Suicide is the leading cause of death for young people in the UK, with almost 75% of all suicides being boys and men.

Built on lived experience following the tragic loss of a friend, Mike, to suicide, and created by Little Blackbird in 2022. ‘The Man I Want To Become’ project responds directly to these challenges.

The Man I Want To Become it is an early-intervention, film-led initiative that supports young people to explore healthy masculinity, improve communication, strengthen emotional resilience and understand accountability. It can be delivered in schools, grassroots sport, community projects and adapted for adult groups within the same settings. Little Blackbird strive to challenge cultures and stereotypes related to old age perceptions of masculinity which are no longer fit for purpose, instead creating new ideas around what it means to be a boy/man, and promoting a better understanding of what positive expressions of masculinity look like.  

The film, which includes footage from the workshops, direct to camera thoughts, reflections and advice on the type of man they want to become from the young people themselves, provides the lads with an impactful summary of the project, and its learning objectives.  The availability of this resource moving forward ensures that each young man who participated in the project will always have access to a powerful reminder of their values, beliefs and motivation to become the best man they can possibly be.