Built from the ground up
Youthworks Vintage is a Manchester-based social enterprise and non-profit. We exist because the system is failing young people — so we decided to build something better.
Meet the founder
Leom W Gould
Founder & Director
"I didn't want to build another programme that talked at young people. I wanted to build something they'd actually want to be part of."
Youthworks Vintage was born from lived experience, not theory. Growing up in unstable circumstances, in and out of refuge accommodation, with a father in prison and a mother working as a cleaner, I learned early how easily young people can feel excluded and unheard.
Like many of the young people I now support, I struggled in mainstream education. Living with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and autism, I left school with few formal qualifications. But those challenges became the foundation of my purpose. Through outdoor education and youth work, I found direction — going on to work in roles supporting young people across Greater Manchester, from frontline outreach to teaching, pupil referral units and national programmes.
Alongside this, I built a vintage clothing business from scratch, growing it across multiple platforms and launching my own online store. Youthworks Vintage brings these worlds together — youth development and sustainable enterprise. I don't believe every young person thrives in a classroom, but with the right setting, practical skills and genuine support, they can absolutely flourish. That belief drives this work.
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 is 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.
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.
The Founder
Social enterprise leadership
Our founding director brings 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.
Contact us
General enquiries
Questions about our programmes, partnerships, or anything else — we read every message.
[email protected]Press enquiries
Media requests, interviews, and press coverage — we're happy to talk about what we're building.
[email protected]Investor enquiries
Interested in funding or investing in Youthworks Vintage? We'd love to share our plans with you.
[email protected]Based in Manchester, UK. Launching 2026.