“What do you want to be when you grow up?”
It’s a question many of us were asked countless times as children.
It was seen as a problem if we didn’t have an answer.
What if the real problem is that many young people struggle to imagine a future that feels possible at all?
At the moment there’s a lot of discussion happening about boys and young men who are disengaged from school, work or training. The conversation often centres around motivation. Why they aren’t trying harder, attending more or planning for the future.
But, a young person can’t work towards a future they can’t see.
Around 1 million young people in the UK are currently Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET), and the majority are young men.
For most of them, they’re in this position not because they lack ambition, but because they lack visibility of the pathways ahead of them. They haven’t met people whose career journeys feel relatable. They don’t always see their strengths reflected in what schools celebrate, or in the careers they believe are available to them.
Before young people need a career plan, they need possibility.
They need adults who notice their strengths, not just their grades.
They need opportunities to explore different futures.
They need role models who show that success doesn’t follow one path.
And they need conversations that go beyond “What job do you want?” to questions like:
What do you enjoy doing?
What are you curious about?
When do you feel most confident?
What kind of change would you like to make in the world?
Conversations that start with these questions help young people think about a future version of themselves that feels possible. Research suggests that when people can picture a positive, possible future, they’re more likely to stay motivated, persevere through setbacks and make choices that move them towards it.
Perhaps that’s one of the most important roles adults can play.
Not having all the answers.
But helping young people believe there are possibilities worth exploring.
Because before we can expect boys to build a future, we first need to help them imagine one.
Building Futures Together.
When we’re supporting young people through coaching, entrepreneurship programmes or careers-focused workshops, we often explore the concept of future possible selves. This theory, developed by Markus and Nurius in 1986, helps young people reflect on who they want to become, what matters to them, and the many different pathways available to get there.
The concept of future selves is very simple. We can all imagine possible future versions of ourselves. These can be positive, motivating us to take action to achieve them, or negative, which can motivate us to take actions toward a different and better version of who we may become. The possibilities we can imagine are shaped by our experiences, through social and cultural context, and the experience of the people who help guide us. It is therefore important that we widen the pool of possible selves through activities designed to raise aspirations.
We’re also proud to chair the Bristol & Bath Hub of the Boys’ Impact Movement, a growing national network bringing together educators, youth practitioners, employers and community organisations committed to improving outcomes for boys and young men. Across the UK, the movement is creating space for collaboration, sharing evidence-based practice and exploring practical ways to help boys thrive.
If you’re a school, college, university or organisation looking to help young people develop confidence, purpose and a stronger vision for their future, we’d love to start a conversation. Together, we can help more young people believe in what’s possible and take the first steps towards getting there.