Are young men in Britain facing a silent crisis? Education dropout rates, workforce withdrawal, and worsening men's mental health suggest something deeper is going on.

In this episode of The Meaning of Men, I'm joined by Mark Brooks OBE, Director of Policy & Communications at the Centre for Policy Research on Boys and Men and co-author of The Missing Men report; one of the most comprehensive studies on the state of men and boys in the UK.

In this episode you will learn:

Why so many boys are falling behind in education
What’s driving men’s withdrawal from the workforce
The urgent need for a dedicated men’s health strategy
How post-pandemic shifts continue to shape men’s lives
The “green shoots” of progress—community action, culture change, and reasons for hope

Hear more from Mark:

Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys: www.menandboys.org.uk

LinkedIn: centre-policy-research-menboys

Association of Male Health and Wellbeing:www.amhw.org.uk

Mark Brooks: www.mark-brooks.co.uk

LinkedIn: mark-brooks-obe

Timestamps:

06:11: International Men's Day: Significance and Impact

11:58: The Missing Men Report: Understanding NEETs

15:42: The Impact of Unemployment on Young Men

21:24: The Gender Gap in Education

25:51: Employment Challenges and Economic Factors

34:07: Understanding the Prison Population

S3, Ep16: The Meaning of Missing Men | Why men are disappearing from society