06:00, 17 April 2025
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
Netflix’s latest hit Adolescence has sparked urgent conversations about boys' mental health, masculinity, and radicalisation.
Yet, beyond the mega distributor, a powerful grassroots movement is offering real-world solutions.
On 3rd April 2025, at Oxford’s Marmalade Festival, the Global Fund for Children (GFC) premiered Boys Beyond Bias – a series of short films that provide a hopeful counterpoint to the series' concerns.
These films, created in collaboration with boys aged 10 to 14 and community organisations in Bradford – the UK City of Culture 2025 – offer a fresh perspective on young men's roles in their communities.
Titles such as Another Round, More Tins, Tagging, and Joint showcase young people stepping up: delivering food to families in need, learning responsibility through sustainable agriculture, and developing resilience through sport. They capture the power of local action in nurturing both individual wellbeing and a sense of belonging.
In an age where boys often retreat behind screens, these films remind us that real-world connection still matters. As part of GFC’s Healthy Masculinities programme – funded by The National Lottery Community Fund, DCMS, and the People’s Postcode Lottery – Boys Beyond Bias campaign promotes emotional literacy, empathy, and self-worth.
It’s a grassroots approach to a global issue.
In a statement by Katherine Gilmour, Regional Director for Europe and Eurasia at GFC, she says: "At GFC, we've been championing healthy masculinities since 2019, collaborating with community groups that make a real difference in boys' daily lives. Our partners, deeply embedded in their communities, provide the vital connection and support that boys and young men desperately need.
She continues: “As Adolescence poignantly illustrates, the solutions to these complex issues lie in fostering genuine community bonds and positive role models. We're committed to tackling gendered stereotypes, creating space for boys and young men to speak up about their lives, reconnecting boys with strong, consistent mentors and facilitating real-in-person relationships that combat the isolation and loneliness many young men experience."
This initiative doesn’t just challenge the narrative around ‘toxic masculinity’ – which was a key theme in the Netflix miniseries, it rewrites it. With national conversations sparked about the impact of Adolescence, this moment offers a timely chance to look beyond the problem and towards the solution. And it starts, as these young boys show us, in community.
To watch the full films and learn more about this inspiring initiative, visit the Global Fund for Children’s website here.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Global Fund for Children (GFC’s). The charity partners with grassroots organisations worldwide to support children and youth in reaching their full potential. They address challenges in education, gender justice, youth leadership, climate resilience, safety, and emergency response. Find out more.
ChildFund International. This international organisation supports children in 24 countries, providing education, health care, and protection services to help children overcome poverty and become leaders in their communities. Learn more here.
Future Men. This is a specialist charity that inspires boys and men to become dynamic members of society, by giving them the confidence to discover what it means to be a man. Support them here.
