What Breaking Barriers does

Breaking Barriers is a UK-registered nonprofit charity (Charity No. 1161901; OSCR: SC052265) founded in 2015 by Matthew Powell to help refugees and people of refugee background secure meaningful employment in the UK. Since founding, the organisation has supported 3,848 refugees and recorded 3,540 employment, education and volunteering outcomes, including 1,558 new jobs. Headcount stands at approximately 202 employees, supplemented by more than 450 individual volunteers.

The organisation delivers an integrated suite of services — one-to-one employment advice, education programmes, language tuition, IT and numeracy training, skills building, and re-accreditation support — through eight delivery centres in London (South, East, West, Hammersmith), Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and Liverpool. Specialised programmes include the BB Academy (work placements), BB Futures, BB Aspire, an Energy Transition Programme with Shell UK, a Customer Services Employment Pathway with IKEA, and an Employment Academy with law-firm partners. Underlying technology is not a core focus; the offering is human-delivered service with lightweight digital touchpoints (Volunteer Portal, remote video/telephone support, website content) rather than a proprietary technology platform.

Breaking Barriers operates a diversified charity revenue model with no fees charged to beneficiaries. Income streams comprise individual donations, corporate partnerships (20+ named partners including IKEA, Grant Thornton, BNY, Bank of America, Shell UK, Mayer Brown, Ashurst, Linklaters, Ipsos MORI, Western Union, Thomson Reuters), grants from trusts and foundations (Rank, Clothworkers', Pret, Western Union Foundation, Macquarie, S&P Global, CareTech), statutory funding (European Social Fund, London Councils), and fundraising events (Big Give, London Marathon). The organisation was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility in 2021 and announced an integration with RefuAid.

Name

Breaking Barriers

Legal name

Breaking Barriers

Website

https://breaking-barriers.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Breaking Barriers is a UK nonprofit charity founded in 2015 that helps refugees secure meaningful employment through eight delivery centres across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and Liverpool, funded by corporate partnerships, trusts, and statutory grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee Employment Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Employment Services (5613), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Refugee & Migrant Integration Enterprises (Livelihoods, Services) (BPAGALAN), Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF)

Keywords

• Refugee employment support
• Employment guidance services
• Refugee skills training
• English language tuition
• Corporate refugee partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization accepts donations from individual supporters through various giving mechanisms including one-time donations, regular giving, and major gifts.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Businesses partner with Breaking Barriers through direct hiring of refugees, providing work placements, developing bespoke recruitment pathways, and funding the organization's work. Corporate partners also contribute through employee volunteering programmes.
3. Trusts and Foundations: Funding received from charitable trusts and foundations including The Rank Foundation, The Pret Foundation, The Clothworkers' Foundation, The Belpech Trust, and others to support specific programmes and expansion.
4. Statutory Funding: Government and statutory funding including European Social Fund and London Councils grants.
5. Challenge Events and Fundraising: Income from fundraising events such as the Big Give, London Marathon challenges, and community fundraising activities.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Breaking Barriers is a UK registered charity that helps refugees and people of refugee background find meaningful employment in the UK. It delivers one-to-one employment advice and guidance, education programmes (English language, IT and numeracy), skills building, and re-accreditation support for professional qualifications. Services are delivered free to refugees through Delivery Centres in London and other UK cities, with corporate partners providing work placements, mentoring, and direct hiring pathways.

