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about gaming, socialising online, social media and porn.

In this episode, teenage boys all over the UK talk candidly to Catherine Carr about their lives online. They talk about playing together - while being alone, about lockdown and about the differences they see in the ways that girls and boys socialise. Experts provide evidence for boys' online habits from social media to Youtube. Boys reflect on what life might be like in an analogue world and describe how social media can be used to build e-commerce businesses from their phones. The episode also talks about porn, (and porn addiction) its effects on boys and their sexual relationships and how sex seems to colour everything online.

Education

20240501

20240904 (R4)

In this episode, teenage boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about their school lives. She hears their take on their behaviour at school, the importance of the memories they are making with friends and, critically, the importance of trusted relationships with adults while in education. Teachers also share the results of work done to close the attainment gap between boys and girls, and Catherine visits a pioneering project which is designed to intervene early in boys' lives, to help them achieve academically.

Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic School, Rochdale

Taking Boys seriously, Ulster University

Dance United Yorkshire

DRMZ Carmarthen Youth Project

Oasis Multi Academy Trust

Johanna Primary school, Waterloo

Mark Brooks OBE

Steve Chalke MBE

Boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about how they feel about school.

Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about education, behaviour and crucially: their relationships with adults at school.

Thanks to

Producer: Catherine Carr

Researcher: Jill Achineku

Executive Producer: Marie Helly

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Exploring the challenges facing boys and young men in Britain today.

Sex And Consent

20240502

[LISTEN NOW]

Sex And Consent

20240502

20240911 (R4)

In this episode, boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex, relationships and consent. In a post #MeToo and #Everyone'sInvited world, the boys talk very openly about their fears and anxieties around sex - especially to do with false allegations of assault. They also describe the pressures and the confusion they feel when trying to form physical and romantic relationships. Boys talk about the roles they feel they have to play and the difficulties in being both tough and emotionally open. Catherine also hears some of the work being done in schools and colleges designed to help boys and girls to communicate more openly and talks to a lawyer who works defending boys accused of sexual crime.

Thanks to

Haberdashers' Boys School

Ben Dunks - author of ‘Intimacy: A Guide for Young Men About Sex.

South Dartmoor Community College

Brook Advisory

Sandra Paul, Kingsley Napley

Beyond Equality

Producer: Catherine Carr

Researcher: Jill Achineku

Executive Producer: Marie Helly

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex, consent and relationships.

Exploring the challenges facing boys and young men in Britain today.

Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex and relationships in a post #MeToo environment.

Haberdashers' Boys School

Ben Dunks - author of ‘Intimacy: A Guide for YOung Men About Sex.

South Dartmoor Community College

Brook Advisory

Sandra Paul, Kingsley Napley

Beyond Equality

Boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex, consent and relationships.

Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex and relationships in a post #MeToo environment.

Friendship

20240503

[LISTEN NOW]

Friendship

20240503

20240918 (R4)

In this episode, boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about friendship. Some talk about the difficulty they have in expressing emotions to friends and their fear of being vulnerable. Others reflect on the importance of honest relationships in maintaining good mental health. Boys talk about not fitting the stereotypical masculine moulds and how that can cause difficulties in making friends with other boys. Catherine also speaks to experts who have studied boys and friendship for the last forty years and finally learns about some of the ways that male friendship groups can form hierarchies.

Thanks to

Carlton Keighley school, Yorkshire

Dance United Yorkshire

DRMZ Carmarthen Youth Project

@panchbantz on Instagram

Niobe Way Author Deep Secrets: Boys Friendships and the Crisis of Connection

Ben Hine, British Psychological Society

Producer: Catherine Carr

Researcher: Jill Achineku

Executive Producer: Marie Helly

A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4

Boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about their friendships and friendship groups.

Exploring the challenges facing boys and young men in Britain today.

Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about how they make friends and explain hierarchies in (some) male friendship groups.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
		20240502		[LISTEN NOW]"
		20240503		[LISTEN NOW]"
01	Becoming A Man	20240429	20240821 (R4)	In this episode, teenage boys all over the UK talk candidly to Catherine Carr about what it is like to be a boy in 2024. They reflect on where they get their ideas about masculinity from, and whether those might be different if they lived elsewhere in the country. They also discuss the importance of role models - if they have them. Catherine also hears from adults making a difference in boys' lives and finds out how examples of masculinity online can put real pressure on boys thinking about what it means to be a ‘successful man'. South Dartmoor Community College Dr Martin Robb, Open University DRMZ Carmarthen Youth Project Thomas Lynch from Dad's Rock Elliott Rae Founder of MusicFootballFatherhood Cambridge St Giles Cricket Club Dance United Yorkshire Movember Rebecca Asher Author ‘Man Up How Do Boys Become Better Men? Teenage boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about their ideas of masculinity. Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about being boys, becoming men, their ideas of masculinity and role models. Green Lane Masjid Birmingham
02	Life Online	20240430	20240828 (R4)	In this episode, teenage boys all over the UK talk candidly to Catherine Carr about their lives online. They talk about playing together - while being alone, about lockdown and about the differences they see in the ways that girls and boys socialise. Experts provide evidence for boys' online habits from social media to YouTube. Boys reflect on what life might be like in an analogue world and describe how social media can be used to build e-commerce businesses from their phones. There's also talk about porn, (and porn addiction), its effects on boys and their sexual relationships, and how sex seems to colour everything online. DRMZ Carmarthen Youth Project Cambridge Museum of Computing Zach Rausch New York University The Boys' Brigade (Glasgow Battalion) Haberdashers' Boys School Brook Advisory Craig Haslop University of Liverpool Freddie Feltham The News Movement Olivia Dickinson Teenage boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about their lives online. Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about gaming, socialising online, social media and porn. In this episode, teenage boys all over the UK talk candidly to Catherine Carr about their lives online. They talk about playing together - while being alone, about lockdown and about the differences they see in the ways that girls and boys socialise. Experts provide evidence for boys' online habits from social media to Youtube. Boys reflect on what life might be like in an analogue world and describe how social media can be used to build e-commerce businesses from their phones. The episode also talks about porn, (and porn addiction) its effects on boys and their sexual relationships and how sex seems to colour everything online.
03	Education	20240501	20240904 (R4)	In this episode, teenage boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about their school lives. She hears their take on their behaviour at school, the importance of the memories they are making with friends and, critically, the importance of trusted relationships with adults while in education. Teachers also share the results of work done to close the attainment gap between boys and girls, and Catherine visits a pioneering project which is designed to intervene early in boys' lives, to help them achieve academically. Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic School, Rochdale Taking Boys seriously, Ulster University Dance United Yorkshire DRMZ Carmarthen Youth Project Oasis Multi Academy Trust Johanna Primary school, Waterloo Mark Brooks OBE Steve Chalke MBE Boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about how they feel about school. Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about education, behaviour and crucially: their relationships with adults at school. Thanks to Producer: Catherine Carr Researcher: Jill Achineku Executive Producer: Marie Helly A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4 Exploring the challenges facing boys and young men in Britain today.
04	Sex And Consent	20240502		[LISTEN NOW]
04	Sex And Consent	20240502	20240911 (R4)	In this episode, boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex, relationships and consent. In a post #MeToo and #Everyone'sInvited world, the boys talk very openly about their fears and anxieties around sex - especially to do with false allegations of assault. They also describe the pressures and the confusion they feel when trying to form physical and romantic relationships. Boys talk about the roles they feel they have to play and the difficulties in being both tough and emotionally open. Catherine also hears some of the work being done in schools and colleges designed to help boys and girls to communicate more openly and talks to a lawyer who works defending boys accused of sexual crime. Thanks to Haberdashers' Boys School Ben Dunks - author of ‘Intimacy: A Guide for Young Men About Sex. South Dartmoor Community College Brook Advisory Sandra Paul, Kingsley Napley Beyond Equality Producer: Catherine Carr Researcher: Jill Achineku Executive Producer: Marie Helly A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4 Boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex, consent and relationships. Exploring the challenges facing boys and young men in Britain today. Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex and relationships in a post #MeToo environment. In this episode, boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex, relationships and consent. In a post #MeToo and #Everyone'sInvited world, the boys talk very openly about their fears and anxieties around sex - especially to do with false allegations of assault. They also describe the pressures and the confusion they feel when trying to form physical and romantic relationships. Boys talk about the roles they feel they have to play and the difficulties in being both tough and emotionally open. Catherine also hears some of the work being done in schools and colleges designed to help boys and girls to communicate more openly and talks to a lawyer who works defending boys accused of sexual crime. Haberdashers' Boys School Ben Dunks - author of ‘Intimacy: A Guide for YOung Men About Sex. South Dartmoor Community College Brook Advisory Sandra Paul, Kingsley Napley Beyond Equality Boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex, consent and relationships. Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about sex and relationships in a post #MeToo environment.
05	Friendship	20240503		[LISTEN NOW]
05	Friendship	20240503	20240918 (R4)	In this episode, boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about friendship. Some talk about the difficulty they have in expressing emotions to friends and their fear of being vulnerable. Others reflect on the importance of honest relationships in maintaining good mental health. Boys talk about not fitting the stereotypical masculine moulds and how that can cause difficulties in making friends with other boys. Catherine also speaks to experts who have studied boys and friendship for the last forty years and finally learns about some of the ways that male friendship groups can form hierarchies. Thanks to Carlton Keighley school, Yorkshire Dance United Yorkshire DRMZ Carmarthen Youth Project @panchbantz on Instagram Niobe Way Author Deep Secrets: Boys Friendships and the Crisis of Connection Ben Hine, British Psychological Society Producer: Catherine Carr Researcher: Jill Achineku Executive Producer: Marie Helly A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4 Boys all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about their friendships and friendship groups. Exploring the challenges facing boys and young men in Britain today. Teenage boys from all over the UK talk to Catherine Carr about how they make friends and explain hierarchies in (some) male friendship groups.