Now in our eighth year, What About the Boys? returns in 2026 with an ambitious vision: the official launch of the Fylde Coast Boys Impact Hub.
For seven years, the What About the Boys? conference has created space to listen to boys and young men, challenge assumptions and bring people together around the issues that affect their lives.
This year, we want to take that conversation further.
United Youth Alliance, working with colleagues from the Coastal Youth Alliance partnership, is bringing together colleagues from across the Fylde Coast and nationally to explore a shared question:
How can we work differently, and more effectively, alongside boys and young men to improve their outcomes and create lasting change?
The conference will bring together young men, youth workers, teachers, police officers, academics, health professionals, researchers, voluntary sector leaders and others working with and for young people. It will be a space to share experience, challenge thinking and explore the principles, approaches and conditions that enable meaningful work alongside boys and young men.
At the heart of the conference will be the importance of working with young men, not simply doing things to or for them. We will explore what genuine co-design looks like in practice, how youth voice can influence decisions and services, and how organisations and sectors can work collectively to create better outcomes.
The conference will also mark the launch of the Boys’ Impact Hub, which will begin as a test-and-learn pilot in Wyre, co-designed with young men themselves.
The pilot will provide an opportunity to put the principles explored through the conference into practice — developing, testing and evaluating approaches alongside young men and the professionals who support them. Our ambition is to learn from this work, build towards a wider Fylde Coast approach, and connect our learning with the national Boys’ Impact Hub, contributing to a wider movement for change.
This is therefore more than a conference. It is an opportunity to connect people, share learning, build relationships and collectively consider what needs to change — and how we can make that change happen.
Whether you are working locally, regionally or nationally, if you are interested in improving outcomes for boys and young men, we want you to be part of the conversation.
The Fylde Coast Boys Impact Hub will provide a shared space for organisations to develop, test and evaluate innovative approaches to supporting boys and young men, while creating opportunities to share learning, evidence and best practice across the Fylde Coast.
Come and listen. Come and challenge. Come and share. Come and help shape what happens next.
When: 19th November 2026
Time: 9am till 4:30pm
Location: Village Hotel Blackpool
This conference is designed for:
- Frontline workers and youth workers
- Teachers and educators
- Police and community safety teams
- Local authority staff
- Organisations working with young people
- Allied workforce professionals invested in the well-being of young men on the Fylde Coast
- Businesses who want to invest in young people and support a local workforce
Supported by
Built on the Taking Boys Seriously Principles
The 2026 conference will be underpinned by all ten principles of the Taking Boys Seriously framework:
#1 Recognise the Primacy of Relationship
#2 Demonstrate Dignity and Respect
#3 Utilise a Strengths-Based Approach to Learning
#4 Challenge and Affirm Masculine Identities
#5 Promote Positive Mental Health
#6 Identify Blocks to Boys Learning
#7 Connect Boys Learning to Context
#8 Engage Meaningfully with Boys
#9 Enable Creative Learning Environments
#10 Value the Voice of Boys
These principles will act as the foundation for the Hub’s development, helping practitioners explore how boys and young men experience services, education, communities and relationships, while identifying practical solutions that can be tested and scaled across the Fylde Coast.
Watch what happened in Previous Years...
In November 2025, UYA brought together more than 120 professionals, practitioners and young people for What About the Boys?, a day of honest conversation focused on the challenges facing boys and young men. Through keynote speakers, workshops, round-table discussions and a dedicated Young Men’s Hackathon, the event explored issues including mental health, masculinity, crime and violence, neurodiversity, racism and the influence of social media, while putting young people’s voices at the heart of the conversation and strengthening collaboration across the Fylde Coast and beyond.
Why Attend?
This conference is an opportunity to be part of something bigger than a single event.
Delegates will:
- Help co-design the Fylde Coast Boys Impact Hub.
- Shape priorities for future research, practice and policy.
- Contribute to a local “test and learn” pilot focused on improving outcomes for boys and young men.
- Learn how the ten Taking Boys Seriously principles can be embedded into frontline practice.
- Explore evidence-based approaches from education, youth work, community development and public services.
- Collaborate with colleagues from across sectors to develop new solutions to local challenges.
- Join a growing learning community committed to sharing knowledge and impact across the Fylde Coast.
Keynote Speakers and Workshops
The conference will feature keynote speakers from:
- The Boys Impact Hub
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) research programmes
- Leading grassroots and community practitioners working with boys and young men
- National experts in youth work, education, participation and adolescent development
Alongside keynote presentations, delegates will take part in interactive workshops, action learning sets and collaborative design sessions focused on translating evidence into practical action.
From Conversation to Collective Action
The launch of the Fylde Coast Boys Impact Hub represents a unique opportunity to bring together research, practice and lived experience.
Whether you work in education, youth work, policing, health, academia or community development, your knowledge and expertise are needed to help shape a shared vision for boys and young men across the Fylde Coast.
Together, we can build stronger relationships, challenge harmful stereotypes, promote positive mental health, remove barriers to participation and learning, create more meaningful opportunities for boys and young men, and ensure their voices remain at the heart of change.
Highlights from Previous Year’s Delegates
Buy Tickets Here
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No problem, email admin@uyacic.org and we can process this offline for you.
FAQs
Who is this event for?
What About the Boys? is aimed at frontline workers, youth practitioners, teachers, police, community leaders, local authority staff, and allied professionals who work with or support boys and young men. Businesses interested in supporting local communities are also welcome.
Can young people attend?
This conference is designed for professionals and practitioners. Young people have been directly involved in shaping the content and workshops, and some will contribute through co-design and facilitation.
Do I need to book workshops in advance?
After registering, you’ll receive an email with a link to select your workshops. Spaces are limited and filled on a first-come basis, so completing the form early helps secure your preferred sessions.
What is the Marketplace of Ideas?
The Marketplace of Ideas is an exhibition space where organisations and projects showcase their work with boys and young men. It’s a chance to discover resources, learn about innovative approaches, and build partnerships.
What is the Call to Action?
At the end of the day, all delegates will contribute to a collective Call to Action – a strategy for change to improve support for boys and young men across the Fylde Coast and beyond. This is your opportunity to shape real solutions and next steps.
Will I receive resources or materials?
Yes. Many workshops provide practical tools and resources you can take back to your setting. Additional digital materials and summaries will be shared with delegates after the event.
Is lunch provided?
Yes, refreshments and lunch are included in your ticket price. Please indicate any dietary requirements when booking.
Can I exhibit at the event?
A limited number of exhibition spaces are available in the Marketplace of Ideas. Please contact United Youth Alliance for details or register your interest here.
Where is the event taking place?
The conference will be held at the Village Hotel, Blackpool, with easy access by road and public transport. Full joining instructions will be provided after booking.
Exhibitor Opportunities at What About The Boys?
Join us as an exhibitor at the What About The Boys? conference, where you’ll have the chance to showcase your resources, services, and tools to a targeted audience of educators, frontline workers, and community leaders.