Product overview

Breaking Barriers is a UK-based refugee employment charity offering a comprehensive support ecosystem. The core offering consists of five integrated service streams: Employment Support (one-to-one advice and guidance), Education (language tuition, IT and numeracy classes), Skills Building (digital skills, workshops), Re-accreditation (professional qualification recognition), and Language Tuition. These are delivered alongside specialist programmes including BB Academy (work placements), BB Futures, BB Aspire, Energy Transition Programme, Customer Services Employment Pathway, and Employment Academy. The organisation also provides a Volunteer Portal for supporter engagement and produces awareness media such as the My (Refugee) Life film. Services are delivered through Delivery Centres across London (South, East, West, Hammersmith) with expansion to Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, and Manchester.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Employment Support Programme One-to-one tailored employment advice and guidance helping refugees secure stable, fulfilling employment that matches their existing skills and qualifications, including CV preparation, interview practice, and job search support.
• Education Programme Educational opportunities for refugees including English language classes, IT training, and numeracy classes delivered as part of the charity's broader support offering.
• Skills Building Practical skills development including digital skills training, employability workshops, and vocational training to improve refugees' job readiness.
• Re-accreditation Programme Support helping refugees obtain UK recognition of professional qualifications gained in their home countries, including partnerships such as the Linklaters/BARBRI programme for refugee lawyers.
• Language Tuition Free English language classes designed to improve refugees' communication skills and employability in the UK labour market.
• BB Academy Structured work experience and employment placement programme run with corporate partners, providing refugees with practical workplace exposure and pathways to permanent roles.
• BB Futures Employment support programme helping refugees achieve their career goals, funded through The Rank Foundation's Building Futures programme.
• BB Aspire Employment programme focused on long-term career development for refugees, supporting sustained progression beyond initial job placement.
• Energy Transition Programme Specialised pathway helping experienced refugee professionals transfer their technical skills into the UK energy transition sector, delivered with Shell UK.
• Customer Services Employment Pathway Sector-specific retail employment pathway creating customer service job opportunities with corporate partners such as IKEA, supporting 150+ refugees and 29 permanent jobs through this partnership.
• Employment Academy Skills training academy offering structured IT and employability workshops (including Excel for Beginners and Intermediate levels) in partnership with law firms such as Mayer Brown and Ashurst.
• Refugee Welcome Programme (RWP) Referral programme connecting refugees into Breaking Barriers' wider employment support services, often via partner organisations such as Refugee Council.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% of clients achieve positive outcomes while receiving support
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Grant ThorntoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership since 2018 with Grant Thornton delivering co-created workshops including 'Presenting with Confidence' and providing employment opportunities. 92% of corporate partner volunteers report that volunteering makes good use of their professional skills.
• IKEAflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Breaking Barriers has partnered with IKEA since 2017 to improve employment prospects for refugees through a Customer Service Course programme in IKEA stores (Tottenham, Croydon, Wembley, Greenwich). More than 150 refugees have received support from this partnership with 29 gaining permanent jobs. In 2019, IKEA's global CEO committed to supporting 2,500 refugees through job training and language skills in 300 stores across 30 countries by 2022, influenced by the Breaking Barriers case study.
• Mayer BrowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal corporate partner providing Excel workshops (beginners level) and supporting the Employment Academy. 13 clients trained through IT skills workshops.
• AshurstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal corporate partner providing intermediate Excel workshops alongside Mayer Brown, supporting client IT skills development.
• Ipsos MORIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal market research company offering 6-month work experience placements. Breaking Barriers client Andrew secured permanent position as Project Executive after successful placement.
• BNYcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive-year partnership with BNY. Former trustee Hani Kablawi served as Head of International and advocate for belonging and inclusion.
• Bank of AmericaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner for the 2019 'Belonging' photography exhibition, supporting the showcase of refugee stories and organizational awareness.
• Proud GalleriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExhibition venue host for the 2019 'Belonging' photography exhibition at Proud Central gallery in Charing Cross, London.
• U+IminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided office space for the 'Activating your Confidence' workshop and hosted work placement programme line managers.
• City & Guilds FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting refugees into employment through the 'skilled for success' programme, helping clients gain recognized qualifications.
• Shell UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkills Transition programme supporting refugee employment in the energy sector, helping experienced professionals transfer skills to the energy transition field.
• LinklaterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with BARBRI helping refugee lawyers regain professional qualifications and employment in the legal sector.
• Thomson ReutersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting refugee employment initiatives.
• Hammersmith and Fulham CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCouncil partner helping make the Hammersmith Delivery Centre possible, supporting refugees in the local area.
• TentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative hiring guide for companies interested in refugee hiring in the UK, published in January 2019.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• City of Sanctuary: UK-wide movement of cities and organisations welcoming refugees, including employment-focused streams. Comparable UK geographic focus on refugee inclusion and integration.
• Spring Impact: UK-based social-impact consultancy supporting charities in scaling outcomes. Adjacent comparator for outcomes measurement and scaling methodology rather than direct beneficiary services.

Broad incumbents

• British Red Cross: Large UK humanitarian organisation providing refugee support including employment advice. Comparable as a broad refugee-services incumbent with overlapping UK delivery and corporate partnerships.
• Refugee Council: UK's largest refugee-support charity offering broader services including asylum support, advocacy, and resettlement, with some employment programmes. Overlapping beneficiary base and UK operating geography.
• Refugee Action: UK charity supporting refugees with advice, advocacy, and integration services including employment support. Comparable UK-based refugee-support scope and beneficiary base.

Direct peers

• Talent Beyond Boundaries: International nonprofit matching skilled refugees with employers globally. Comparable in its refugee-to-employment mission and corporate partnership model.
• Upwardly Global: US-based nonprofit helping skilled refugees and immigrants rebuild professional careers through employment support. Comparable mission and refugee workforce integration focus.
• Tent Partnership for Refugees: Global nonprofit mobilising the private sector to integrate refugees through employment. Comparable as a corporate-partnership-driven refugee employment intermediary.
• RefuAid: UK charity focused on refugee employment through language tuition, professional re-accreditation, and employer matching. RefuAid is a direct peer and is integrating with Breaking Barriers.

Others

• Migrate Art: UK-based arts-and-fundraising partner of Breaking Barriers (jigsaw puzzle collaboration with Camille Walala). Ecosystem partner supporting refugee charity fundraising rather than a direct employment-services peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BB_UK1
• Facebookfacebook.com/BreakingBarriersUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/breaking-barriers
• Instagraminstagram.com/breakingbarriersuk

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Breaking Barriers