About Iliad Youth

Iliad Youth is a charitable trust started when Mac realised that there was no on-the-ground program specializing in working with young men at risk of becoming radicalised online.

At the time, he was working with at-risk young men in a youth justice role. While working with these young men, he explored their growing exposure and addiction to online narratives and their increasingly radical views. Mac realised that there was no one talking to young men and pushing back on this online world they inhabited.

These young men were increasingly anxious. They were worried about their looks. They were worried about their place in the world. They were worried about their success.
Their worries were being fueled by online influencers who were actively exploiting their anxiety for their own gain, regardless of the damage it causes.

In Christchurch, we understand what can happen if an angry young man spends too much time online, exposed to ideas that they cannot critically engage with, lacking maturity to interrogate the content they are consuming.

Iliad Youth was started to engage these young men from all walks of life, in a holistic and evidence-based manner.

Iliad Youth focuses on giving youth the tools to be critical thinkers about their own journey, become proficient in media deconstruction and grow from their experience.