What About The Boys

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What About The Boys? is a first-of-its-kind national preventative Gender Based Violence (GBV) intervention created to help high school boys redefine masculinity to stop GBV. The programme proposes a liberating paradigm shift teaching boys how to inhabit masculinity responsibly. It is designed to engage them to share emotions in healthy ways, accept and connect with others, stand up and speak out against bullying and inequality, and break free from rigid stereotypes.

How we aim to get there

The programme equips and guides boys with a phased approach on their quest to redefine masculinity. In the first phase, boys are transported to cinemas nationally, to watch an educational film – featuring veterans such as Dr Jerry Mofokeng and rising stars, including Botlhale Boikanyo and Tshiamo Molobi – produced to leverage relatable storytelling to introduce and interrogate traditional stereotypes as a first step to the behavioural change process. Additionally, for schools located out of cinema reach, the necessary equipment is transported to extend the reach to rural areas.

What About The Boys

     What About The Boys Film Poster                    Beneficiaries of the programme at the Premier of the film

The movie screening will be followed by various ongoing activities, built on pillars that include self-awareness, accountability, responsibility, empathy and compassion. These include:

  • the distribution of a blueprint booklet, The Good Man Guide, made in conjunction with the film, that guides boys on their behavioural change journey;
  • the implementation of a national MENtorship rollout unpacking key moments in the movie and linking them to underlying educational messaging;
  • an accountability loop for change through a #DoBetter pledge personally signed by each boy; and
  • a digital platform containing all the related content and resources, enhancing the ongoing engagement and support provided to the boys.

Additionally, contact details for places of help and refuge will be shared on the digital platform for those in need and an “I need help” button will be available so that users can book a call-back with one of Primestars’ partner organisations such as Love Life, Tears and others.

What About The Boys

Mentors with their boys after the mentor session

The programme follows an evidence-based approach to influencing positive behavioural and societal changes in the long term. Primestars will begin to evaluate outcomes through the completion of a pre-screening Baseline assessment and after a set period, a corresponding post-programme assessment. 

A mentoring process runs in-person and/or digitally will ensure that the programme’s teachings are not time-bound, but instead create long-lasting, changed patterns of behaviour. Participating companies will provide male mentors to partner with the schoolboys to facilitate continued dialogue and guidance, and over time it is envisaged that learners will become future mentors. 

What About The Boys

Beneficiaries working through the booklet

How can YOU get involved?

For learners, teachers and schools looking for more information: www.primestarsdigital.co.za  For organisations looking to make a difference and get involved, as well as media enquiries, please contact .

Change doesn’t happen overnight, but with enough effort, on different fronts, and willingness and activism from organisations and mentors to take responsibility for the work, it is possible to Raise a Nation of Good Men. For organisations looking to maximise their social impact footprint, we invite you to invest your CSI and Section18A spend in this programme, which is scalable, impactful and evaluated to reach more communities.

Primestars calls all South Africans to join us in RAISING A NATION OF GOOD MEN.