Coded Companions: Young People's Relationships With AI Chatbots

A VoiceBox Research Report

16 Days of Activism: 2025: Action Against Online Abuse

November 25th to December 10th is the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, with this years theme is #NoExcuse for online abuse. In this article, I hope to breakdown what it means and why it exists.

NextGen Trailblazer: Kaila Patterson

Our interview with an Ireland-based youth author

Justice Delayed and Justice Denied for Roma Youth Killed by Greek Police

An ongoing challenge of accountability in cases of police violence against Roma teens

Originality vs Infringement

What a slip up on my recent assignment taught me about fair use

The Misogynist I Loved, the Britain He Hated

Extremism is sometimes hidden behind a polite facade

Novels vs. Movies: Challenging the Double Standard

Why watching movies deserves the same respect as reading

How I Keep My Anxiety in Check

The simple techniques that have helped me greatly

We Need To Stop Caring About Pandas

By focusing on saving pandas we are missing the bigger picture

If You Want to Write a Novel, Start With Short Fiction

Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor was this the builder’s first job.

Another Greek Summer Covered in Ashes

Why I feel more needs to be done to combat wildfires in Greece

Breaking Down an AI Conversation: How Chatbots Don't Really Talk to You

I Tried to Make Money Online as a Teenager With No Experience. This is What Went Wrong.

My failed hunt for income, from crypto scams to side hustles, and the critical lesson every student needs to learn before starting job hunting.

Leadership and the Burden of Decisions

A personal experience with leadership and how it shaped my understanding of it

My Hobbies Are Shaped by My Algorithm, and So is My Identity

There is scientific evidence of how algorithms change your psychology. I am living proof.

Silenced and Uninformed: How Gaps in Sex Education Put Children in Pakistan at Risk

When silence replaces guidance, young people are left to navigate sensitive topics alone.

Rethinking Originality in Storytelling

Why novelty is hard to come by and how to work around it

Make Friends, Not Saviors

Our friends are not responsible for our lives

Choosing Modesty on My Own Terms

Challenging the misconception of what it truly means to be modest

Emotional Detachment: A Tool for Conflict Resolution

How I use detachment in my personal life to help me resolve conflict and why you should use it too.

Coming Clean at Work

Telling my team I’m AuDHD changed how they saw me, not what I’m capable of. Here’s what workplaces need to do differently.

Ask an Expert: Vicki Shotbolt

Our interview with Parent Zone founder and CEO

NextGen Trailblazer: Evelyn Chen

An interview with the young founder behind a thriving community garden

Have Video Games Become Too Difficult?

A look into how Hollow Knight: Silksong resparked the debate over difficulty and accessibility in gaming

A Dive into the Fascinating Aquarium of Kyoto

What I learned from the experience plus some pictures for you to enjoy

SkinnyTok

The resurgence of pro-anorexia content online

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of a Military School

A bittersweet introspection of my experiences at a military boarding school

Are All Adult Friendships Superficial?

The more structured my friendships get, the less intimate they feel. Is this because of the pressure to 'network' rather than bond?

Love Beyond the Worry of Chronic Illness

Choosing to believe in love, and in my own worth, despite uncertainty.

Adolescence: No New News

Gen Z perspectives on the debate-sparking show

Should Absolute Free Speech Exist?

Navigating the complexities of free speech so we can better understand this important right

Doubting is Believing

How doubting can strength your beliefs

Musician Spotlight: Celeste Madden

Our interview with a surreal style singer-songwriter

Justice Built on Injustice

The cost of justice and how I unexpectedly realized it while reading a fantasy book

The Years of 'Freedom' and 'Young Energy' But My Back Hurts All the Time

The paradox of feeling both too young and too old in your early 20s.

Unseen Influences and Unspoken Gratitudes

You never know the impact you may have on someone's life

Navigating Life and Illness: A Student’s Advocacy Journey in Africa

In this article, I discuss my journey as a university student with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and my advocacy for peers facing similar challenges.

