The role of role models: What does it mean to be a role model in 2025?
- Voicebox
- Aug 11
- 6 min read
This article was written in collaboration with Everyone's Invited. You can access the original post on Everyone's Invited's website here.
For many young people, particularly boys, the answer to this is increasingly shaped by a collision of online pressures, conflicting ideals of masculinity, and a growing hunger for something more authentic.
In this conversation between Everyone’s Invited and Voicebox, we explore how both organisations are working directly with young people to challenge rape culture, redefine influence, and foster emotionally honest spaces in schools and communities. From classroom workshops to peer-led initiatives, we share what young men today are telling us, what they're up against, and how they’re stepping up, not just as future leaders, but as role models right now.
What are young men telling us right now?
The Everyone’s Invited education programme launched in September 2022 in direct response to the thousands of testimonies they received from survivors. As Sophie, their Communications Officer, explains, “Young people didn’t just want to be heard, they wanted spaces where they could talk, reflect and learn.” Many felt abandoned by the education system when it came to topics like consent and sexual violence.
Alex, Head of Education, adds: “It’s an incredibly difficult time for both boys and girls. Young people are being left to grapple with the impacts of social media, online pornography, and harmful content largely on their own. There’s never been a wider generational gap in terms of understanding the pressures they face.”
For boys, there’s a clear desire to be part of the solution, but also a lack of confidence, tools, or language to engage. Sophie says “We see the young people we work with as our greatest hope for change, not the source of harm.”
Voicebox’s work echoes this. “Our goal is to help boys thrive,” says Andy, co-founder and creative director. “And in doing so, improve their development and prevent harm, both to themselves and others.” Voicebox's workshops, which have been run in over 170 primary and secondary schools across the UK, focus on creating open, non-judgemental spaces where boys can question the messages they’ve absorbed about masculinity and start to build new, healthier ones.
Who are boys looking up to?
“There isn’t one type of role model that appeals to boys,” says Fredi, co-founder of Voicebox. “But we know that if real-world relationships are absent or strained, online figures can easily fill that gap.”
The rise of harmful influencers isn’t purely about charisma or algorithms, it’s about needs that aren't being met. As Andy puts it, “When boys feel judged, disempowered or disconnected, they’re more vulnerable to simplistic and dangerous narratives about money, power, and dominance.”
Everyone’s Invited is seeing similar trends. Sophie and Alex have encountered many boys who idolise a narrow, outdated version of masculinity: physical dominance, sexual conquest, financial success. “When we ask boys what it means to be a man today,” Sophie says, “we often hear things like ‘earning over £100k,’ ‘sleeping with lots of women’ and ‘owning a Ferrari.’”
These beliefs aren’t formed in a vacuum. “They’re being sold the idea that if you hustle, get rich, and project strength, you’ll ‘win’,” says Andy. “But what kind of life is that building?”
What makes a good role model?
Sophie says a good role model is someone who “leads with honesty, empathy, and integrity.” They help young people understand that masculinity isn’t a one-size-fits-all concept. “It’s about reflecting on your journey and being vulnerable. That’s where change starts.”
Importantly, boys don’t just need male role models. “We encourage boys to look to the people around them: teachers, family members, community leaders, friends – regardless of gender,” says Alex. Building friendships with girls and learning from female role models can deepen emotional understanding and empathy.
Andy agrees: “When we think about role models, we should be focusing on everyday people: the family members, teachers, coaches, and siblings who show up consistently.” These are the people boys are most likely to trust and learn from.
Can young men be role models too?
Absolutely. As Sophie shares, “We’ve met students leading school-wide projects on male mental health, creating spaces for open conversations around emotional wellbeing, and challenging harmful norms.”
Everyone’s Invited’s Community Champions initiative has seen a significant rise in young men signing up to lead projects in their schools. These boys aren’t waiting to be adults to make a difference; they’re stepping up now.
Their influence is also growing online. Men like Jordan Stephens and Jamie Laing are rejecting outdated masculinity tropes and building new, more honest communities that reflect vulnerability, inclusion, and emotional honesty. “These narratives are gaining traction because they speak to something more authentic,” says Sophie.
Voicebox’s work reinforces this too. “When we create spaces where boys are really listened to, without judgement, they start thinking critically about who they want to be,” says Fredi. “We don't want to tell them what to think. It’s more about asking better questions.”
How do we support emotional expression in boys’ groups?
Representation is key. “50% of our education team are male,” Sophie explains. “That really helps boys feel seen and understood. When boys hear men talk openly about emotions and masculinity, they’re more likely to engage.”
Cultural touchpoints help too: using TikTok trends, TV dramas, or public scandals as starting points for deeper conversations about power, coercion, and identity.
It's important to note these conversations aren’t just for boys. “Girls are bombarded with damaging ideals too,” says Alex. “From body-checking to disordered eating trends, young women are under just as much pressure. These issues need space, reflection, and conversation too.”
How do we encourage young people to see themselves as role models?
Everyone’s Invited encourages students to write messages to their younger selves in the form of advice or reassurance they wish they’d received. “The answers are always incredibly moving,” says Sophie. Messages like:
“Believe in yourself so others can believe in you.” “You don’t always have to be okay – just know your boundaries.” “Talk to people who are different from you.”
These exercises help students see that being a role model isn’t about perfection. “It’s about showing up, being kind, and using your voice to uplift others,” says Alex. “Leadership isn’t reserved for adults or influencers. It can start now - in your school, community, or friendship group.”
How do adults model healthy masculinity?
“Being open, honest, and real – it’s not about being perfect,” says Andy. “It’s about showing up with self-awareness, support, and care.”
Fredi believes that modelling vulnerability is key: “Admitting mistakes shows accountability and self-awareness. For example: ‘I’m sorry for what happened earlier. I’m working on being better.’ That’s powerful for a young person to see.”
Adults also need to examine the gender norms they’ve internalised. “What ideas do we hold about what it means to be a man or a woman? How are those shaping our lives, our relationships, our self-worth – and what blueprints are we passing on?” says Fredi. “Young people don’t do what we tell them – they do what we do.”
What about role models for girls and LGBTQ+ young people?
Annie, Marketing Manager at Voicebox, says it’s important that all young people (not just boys) have support in becoming the best versions of themselves.
“We often hear boys ask why we don’t run ‘healthy femininity’ workshops,” she says. “But traditional femininity hasn’t been historically linked to the same kinds of social harm we associate with dominant masculinity. That said, we absolutely need to support girls and LGBTQ+ youth in critically thinking about who they admire and why.”
Not all role models are easy to categorise. “Bonnie Blue, for example, has been praised for normalising sexual confidence – but also criticised for glamorising misogyny. It can be complicated.”
That’s why critical thinking matters. “Role models don’t have to be perfect (sure, no one is really perfect). But they should model agency, self-respect, accountability and compassion. Figures like Chapel Roan, Munroe Bergdorf, Mae Martin, and Janelle Monáe stand out because they’ve used their platforms to advocate for inclusion and authenticity. They show that there are many ways to be powerful, confident and ambitious.
Young people are already questioning the messages they’re receiving and searching for role models who reflect their values, struggles, and hopes. Now, the onus is on adults to meet them there, to put in the time to understand who they’re looking up to and why, and to model the kind of honesty, empathy, and accountability we want them to carry forward. What kind of role model is each adult willing to be?