Male Allies UK launches new Voice of the Boys research in Parliament

The Preston-based inclusion company released their report at the House of Commons

Male Allies UK, an organisation focused on men's engagement in inclusion, inclusive leadership and fostering the skills of allyship, has release a new piece of research this month.

The Voice of the Boys Report, which features the perspective of over 1000 boys from across the UK, was launched in Parliament to a national audience.

The research focuses on boys perspectives on technology, their future, masculinity and the education system.

This research was carried out across 37 different schools, and featured students between the ages of 11 and 15. After an initial survey, listening sessions where carried out to go deeper on topics that mattered to the boys and to listen to things that they wanted adults to know about their lives.

Alongside the significant work of Male Allies UK's chief executuve, Lee Chambers, and the boys perspectives, contributors included academics, practitioners who work in schools and experts in sociology and psychology.

The report was backed by Samantha Niblett MP, who opened the report launch advising the need to listen to boys and bring them in to creating the future is more important than ever.

Some of the key findings from the report include:

• 81 per cent of boys don’t feel there are enough spaces to be a boy today.
• 72 per cent of boys don’t have more than one person who knows them ‘really well’.
• 79 per cent of boys aren’t clear what masculinity is.
• 65 per cent of boys don’t think school is preparing them for the future.
• 54 per cent of boys think boys have it harder than girls today.
• 82 per cent of boys don’t trust politicians in the UK.

Lee Chambers said: "It's been a labour of love, travelling across the UK listening to boys from many different backgrounds. Some conversations frightened me, but others inspired me.

"Boys really do care a lot more than we realise, are more discerning than we think, but are living in a world with challenges, influences and a lot of uncertainty. I felt it was important to bring their voices straight to the place where policies are crafted. And this, is what we did."

The research was reported in the Guardian, the Independent and HuffPost, while Lee Chambers was interviewed about the report on BBC Woman's Hour.

This research has influenced the Male Allies UK team to commission further research into the impact of AI comapanions and girlfriends on boys, which will be released in early 2026.

To find out more about Male Allies UK's work with organisations, find out more here.

And to download a copy of the research, it is now available here.