The Paradox of Self-Perception

How I faced the reality that no one can truly know me, and what I chose to do about it

NextGen Trailblazer: Connor Pope

Our interview with a documentary-style photographer and community builder

The Power of Gratitude

Whenever the world feels bleak I try and remember all the things I am grateful for

I Moved Alone to a Big City. No One Warned Me About the Silences.

I moved alone to a new city in search of 'independence'. This is my journey.

The Ironic Problem with Race-Swapping Characters

My reflections on diversity and character reinterpretation

To Salvage a Friendship

A story about how my friend and I had a falling out and how I realized I need to make amends

The Self-Destructive Desire to Be Great or Nothing

I don't know when I started believing that the word mediocre was interchangeable with bad. This article explores the feeling of dissatisfaction with 'average' and the chase to live a life of success and glory.

When Helping Hurts

The Dilemma of Giving Money to Beggars in Pakistan

Musician Spotlight: Kiera Dann

Our interview with a pop and classical infused singer-songwriter

The Inherent Flaw with the Trolley Problem

...and why it's still worth thinking about

DeepSeek R1: The AI That Redefined the Rules of the Game

The model that has changed the AI landscape, offering powerful intelligence that challenges the future of human creativity.

How I'm Being Bullied for My Tribal Background

I'm tired of being misjudged for who I am

#WhyWeStruggle #WhatHelps: Youth Voices Leading Mental Health Awareness

Our recent partnership with Speak Our Minds

Tennis v Pitchfork: A Review of a Review of a Review

Indie pop duo Tennis recently called out the Pitchfork review for their latest - and final - album. The question is - is music criticism still relevant?

The Great Depression of Human Attention

How our focus has been hijacked and what we can do to take it back

The Power of Change, Remorse and Forgiveness

How I witnessed a change in a bully who then became one of my best friends.

Creative Writing: Finding Your Form

Brief summaries of the perks and challenges of different forms for new creative writers.

Beautiful Sights of Nara City

An introspective travel diary on a trip to Japan.

Men's Mental Health Awareness: Part 2

Why it’s crucial for young men to open up about their mental health

Emma Watson and the Pseudo-Feminist: A Critical Evaluation of Celebrity Activism

Emma Watson’s celebrity feminism raises awareness but often lacks depth, reinforcing liberal, image-focused activism. Critics argue it marginalizes intersectional voices and overlooks systemic change.

Hunza

Exploring the rich culture of Hunza, I found an unspoken camaraderie with strangers and a deeper love for music.

NextGen Trailblazer: Caleb Staps

Our interview with a purpose-led performance poet and advocate

Meditation for Peace and Dealing with Stress as a Student

Why everyone, especially students, can benefit from meditation

My Journey from Struggle to Success

How failure is a blessing in disguise

Men's Mental Health Awareness: Part 1

Young men from our community share the importance of opening up about mental health.

From Envy to Empowerment

How I was engulfed by the "eat the rich" mentality and how I overcame it.

Autism and Me

Autism isn’t a curse or a superpower; it’s more like being short — just a natural variation in human diversity

Klara and the Sun: Why We Still Need Hope

Lessons we can learn from the Novel Klara and the Sun and how it relates to today’s current situation

Musician Spotlight: Niemba

VoiceBox's interview with a London-based singer, songwriter and budding producer

Living with IBD: My Journey of Resilience and Empathy

The piece shares my journey of living with IBD, discussing the challenges of managing a chronic illness, overcoming stigma, and finding resilience

From Fear to Pride: Living in a Divided World

This article shares my journey of growing up as a Shia Muslim, facing discrimination, and struggling with self-acceptance. A childhood incident of being denied a house due my faith left lasting scars, leading to years of fear and isolation.

The Power of Passion

What I've discovered going from a student org leader to corporate employee and how purpose changes everything

The Impact of a Name

How changing my name pushed me into an identity crisis and how I emerged out of it.

University Admissions: A Brutal Rat Race

A critique of the U.S. college admission process

California Child Influencers Are Now Entitled To 65% Of Monetised Earnings

But is that tackling the real issue?