YBM: The Experience

Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind
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The YBM Experience is a podcast dedicated to empowering young Black men, building resilience and creating open, honest conversations around the challenges that affect them, their families and their communities. Through real stories, powerful conversations and meaningful insights, we explore mental health, identity, wellbeing and the importance of feeling heard, understood and supported. We aim to challenge stigma, break down barriers to seeking help and create a space where young Black men feel confident to speak openly, share their experiences and know they are not alone. Inspired by the Young Black Men’s Service, which provides free, culturally appropriate support for young Black men aged 11 to 30 and their families, this podcast is about encouraging positive change, celebrating potential and showing that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Real conversations. Shared experiences. Stronger futures. This is The YBM Experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

  1. Oct 29

    Groomed, Targeted and Trapped? The Truth About Gang Life

    Welcome to The YBM Experience What makes a young person vulnerable to grooming? And how can we recognise the warning signs before it's too late? In this episode of The YBM Experience, the guys continue the conversation about crime, gang grooming and the experiences that can shape a young person's future. Building on the previous episode, the panel explores the connection between trauma, mental health and the need to belong. From growing up without someone to talk to, to experiencing abuse and struggling with identity, the discussion reveals how vulnerability can be exploited by people offering friendship, money, protection and a sense of family. Amos opens up about his own childhood experiences and how he is only now beginning to recognise the impact of trauma. Timmy reflects on how a lack of emotional support can leave young people searching for someone to listen, while Dayo challenges the idea that mental health struggles always involve a diagnosed condition. Sometimes, feeling lost, angry or unable to manage your emotions can leave you vulnerable too. The panel also breaks down the warning signs of grooming, including older individuals taking an unusual interest in young people, gifts and money with no clear explanation, and seemingly harmless favours that gradually become something more sinister. But the conversation doesn't stop there. The guys challenge how Black men are portrayed in the media, question the impact of stereotypes such as the hoodie, and share personal experiences of stop and search and police encounters. They discuss how these experiences can affect trust, identity and the way young Black men are treated in their own communities. Most importantly, they look at what can actually make a difference. From youth centres and faith groups to positive role models, education and community volunteers, they explore how creating safe spaces and offering young people genuine support could help prevent crime before it starts. To find out more or to get involved, please head to the below links: YBM: https://cwwmind.org.uk/supporting-children-and-young-people/cyp-early-intervention-prevention/ybm/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Oct 29

    When Crime Feels Normal, Breaking the Cycle of Gang Life

    Welcome to The YBM Experience When does crime stop feeling like crime? And what happens when the world you grow up in makes it feel like just another part of everyday life? In Episode 2 of The YBM Experience, the guys from different generations come together for an honest, powerful and sometimes uncomfortable conversation about crime, identity, racism and the factors that can pull young people into gang life. Drawing on personal experiences of crime, prison, grooming and turning their lives around, the panel explores how upbringing, poverty, education and the need to belong can shape the choices young people make. They discuss why some behaviours become normalised from an early age, and how the consequences often only become clear when the police get involved or someone ends up behind bars. The conversation also examines the impact of education and the media on Black identity, including why Black history matters and how schools can sometimes leave young people without the encouragement or representation they need to understand their own potential. Timmy shares his perspective on how history is taught, questioning why figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks are often presented as individuals who changed the world, when collective action played such an important role in the fight for civil rights. The guys also get into the realities of modern racism, from seemingly harmless jokes to the way Black boys can be labelled aggressive simply for expressing passion or frustration. One of the most important discussions centres on gang grooming, exploring how the promise of belonging, protection and unconditional support can become a powerful trap. Through personal stories, the speakers identify warning signs and reflect on the moments that can change the direction of someone's life. With one speaker reflecting on a turning point during a prison visit in 1999 and sharing a milestone of 26 years clean, this episode highlights the possibility of change, the importance of accountability and the power of breaking long-standing cycles. To find out more or to get involved, please head to the below links: YBM: https://cwwmind.org.uk/supporting-children-and-young-people/cyp-early-intervention-prevention/ybm/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. Oct 28

    Can Trust Between Young Black Men and the Police Be Rebuilt?

    Welcome to The YBM Experience Can trust between young Black men and the police ever be rebuilt? And what needs to change for that relationship to look different in the future? In the first episode of The YBM Experience, The guys are joined by Corey, a Warwickshire Police officer and trainer with nearly ten years of service, alongside Timmy from the YBM team, for an honest and challenging conversation about policing, racism and the experiences that shape trust. From stop and search and unconscious bias to police accountability and the future of policing, the conversation explores why so many young Black men feel let down by the system, whether the police are doing enough to address those concerns, and what meaningful change could look like. Corey shares his own experiences of being stopped and searched growing up in Coventry, explaining how those moments helped shape his decision to join the police. He also discusses the importance of understanding your rights during a stop and search, including knowing why you're being stopped, asking for the officer's details and understanding the legal grounds for a search. Timmy challenges the role of the police in society, questioning whether the current system works and arguing that greater investment in housing, healthcare and education could help address some of the issues affecting communities. With differing perspectives, difficult questions and plenty of food for thought, this episode opens up an important conversation about accountability, lived experience and what it will take to rebuild relationships between young Black men and the police. Because trust isn't rebuilt overnight. It takes honesty, understanding, action and a willingness to listen, even when the conversation gets uncomfortable. To find out more or to get involved, please head to the below links: YBM: https://cwwmind.org.uk/supporting-children-and-young-people/cyp-early-intervention-prevention/ybm/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  • 3 Episodes

About

The YBM Experience is a podcast dedicated to empowering young Black men, building resilience and creating open, honest conversations around the challenges that affect them, their families and their communities. Through real stories, powerful conversations and meaningful insights, we explore mental health, identity, wellbeing and the importance of feeling heard, understood and supported. We aim to challenge stigma, break down barriers to seeking help and create a space where young Black men feel confident to speak openly, share their experiences and know they are not alone. Inspired by the Young Black Men’s Service, which provides free, culturally appropriate support for young Black men aged 11 to 30 and their families, this podcast is about encouraging positive change, celebrating potential and showing that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Real conversations. Shared experiences. Stronger futures. This is The YBM Experience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Coventry, Warwickshire and Worcestershire Mind
  • Show Website
    YBM: The Experience