The Shortroods Young Men's Group

What’s in a name? The Young Men’s Group are going from Stigma to Strength

The Shortroods Young Men’s Group is a newly established group supporting young men aged 16–25. Meeting fortnightly at STAR Project, it provides a safe, welcoming environment where members can enjoy activities such as card games, console gaming, fishing, and trips further afield. Alongside this, the group shares meals together, frequently cooked in-house with ingredients from our Pantry Plus service, or at a local café or restaurant.

While the group is about fun and friendship, it’s also much more. It offers a stigma-free space where young men can talk openly about their experiences, challenges, and hopes for the future.

One of the strongest conversations to emerge from the group has been about their name. The young men chose to initially call themselves Shortroods Young Team, later changing this to STAR Young Team, because they wanted to reclaim a phrase that is usually associated with negativity. For them, “Young Team” represents belonging, shared experience, and resilience. They want to challenge stereotypes and show that a group of young men can create positive change in their community, even when carrying a label that many see as negative.

This choice has prompted debate. Some professionals, and even community members, feel more comfortable with the title Shortroods Young Men’s Group. Their concern is that “Young Team” is too closely linked to gang culture and antisocial behaviour. The young men don’t deny that history. In fact, many have lived it. Before STAR Project began supporting them, they patrolled the streets in groups, which often marked them for frequent stops by local police enforcement. Some grew up with older brothers, cousins, or uncles involved in “young team” culture, while also surviving physical violence, threats, substance misuse, and the pain of losing friends and family members through death or incarceration.

For the group, the name “Young Team” is a powerful way of saying we are not what you think we are. They are choosing to take something that once carried stigma and turn it into a symbol of belonging and change.

The group is helping to write a new story. With a safe place to belong, the young men are showing that, given opportunities and encouragement, they can channel their energy into positive activities, leadership, and community building. And while the discussion around what the group should be called continues, what really matters is that these young men are being heard, valued, and invested in.

By Michael McCready
Project Assistant

Updated: September 24, 2025