I’m more than happy to be corrected ,but I don’t hear much nowadays about working with young men around gender inequality. Indeed lately I’ve been wondering about revising/writing afresh something I wrote back in the early 1980’s, ‘Working with Young Men : Towards an Anti-Sexist Practice.’ In reflecting thus I became aware of being out of touch myself with what is being said in the wider world about masculinity, especially after reading Janet Batsleer’s challenging, ‘Against role models. Tracing the histories of manliness in youth work. The cultural capital of respectable masculinity’ in Youth &Policy 113.

All the more so as we’ve just received notice of the following event organised by the Beyond Male Role Models Open University Research Project. If anyone can make this day it would be great to get a report.

And trawling the Project’s web site and blog revealed my ignorance in not knowing of the MenEngage Alliance, composed of ‘dozens of country networks spread across many regions of the world, hundreds of non-governmental organizations, as well as UN partners. MenEngage members work collectively and individually toward advancing gender justice, human rights and social justice to achieve a world in which all can enjoy healthy, fulfilling and equitable relationships and their full potential.‘ Again if anyone has had contact with this network it would be enlightening to hear your views

Beyond male role models? Gender identities and work with young men – End of Award Conference

Thursday 12^th March 2015, 11:00 – 15:30

Followed by celebratory drinks 16:00 – 18:00

Hub Theatre – The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA

Research team: Dr Martin Robb (OU), Prof Brigid Featherstone (OU), Sandy Ruxton (Independent Consultant) and Dr Mike Ward (OU)

The Beyond Male Role Models? research project has provided a unique opportunity to explore how young men who use welfare services view the gender of professional workers, and how those workers themselves (whether male or female) see gender issues being played out in their respective relationships. Important findings have also emerged in relation to what supports effective work with young men.

This conference will report on the findings and examine the implications for practice and policy through presentations and a short film made as part of the research.Professor David Morgan, (Emeritus Professor, Manchester University) will open the event and chair the morning, along with a presentation by Kate Mulley from Action for Children who also will be joining us.

This conference is free of charge.

Registration is Now OPEN!

To book your place or for any further information on the project please contact hsc-re-events@open.ac.uk by Friday 30^th January 2015.