Founders Welcome

Over the past decade I’ve had the absolute privilege of supporting tens of thousands of young people navigate the transition from education into employment. Through that work, one issue has become consistently clear - the single biggest risk for many young people isn’t education itself, It’s that fragile moment between education and employment. Some young people do everything the system asks of them and still struggle to access opportunities. Others face instability, exclusion or responsibilities the system was just never designed around. They have different journeys, but sadly, the same outcome and the pathway into work breaks down. Alongside this frontline work, I’ve also had the opportunity to contribute to national conversations around youth unemployment through media and sector platforms, including appearances on BBC One and coverage in The Guardian. Those platforms create important conversations, but they also expose something that concerns me deeply. The language we use to describe young people can be incredibly dangerous. When we reduce young people to statistics or labels: “NEET”(Not in Education, Employment, or Training), ”disengaged”, “hard to reach” we risk reinforcing the idea that young people themselves are the problem.  In my experience, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Young people are not the problem. Often the system around them isn’t designed for the reality they’re living. 

That belief is what led me to start building something new. BREAKOUT. 

A charity focused on rebuilding the pathway between education and employment by bringing together young people, employers and communities to create more structured and sustained routes into opportunity. 

This isn’t about quick fixes or one-size-fits-all programmes. It’s about building community, creating meaningful connections with employers, and properly supporting young people through one of the most important transitions of their lives. The goal is lasting change. 

Roman Dibden,

Founder, BREAKOUT