Built from the ground up
Threads for Change is a Manchester-based social enterprise and non-profit. We exist because the system was failing young people — so we decided to build something better.
Fashion as a force for change
We work with young people aged 16–24 who are not in education, employment, or training — connecting them to real careers through vintage fashion, sustainability, and digital skills.
We believe the fashion industry — with its creativity, culture, and commerce — is one of the most powerful routes into meaningful work for young people who've been written off by traditional pathways.
"We don't fix young people. We fix the system that was failing them."
Our values
Radical honesty
We say what we mean. Youth unemployment is a structural problem, not a personal failing. We name that — and we act on it.
Real skills, real work
No box-ticking. Every programme leads somewhere — a job, a business, a qualification, or a clearer path forward.
Sustainability as standard
We rescue quality second-hand clothing from landfill. Giving garments a second life is inseparable from giving young people one too.
Community first
We're rooted in Manchester. Our participants shape what we do — not the other way around.
Why we started
Threads for Change was founded in response to a simple, stubborn fact: youth unemployment in the UK is at its highest in a decade. One in eight young people is out of work — and the programmes designed to help them rarely reflect what they're actually interested in.
We started with a different question: what if the route into work looked like something young people actually cared about? Vintage fashion. Streetwear culture. Sustainability. Digital content. The answer became Threads for Change.
We're launching our first cohort in 2026. Everything we're building — the programmes, the partnerships, the platform — is designed to be replicable, scalable, and led by the communities it serves.
Who we are
We're a small founding team with backgrounds in youth work, fashion, social enterprise, and education. We're based in Manchester and we're building this in public.
Founders & Directors
Social enterprise leadership
Our founding directors bring experience across youth services, fashion retail, and non-profit governance. We're committed to transparency and community accountability.
Ready to be part of it?
Whether you're a young person looking for a way in, or an organisation that wants to make a difference — we want to hear from you.