On Thursday 22 May, more than 300 educators from across Northern Ireland’s formal and non-formal sectors gathered at Ulster University’s Belfast campus for the official launch of the Northern Ireland Boys’ Impact Hub – a pioneering initiative to tackle the persistent underachievement of boys in education.
The event, which marked a major step forward in tackling the long-standing and widening gender gap in educational attainment – particularly among boys and young men from disadvantaged backgrounds – featured a keynote address from Education Minister, Paul Givan, who was warmly welcomed by Ulster University Provost, Professor Cathy Gormley-Heenan.
Despite ongoing efforts across the education system, boys continue to fall behind. In 2023/24, just 40.3% of boys entitled to free school meals in non-grammar schools achieved 5 GCSEs at grades A-C (including English and Maths), compared to 47.4% of girls. The gap continues through grammar schools and into higher education, where female undergraduate enrolment in Northern Ireland now exceeds that of males by 16%.
Education Minister, Paul Givan, said:
“I am delighted this new online resource will be available to assist educators in providing a curriculum that prepares young people for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. The Northern Ireland Boys' Impact Hub will work to embed the evidence-based approaches, developed through the Taking Boys Seriously research across education in Northern Ireland.
"Alongside the launch of the Northern Ireland Boys' Impact Hub is a new online resource for educators - the boys and young men's quadrant. This will support educators to continue building and implementing evidence-based practices that enable boys and young men, especially those impacted by educational disadvantage, to flourish.”
The conference also celebrated the contribution of thousands of adolescent boys and hundreds of educators in shaping the 10 Taking Boys Seriously (TBS) principles of relational education, which underpin the work of the Boys’ Impact movement.
The NI Boys’ Impact Hub builds on two decades of TBS research and joins 14 regional Boys’ Impact Hubs already established in England and Scotland since 2022. These hubs foster collaboration across education sectors to support more equitable outcomes for boys and young men.
Speaking virtually at the launch, Dr Alex Blower, founder of Boys’ Impact, welcomed the establishment of the new regional hub:
“It is so exciting to see the official launch of a Boys’ Impact Hub in Northern Ireland as the place from which the TBS principles originated and have been crucial to the development of the Boys’ Impact movement.”
Alongside the Hub’s launch, the TBS research team unveiled a new online resource for educators – the Boys’ and Young Men’s Quadrant – which brings together five core research themes: voice, influence, interdependence, belonging, and being a boy. The tool is designed to help educators reflect on and enhance their practice in these areas.
Susan Morgan, TBS Principal Investigator, said:
“We owe it to the many boys, young men, and educators who have participated in TBS to recognise and celebrate their role in the development of a UK-wide movement to do better for boys at the sharp end of educational inequality. It is something we should all be proud of.
"Today’s launch of the NI Boys’ Impact Hub along with the online resource for educators – the Boys’ and Young Men’s Quadrant – is part of the strategy to move towards greater implementation of the TBS research with the aim of stimulating change in educational policy, pedagogy, and practice to bring about more equitable opportunities and outcomes for some of the most disadvantaged boys and young men.”
Claire Mulrone Head of Widening Access and Participation at Ulster University, said:
“We are delighted to have funded the Taking Boys Seriously research and look forward to its transformation into the NI Boys Impact Hub, harnessing the principles of relational education and implementing positive change through action. This next phase is the culmination of many years’ hard work and a worthy outcome for the schools and community partners who actively supported this endeavour.”
Sean McAuley, BSc Hons student of Business Studies at Ulster University and founding member of the TBS Student Advisory Group, stated:
"The launch of the regional Boys' Impact Hub in Northern Ireland is a vital step in helping more young men from different backgrounds access Higher Education. On the street where I live, nobody else has gone to university – except me. When even one young man takes that step and succeeds, it creates a ripple effect – suddenly others start to believe they can do it too.”
The NI Boys’ Impact Hub is currently made up of representatives from a broad cross-section of the education ecosystem, including:
- Ulster University
- YouthAction NI
- Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS)
- Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC)
- Education Authority
- Belfast Boys’ Model School
- Abbey Community College
- Blessed Trinity College
- Our Lady of Lourdes’ School
- Community Relations in Schools
- The Bytes Project
- Youth Work Alliance
Further expressions of interest are welcomed from educational bodies, schools, youth work organisations, FE colleges, HE institutions, and employers.
Further information can be found here:
🔹 www.ulster.ac.uk/tbs
🔹 www.theboyquadrant.org
🔹 www.boysimpact.com/regional-hubs
