A Greater Manchester organisation helping young people overcome barriers to employment has officially become a registered charity, after supporting hundreds of youngsters across the region. BREAKOUT, founded by Roman Dibden earlier this year, received official charity status on October 22, marking a significant milestone in its mission to tackle youth unemployment.
The organisation supports people aged 16 to 25 by providing mentoring, employment opportunities and personalised guidance, with a particular focus on those struggling to find their way into work. Speaking to SalfordNow, founder Roman Dibden revealed that around 220 young people had been referred to the organisation, including a number from Salford.
He said: “I just got fed up of sort of dispelling myths that young people aren’t lazy, young people do want to work. Breakout is all about bringing young people, employers and communities together to form part of a solution to the youth unemployment crisis.”
The charity’s official registration follows months of work behind the scenes, something Dibden admitted was an emotional achievement.
“When the news came through, I sort of had all of the emotions to be honest with you. May have had a little cry about it,” he said.
“It’s nice that the Charity Commission have recognised what we’re doing and what we’re trying to do.”
The founder also has personal connections to Salford, having begun his career in social housing at Pendleton Gateway. He explained that the organisation is committed to helping Salford residents access both local employment opportunities and those across Greater Manchester. Dibden believes a lack of confidence, limited support and repeated job rejections are among the biggest obstacles facing young people.
He said: “A lot of young people that are referred to the charity have maybe applied for 150, 200 jobs to absolutely no avail.
“I think knowing where to go is the fundamental problem and then being given the tools to navigate some of those challenges and keep moving forward is a real challenge for young people.”
However, the charity is already seeing the impact of its work, including one young man who has gone from being unemployed for more than a year to studying at the University of Salford.
Dibden recalled how the youngster had struggled to leave his bedroom and maintain a daily routine before joining BREAKOUT’s first programme in April. After initially struggling to attend the three-day course, he received ongoing mentoring and eventually completed a two-week work experience placement.
He also took part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge to raise funds for the charity. Now, just months later, he has enrolled at the University of Salford to study an artificial intelligence-related degree.
He said: “He’s gone from being that kind of long-term unemployed to being a real example for other young people.
“Completely transformed in the period that we met him on that first programme in April to where he is now.”
For Dibden, the success story demonstrates why young people need consistent support rather than being written off when they struggle to engage.
He said: “Traditional services would have given up on him because he’d drop off the radar or he wouldn’t engage at certain moments.
“Stories like his make it worth it because we should be asking why as a starting point a young person’s in that set of circumstances.”
With its newly secured charity status, BREAKOUT hopes to strengthen partnerships with employers and community organisations, creating more opportunities for young people across Salford and beyond.
Dibden added: “Nobody deserves to feel like they’re navigating life alone.”
Young people interested in accessing support can find out more through the BREAKOUT website.
