4 ADAM C.I.C.

4 Adam CIC is a non-profit Community Interest Company that is committed to tackling the challenges we face, as a society, in raising working-class boys, a demographic widely identified as vulnerable to both falling behind educationally, and becoming perpetrators of violent crime.

We will achieve this through creative arts projects that encourage boys from low-income families to engage with their own expression and explore the positive elements of what it means to become a man.

When you start off on the lower rungs of the ladder, the first hurdle you face is often your own self-belief. The challenge to be your own best friend rather than your own worst enemy. It's difficult to be your own cheerleading squad especially when your environment is booing you from the stands. If you're not getting that support from your parents/caregivers (because they themselves may never have received it) then it's tough to find it within yourself.

I was one of those kids though definitely not the worst off. I had periods in my childhood that we would now define as poverty, but I'm one of the lucky ones who found a way out. A little later than is typical, I clawed my way up to an education which is a currency denied to so many in this world. 4 Adam C.I.C. is my effort to give back, and make a difference where I can.

Why 4 Adam? This venture is to honour the memory of my childhood friend, Adam. We were good, imaginative kids, who fell under the negative influence of older peers. Adam didn’t make it. What happened to him, and the after effects on his family, is the saddest story I know. But with his family’s blessing, I’m here to positively contribute to the conversation of how we raise boys.

Footnote: I’ve been mentoring kids for over 10 years in my free time. The girls I’ve worked with are an inspiration, partly because they have such incredible role models, but I’ve seen there can be a real challenge with boys. So I just want to be clear that I’m not being ‘Team Male’ here, I just see where the problem is, and I have first-hand lived experience. We all benefit from raising better boys, I want this project to speak to that.