National ‘What About the Boys?’ programme announces enhanced 2023 rollout
Brave organisations including Sasol, CHIETA, Seriti, Markham, Ford Foundation, Absa and McDonald’s among others were present to commit themselves to support the worthy programme.
Stakeholders from the private, public, civil and media sectors convened at the Radisson Blu Gautrain Hotel in Johannesburg on June 22, to launch the second annual implementation of the What About the Boys? The programme, which aims to support more boys on their quest to raise a nation of good men.
The programme is set to deepen the work being done with young men across the country to promote healthy concepts of masculinity and tackle the challenging reality of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).
What About the Boys was first rolled out across high schools in 2022 and reached 15 000 boys – a project of youth development specialists Primestars involving multi-media content (a film, educational booklet, and online resources), as well as hands-on mentorship interventions.
It provides an educational and supportive space where boys learn to manage their triggers while understanding the importance of respect, empathy, and dignity in all relationships.
At the event, Primestars MD Martin Sweet announced significant enhancements for the next phase of the programme’s rollout. These are based on the results of a monitoring, evaluation and learning strategy undertaken with the first programme implementation.
The enhancements will continue to address the root causes of GBVF and promote and encourage continued and sustainable growth, accessing an ever-growing number of high school boys across South Africa – as the programme witnessed feasible behaviour change in continuous engagement, deepened knowledge, increased participation, and learning.
What will be different about this year’s programme? [Possible cross-head]
This year’s rollout is to uphold this notion as the organisers announced an expanded school footprint, increased mentor participation and deeper work in evaluation.
Sweet unpacked some additional elements and said, “This year’s programme will encourage participants to become advocates of GBVF prevention by setting up GBVF councils in their respective schools. These councils will include girls to encourage boys to become allies of girls at school and in the community at large.
“The expansion of the programme to new schools ensures that the message against GBVF spreads widely. By nurturing GBVF councils run by the learners themselves, we aim to encourage organic growth and sustainability”.
One of the changes in the programme includes the addition of McDonald’s to the list of sponsors.
McDonald’s CEO Greg Solomon announced the new partnership to the attendees and said, “What would an Oreo McFlurry be without Oreos? You need a partnership of ingredients to make a McFlurry. That’s why we partner with organisations like this with vision and leadership values aligned with our own. We recognise what the What About the Boys? programme stands for and we want to be a part of it.”
Former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka called on all South Africans to make a difference in the life of a boy they know.
“I want to thank Primestars for standing up and making a difference and bringing all of us to be part of this journey.”
She added that she is thankful for the collaboration with Primestars and she is here to say ‘can we have more’.
“Please can everyone here take responsibility for a boy whose life you are going to change. We all know a boy whose life we can change”.
To echo support and reiterate the need for the programme in the country, the head of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund Dr Linda Nkomo said, “This year marks the 10th year since the passing of our former President Nelson Mandela. And we dare not allow the vision he had for changing the way society treats its children to die. And part of that vision is the way our society is raising boys.”
The CEO of Business Unity South Africa, Professor Bonang Mohale, said “Maybe as a result of our conversation today we might be in a position to release better humans. Help us move and graduate from humankind to kind humans. From being important people to people of significance. To a society where doing business is seen as not only taking but also giving. Because leadership is an opportunity to improve the quality of the lives of those less fortunate”.
To close the event, Primestars challenged South Africans to join their movement to raise a nation of good men – good fathers, good partners, good colleagues, good managers, good lovers, good believers, good leaders, and good citizens, who can embrace vulnerability, create strong relationships, and live their fullest lives, leaving the world better than the way they found it.
Related Article:
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https://www.citizen.co.za/sandton-chronicle/329308/five-dangers-of-glamourising-mental-health-on-social-media/
