A central role of the Men and Boys Coalition is to amplify the voices of our members and the UK men and boys’ sector as a whole in ways they can be heard by policy makers in Government.
The APPG on Men and Boys, established in March 2021, is an exciting and important platform that’s allowing this to happen.
For our March MBC Friday Session, we were joined by Mark Brooks OBE, who explained how it works and why this matters for men and boys in the UK.
Mark is co-founder of the Men and Boys Coalition, Chair of the Mankind Initiative male domestic abuse support charity and policy advisor to the APPG on Men and Boys.
You can watch his talk above which touched on:
1) What is the work of the APPG? Why was it established?
2) What issues are being addressed by the APPG?
2) And, more broadly, why do we need to ensure the voices of those supporting the wellbeing of men and boys are heard in Government consultations and how do we do it?
Slides for the talk are available here, the final slide includes and excellent selection of links to key platforms and resources for engaging with Government and policy makers:
MBC Friday Sessions are a series of monthly online talks and discussions hosted by the Men and Boys Coalition, at 12noon on the last Friday of the month.
The talks showcase everything from the sector-leading work of Coalition members; to insights on how to bring local authorities on board in support of men and boys’ wellbeing; to third parties on what would help them engage the men and boys in their communities; to leading thinkers and writers on the issues we’re all passionate about.
The MBC Friday Sessions are a unique, engaging and informal forum to share insights and expertise, make connections and build networks for all of us who are committed to supporting the wellbeing of men and boys in the UK.
What is an APPG?
“All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) are informal cross-party groups that have no official status within Parliament. They are run by and for Members of the Commons and Lords, though many choose to involve individuals and organisations from outside Parliament in their administration and activities.”
The inaugural meeting took place on 16th March 2021 and to date the APPG has produced two reports:
Inquiry 1: ‘A boy today’. April-September 2021
What is life like for a boy today, growing up in the UK?
The APPG took evidence between April and July 2021 from seven experts and published its report: ‘A Boy Today’ in September.
Inquiry 2: The Case for a Men’s Health Strategy? October 2021-February 2022
Remit: To hear evidence from a range of UK and international men’s health experts on the case for the UK Government to create a Men’s Health Strategy.
Progress: Follow this Inquiry here