Middlesex University is working with pupils from William Ellis School in Camden to help them talk about what it means to be a teenage boy in 2026 reports Julianna Nauman

Teenage boys sitting at rows of desks with university students leading a workshop — One of the From The Boys workshops in April – (Credit – Middlesex University)

Students and academics at a Barnet university are working with school students to promote discussion about the impact of the ‘manosphere’.

Middlesex University has partnered with William Ellis School in Camden to launch ‘From The Boys’, a project designed to give teenage boys a voice. It sees 14- and 15-year-old pupils working with the university’s students and staff from the faculty of arts and creative industries to plan, create, edit, and publish podcasts discussing what it means to be a teenage boy in 2026.

From The Boys aims to foster a discussion around masculinity, misogyny, and the influence of the toxic social media phenomenon known as ‘the manosphere’. The project is part of the university’s “Changing the Culture” initiative, designed to promote student engagement in the local community.

The project began with two days of workshopping at the end of April. During these sessions, the boys engaged in discussions on the themes and issues in preparation of their work experience at Middlesex University.

The Year 10 students will be invited in June to the university’s recording facilities. From there, they will learn interview and audio production techniques to create and edit the podcasts centred on the themes raised in the workshops.

The series is set to be publicly launched in autumn with the hope of encouraging other schools across North London to open communication with students on these topics.

Dr Helen Bendon, Associate Professor of Film and Media and Interim Head of the School of Film at Middlesex University, is excited about the project. She said: “At a time of divided opinions about what it means to be a teenage boy, this project gives the boys practical skills in technology, professional work, and media, while highlighting their real-life experiences, concerns, challenges, and hopes to bring their voices to the forefront.”

Headteacher at William Ellis School, Izzy Jones, said: “Our pupils’ articulation of life as a teenage boy gives this project huge power for the boys themselves, and to inform and stimulate this conversation for their peers and all those who recognise the importance of taking seriously how boys can be supported through adolescence.”

Last month’s workshops were also an opportunity for the university’s students to practise their own technical skills while acting as mentors to support the boys.

BA Animation student Alejandro Villamil said: “I jumped at the chance to be involved, not just for my own personal development, but because this is an important topic.”

BA Film student Jeff Adolfo said: “It made me reflect on my own interests and how I got into studying film making, and I was able to act as a mentor to some of the boys around what they want to do in the future.”

Middlesex University and the William Ellis School have been working together for several years, starting with their “Counter don’t Cancel” campaign, aimed at allowing boys to critically analyse the toxic remarks made on social media and discuss their impact on the community.

Dr Bendon told Barnet Post that the motivation for this partnership began with observing the rise of toxic masculinity and misogyny online. She said: “It was quite a shock what boys and young men were being exposed to. Schools needed help to navigate what was manifesting in the classroom and corridors.”

She added that the main focus was to keep communication open with the boys instead of shutting them down: “We’re [society] spending a lot of time talking about the problem of boys rather than talking and listening with them.”

Beyond technical skills, From The Boys is designed to build confidence in the pupils. Horace Perry, careers lead and work experience co-ordinator at William Ellis School said: “It raises aspirations, broadens horizons, and shows our boys that their voice matter—not just within school, but in wider conversations shaping their generation.”

The project is predominately funded by the William Ellis Trust with support from The Hadley Trust and The Hampstead Wells and Campden Trust. Will Durham, Director of the William Ellis Trust said: “We are delighted to have been able to fund this innovative project which gives William Ellis pupils the opportunity to talk to us about where they think they are, and what it is to be growing up male in Camden today.”

Further information is likely to release as the project unfolds.

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