BCU Alumni Podcast: Let’s Talk Men’s Mental Health

Join us for our live online event during Mental Health Awareness Week to discuss men’s mental health, breaking down the barriers around men’s well-being. 

The live podcast recording, which will bring together BCU graduates Craig Pinkney, Johnny Seifert, Nilesh Dosa MBE and Dr Liam Brolan, will discuss the stigma around men’s mental health.  

In the UK, suicide is the leading cause of death for men under the age of 50. Research by mental health charity Mind also found that two in five men admit to regularly feeling worried or low and the number of men who have suicidal thoughts when feeling worried has doubled to 10% since 2009. They also found that over a third of men say that social media has a negative impact on how they feel, and that the number of men who are worried about their appearance has risen to 23%.   

Our alumni panel, whose work around mental health and positive masculinity is having huge impact in their industries and across the UK, will discuss their own mental health experiences and how they support other young men with their well-being.  

They will be sharing their advice to students, staff, fellow graduates and the wider BCU community around coping with your own mental health, as well as supporting men in your family, friendship groups, workplaces and more. 

The event will be hosted live on BCU’s YouTube channel. Register for your ticket today to receive the link to enjoy the podcast recording on the day.  

The event will include a Q+A, but if you’d like to send your question in advance, please contact us on: Alumni@bcu.ac.uk  

Craig Pinkney 

BCU Alumnus Craig is a Criminologist, Urban Youth Specialist, and CEO of several organisations, including SOLVE: The Centre for Youth Violence and Conflict and SOLVE Housing. With over two decades of hands-on experience, Craig has carved out a reputation as a leading expert in tackling youth violence, gang-related issues, and social conflict. Craig has collaborated with the National Youth Agency, The Children's Society, The Premier League, Birmingham's Children's Trust, and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). He focuses on providing safe, nurturing environments for children in the West Midlands, embodying his commitment to creating better futures for young people. 

Johnny Seifert 
 
BCU Alumnus Johnny has worked in the radio industry for almost 10 years, working as a Producer for some of the most well-known presenters, and he is also the Showbiz Editor for TalkTV, talkRADIO and Times Radio. He is also well-known for his podcasting work, and he has also hosted his own celebrity mental health podcast, ‘Secure The Insecure’ for over five years, with 280 episodes featuring celebrities opening up about their mental health journeys.  
 
Nilesh Dosa MBE 

BCU Alumnus Nilesh is the founder of icanyoucantoo, a volunteer-powered grassroots company levelling the playing field of inequality and social mobility for young people. He connects non-privileged young people to purposeful professionals, and companies, who use their privilege to effect real change. Nilesh also works as Social Mobility and Purpose lead at EY. He was awarded an MBE for Services to Social Equality in 2024 New Years Honours List.  

Dr Liam Brolan 

BCU Alumnus Dr Liam Brolan is a Senior Lecturer in criminology and a fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Liam first enrolled at BCU as an Undergraduate student in 2010 and has since achieved a MA and PhD in Criminology. His PhD research focused on the co-victim experience of murder specifically when the crime occurred in a foreign country. Liam has also contributed to the first academic study that explored the phenomenon of contract murder in a British context.