A “squiggly journey” to CEO: How Roman Dibden is Changing the Odds for Young People
August 12, 2025Posted by:
In Conversation with Roman Dibden, CEO of Rise Up, a key PeoplePlus and Social Recruitment Advocacy Group partner.
Roman Dibden describes his journey to CEO, achieved just 12 years into his career, as “squiggly.” It's a description that understates the sharp turns and early responsibility that have created his unshakable commitment to those who most need stability. The charity he leads, Rise Up, is dedicated to providing open-access, long-term support for 16–30-year-olds, helping them build confidence, skills, and real pathways into work.
As a child, Roman witnessed domestic abuse and saw his mum work hard to build a new life away from his father. During that time, circumstances meant Roman stayed with his Dad. Longing to be with his mum, Roman eventually hid at the end of a visit rather than return home: “I was basically saying, I’m not leaving.”
From then on, they were a team. Having lived in temporary housing, Roman helped his mum settle into their first permanent home at age 10 - “being trusted to paint the skirting boards” - gave him a taste of agency that would never leave him.
Just a few years later, his mum was diagnosed with terminal leukemia. Roman’s attendance at school collapsed; his coping mechanism was to spend every possible moment with her. He knew the worst the local authority could do was fine his Mum, and thought, “Surely, you’re not going to want to take a terminally ill woman to court for her son not being in school?”
The education system saw 23% attendance, not a mother and son in crisis. By 14, Roman had been permanently excluded and left formal education. At the time it felt like getting what he wanted, but the boredom quickly set in. He channeled his energy into music workshops and getting small community grants before eventually returning to a Pupil Referral Unit to get his GCSEs - because his mum asked him to do it for her. She died just before his 16th birthday, even sooner than expected due to pneumonia, without knowing that he had achieved his results.
Her determination - even avoiding heating to pay for essentials, despite her illness - has given Roman a grounding measure of success. It's simple - being able to, “put the heating on,” demonstrates the stability he has fought for.
Combined with his own refusal to lose his hard-won independence following losing his Mum, good people showed up. Linda, a careers adviser with the PRU, offered him Rich Tea biscuits and tea to dunk them in, beyond a door that was always open. Nicolette, who interviewed him for his first job, an apprenticeship in social housing, “saw past the suit that didn’t fit, the coffee and half-eaten tuna Sub,” (treats he bought himself for courage to see the interview through) to his potential. These people and their impact are part of his life today.
From social housing to The Growth Company to an Ed-Tech scale-up, Roman is already building a legacy based on long-term commitment, not quick wins. When the chance to lead Rise Up came, he stepped into the charity sector much earlier in his career than he had planned - determined to combine the discipline of business with the empathy of lived experience.
Today, Rise Up offers open-access support for 16–30-year-olds, regardless of benefits status. Programmes like Building Aspirations, co-designed with partners such as UK Youth, Santander, and Hippo, weave employer engagement directly into delivery. Mentors, industry links, and real job pathways are standard, not optional and he has a radar for authenticity that is driving results.
Roman insists on meeting young people where they are, “in venues they already trust,” and building partnerships that show visible results to both employers and participants. The aim is long-term stability, not just the first job.
In working with PeoplePlus, the Social Recruitment Advocacy Group and getting behind the Social Recruitment Covenant, Roman sees the potential for systemic change. For him, empowerment comes from unlocking the potential already within young people, giving them the “Linda” or “Nicolette” who will see past circumstance to capability through the structure offered by Rise Up, who stay the course for every young person they work with. What is needed now is impact at scale.
Roman is living proof of what it means to demand more - and now he’s throwing down the challenge for the rest of us: government, schools, employers, charities, young people, to all, "get just five or ten percent better." Stack those gains, and we won’t just change lives - we’ll change the future.
Rise Up
August 12, 2025Posted by:
