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A few weeks ago BREAKOUT didn’t exist
- Roman Dibden
- May 10
- 2 min read
Reflecting on the launch of BREAKOUT and the first Future Focus cohort.
A few weeks ago, BREAKOUT didn’t exist.
At the end of March, almost 100 leader came together at Booking.com in Manchester to support the launch of an idea built on a simple belief:
YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. THE SYSTEM IS.
Since then, things have moved pretty quickly.
Whether you came to the launch event, supported from afar, shared encouragement, or simply backed the vision early on - thank you.
The support people have shown already has genuinely meant a lot.
Delivering Our First Future Focus Cohort
A couple of weeks back, we delivered our very first Future Focus Programme with an incredible group of 18 - 25 year olds.
Honestly, parts of those three days were emotional.
We worked with young people who had applied for hundreds of roles between them with little or no success, many slowly losing confidence in themselves, despite having huge potential.
That’s exactly why BREAKOUT exists.
We’re building something different: enabling young people to build confidence, develop practical employability skills, and access real pathways into opportunities.
What the Programme Included
The Future Focus Programme combined:
CPD-accredited employability modules
Mentoring and professional networking
Behavioural profiling and AI interview support
Direct exposure to employers and opportunities
But importantly, this is not designed to be a one-off intervention.
Each young person continues to recieve mentoring and ongoing progression support for at least six months afterwards as they continue navigating education, employment, and opportunity.
Early Impact
The first cohort has already shown some incredibly encouraging early outcomes.
Some early feedback included:
100% of young people that participated said they would recommend the Future Focus Programme
100% of industry volunteers said they would support again
83% of Participants said they now feel more confident communicating and backing themselves.
100% said they feel more prepared for what comes next.
More importantly than the statistics though, we saw young people begin to believe in themselves again.
One participant shared:
If you feel like you’re stuck or lacking confidence or just confused about how to progress after leaving the school system, this programme will make you realised how much potential you actually have that you just don’t know yet.
You can also get a flavour for the programme and why BREAKOUT matters by checking out the below short video:
What Comes Next
We’re now actively exploring future cohorts, partnerships, and new ways for people to get involved.
That could mean:
Mentoring young people
Supporting programme delivery
Sponsoring future participants
Partnering with BREAKOUT
Or taking part in our first ‘BREAKOUT Day’ fundraiser later this year as we take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks together
We’ve also recently launched our first Fundraising page as we continue building BREAKOUT and creating opportunities for more young people.
If you’d like to support the mission directly, you can do so by clicking here.
We’re Just Getting Started…
It genuinely feels like we’re building something meaningful together.
BREAKOUT exists to enable young people break out of the labels and systems that limit their futures and this first cohort reminded us exactly why that matters.
Your Move.
-Roman Dibden
Founder | BREAKOUT
