Heather Bellamy spoke with Bill Stevenson, the director for Scotland for the Boys Brigade, about how boys are affected by the issue of body image, as well as girls.

Bill Stevenson

Heather: How do young guys deal with problems? Do they talk to people like girls do?

Bill: Yes, they are quite chatty as well. We've just had quite a few leadership courses running over the summer for our young leaders aged 18 to 21. They've been very good at discussing issues. I think it's also quite good in the Boys Brigade that we offer a safe space for them, so that they'll have other leaders who might be just a bit older. It's good to have other adults that they can approach. You don't always want to talk to your parents about things, but it's quite good to have another leader that you trust that you can open up to and chat about some of those issues.

Heather: With this survey and what it's been showing, in terms of guys and body image, what do you think needs to happen to address the problem?

Bill: One initial step might be if advertisers and those in marketing think about promoting different types of bodies in adverts, so it doesn't always have to be somebody who is really fit. Most of us are in that middle range. We don't have a perfect body. Not always showing a perfect model in adverts might help.

Heather: What else do you do to address problems like this in the Boys Brigade?

Bill: We try to run a full range of programmes and activities. We operate in different age groups and each age group has its own award schemes, which will introduce them to a whole lot of life skills. We introduce them to anything from civics, to photography and sport, as I've mentioned, is a big part of our programme.

We also do a lot of residential work with young people. That's a great opportunity to get to know them. Often you'll do more youth work in a week at a camp than you would do at any other time. All those activities that we provide and the badges we offer, give them an insight into future life and how they can develop skills that will help them when they're adults.

Heather: If guys are finding their worth and value in what they look like and that's becoming a problem, where can they find their worth and value if it is not found in what they look like?

Bill: In organisations like the Boys Brigade, we are very much faith based. We try to give them an introduction to the Christian faith and introduce them to Christian values as well. Our whole ethos is trying to support and develop young people so that they are ready for life when they leave school.

Heather: How does the Christian faith help you in your worth and value as a young guy, when you're facing these issues?

Bill: It's always good to have something to be rooted in that gives values. They might not necessarily agree with all the Christian values that we promote, but just having some concepts like looking after your neighbour and being good to others, is always going to be a good way to build your life.