An increasing number of our boys and young men are not achieving to their full potential. The problem affects all of our boys and young men, regardless of race or ethnicity. While the problem is far more significant and chronic among minority youth, achievement also eludes white young men.

Besides young men themselves, this trend impacts their potential life partners, our communities, and our nation. The US and the world are becoming increasingly economically competitive. For the success of our society as well as our young men it is therefore essential that we begin to address this issue in a meaningful way. 

We launched The Boys Initiative to tackle this important issue. Because young men start out as boys, the Initiative is a national campaign to shed light on both boys' underachievement and young men's FAILURE TO LAUNCH.

The MISSION of the Initiative is to serve as a BIG TENT, to shed light on these trends, to foster dialogue and debate about them, and to collaborate on solutions with those who are committed to the futures of our nation's youth.

Our goal is to be an INFORMATION AND ACTION HUB. We do this by partnering and building coalitions with organizations that represent the interests of girls and women, boys and men, parents and teachers and adolescent health care providers, among a host of other individuals, organizations and professionals devoted to the wellbeing of our nation's youth. The Boys Initiative does not endorse or advocate for any particular point of view or proposed solution.

Boys' academic achievement has been declining at an accelerating rate. The decline has been both relative to girls, whose achievement has been advancing, and in absolute terms. Today, young men are less likely to attend and graduate from college than they were just a generation ago. With a shrinking manufacturing base, this leaves men with diminishing professional options. The consequences are beginning to be reflected in the economic data, exacerbated by the effects of Great Recession.

Mental health problems, as reflected by the rising rate of suicide among our youth, are increasing. The rate of attempted suicide is higher among girls; however, the rate of successful suicide is higher among boys. The impacts of mental health problems, such as early drug use and other risky behaviors, often manifest themselves differently in boys and girls. While bullying among both genders is on the rise, the type of bullying among boys is different than the type typically engaged in by girls. 

Boys' physical transition from childhood to adolescence occurs at a later age than girls'. As a consequence, issues related to their health, from childhood obesity to the propensity for risky behaviors, do not necessarily arise on parallel age tracks. Sexual development also typically occurs later for boys than for girls, and raises a host of moral and religious, as well as physical, issues. These may be different for boys than for girls, and the ways to communicate most effectively about them may differ between genders.