Posted on June 1, 2025

“He was just looking for somewhere to belong.”

That’s what they always say—after the fact.
After the arrest.
After the headlines.
After the tragedy.

He was quiet.
He was angry.
He was online.
He was alone.
He was just looking for somewhere to belong.

And he found it—in the darkest corners of the internet, among voices that promised strength, identity, and purpose. But what he really found was manipulation, extremism, and a path that led him—and others—into ruin.

The Alarming Rise of Youth Radicalisation

Recent data from the UK’s Prevent programme paints a sobering picture: a significant rise in referrals of young males for concerns related to radicalisation. In the year ending March 2024, individuals aged 11 to 15 accounted for 42% of those discussed at Channel Panels, and 50% of those adopted as full Channel cases. The median age of all referrals? Just 16.

These aren't outliers. They're part of a broader pattern—a generation of young men adrift, vulnerable, and searching for something solid in a world that often feels indifferent.

Understanding the Vulnerability

Several risk factors contribute to this crisis, many of which are subtle and cumulative:

Identity Crisis – Young men today often lack clear, positive models of masculinity. They don’t know what they’re supposed to be—only what they’re told not to be.

Mental Health Struggles – Depression, anxiety, trauma and low self-worth go undiagnosed and unsupported. The result is pain looking for a narrative.

Digital Influence – The internet offers brotherhood, affirmation, and identity—but it also offers radicalisation, deception, and control.

Social Isolation – With weak community ties and few rites of passage, boys grow up without anchors. Some drift into dangerous waters.

He was fifteen. Isolated. Angry. He’d never really had a father figure—just YouTube clips and group chats telling him how to be a “real man.” Within months, he was quoting conspiracy theories at school. Within a year, he was on the radar of Prevent. He wasn’t born dangerous. He was just looking for somewhere to belong.

The Role of Online Communities

Radicalisation today rarely begins in person. It begins with a video. A comment. A podcast. A suggested link.
Algorithms amplify outrage. They escalate content to keep attention. One motivational clip leads to “red pill” ideology. One forum becomes a funnel.

The anonymity of online spaces allows harmful ideologies to fester unchecked, while grooming young men with promises of power, clarity, and tribe.

These spaces mimic family. They provide a mission. But they come at a cost.

Initiatives Making a Difference

There is hope. Across the UK, grassroots and national organisations are rising to the challenge—offering young men what they need before others exploit what they lack.

Becoming a Man (BAM) – A school-based initiative supporting boys aged 12–16, offering safe, consistent mentoring and emotional support.

A Band of Brothers – A powerful mentoring programme focused on community, responsibility, and restorative masculinity.

Andy’s Man Club – A national network of over 240 free, peer-led support groups for men struggling with mental health.

These initiatives don’t just tackle the symptoms—they offer belonging with boundaries, freedom with accountability, and identity rooted in responsibility.

A Call to Action

This isn’t someone else’s problem. It’s ours. It’s yours. It’s mine.

If we don’t offer these young men something better—something true—then others will offer them something worse.

Here’s where we begin:

• Talk to the young men in your life. Really talk. Listen without judgement. Let them speak.
• Support grassroots organisations that mentor, coach, and guide boys into healthy masculinity.
• Challenge toxic influences—not with mockery, but with better models.
• Create space for young men to be strong and vulnerable, brave and gentle.

This isn’t about blame. It’s about building a culture where no boy is left to drift alone—where identity isn’t something sold online, but something built through mentorship, community, and purpose.

For Those Who Need Support

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available:

• YoungMinds – Mental health support for young people
• Barnardo’s – Support services for youth and families
• Action for Children – Practical help for young people at risk
• Andy’s Man Club – Peer-led support groups for men across the UK

Together, we can light the way for these lost boys—offering not shame, not silence, but strength, belonging, and purpose. The kind that lasts. The kind that saves.

—Dusty Wentworth
A Gentleman of Today