Engaging Boys Over the Internet

1
Engaging Boys Over the Internet

• A Gender Transformative On-Line Forum for Teenage
  Boys
• Klas HyllanderMen for Gender Equality Sweden

2
killfrågor.se

• A web-based intervention
• Objective 1 to offer support to 10-15 year old
  boys by challenging dominant versions of manhood
• Objective 2 to raise awareness about the need
  and the potential of interventions with men and
  boys
• One-to-one e-mail and chat, initially
• Operated by volunteers with support from experts
• Current status under development, to be opened
  in September 2009

literal translation boyquestions.com
3
Why a web-based intervention?

• 12 to 16-year-old Swedes spend 15 hours per week
  on the Internet
• 70 of Swedish 15-year-olds are members of an
  Internet community
• Some evidence that web-based communication in
  mental health services works well
• Safe method to access services for clients, cost
  efficient for service provider

4
Why 10-15?

• At 10 children start to use Internet as a social
  tool
• 10-15 is an important age span in terms of
  forming gender identities
• A five year age span makes it possible to work
  with a single version of web content and design

5
How do we attract boys?

• Reference group of teen boys
• Web site content and design adapted to target
  group
• Presence in popular web communities
• Marketing in schools, youth centres and in
  printed media
• Collaboration with youth celebrities
• Meaningful dialogues

6
Subjects

• A gender transformative approach to
• Violence
• Relationships
• Body
• Sex
• School
• Sports
• Home family

7
Volunteers

• Accepted through an application procedure
  including interviews
• Receive training (40 hours) in
• Gender relations, masculinities, understanding
  the situation of boys
• Self-reflection and -awareness
• Communication methodology
• Work in pairs
• Recieve regular debriefing and advising

8
Evaluation and development

• Over-all evaluation performed by independent
  researcher
• Based on formative research with target group and
  on analysis of interactions
• All interactions stored in a documenation system
• Research outcomes will feed into development
  process

9
Challenges

• Attracting the target group
• Sustaining a volunteer group
• Creating multiple interactions/interaction over
  time with the same individual
• Measuring the effects of the intervention
• Defining when a client should be referred to a
  professional service

10
Concept design
11
Thank you for your attention.

• klas.hyllander_at_mfj.se