Our approach: Growing by creating something
Our approach at a glance
Creating a real game
Not a practice assignment
Discovering what you can do
Contributing, trying things out and developing your talents further.
Real responsibility
tailored to each participant
Not a practice assignment, but a
At Breakout Bandits, we believe people can start moving forward when they have the opportunity to contribute and see that their work matters. That is why participants work on something that will actually be used. They do not just develop a product; through creating it, they also discover more about themselves.
Real products create
Because it is real, your contribution matters
Working on a real product naturally creates situations in which development can take place. Choices have to be made, agreements kept, deadlines met, feedback received, and sometimes things do not work out as hoped.
Ultimately, a game also has to be fun to play. Ideas are tested and players sometimes respond differently than expected. That gives the work meaning and shows participants that their contribution has a real impact.
At Breakout Bandits, participants are makers in development: they make a genuine contribution and take on responsibility, while still having room to learn, make mistakes and receive support.
Everyone contributes
Not everyone needs to be able to do the same things to be valuable. We look at what someone can contribute and what level of responsibility fits them at that moment.
One person may be strong at generating ideas, another at technology, design, writing, organising, testing or spotting details. Responsibility can start small and grow over time. Sometimes temporarily taking a step back may also be necessary.
is part of the development process
Participants do not develop through guidance alone. The group itself also plays an important role.
By working together, participants see how others approach problems, learn to consider one another and experience that they can help each other. Someone who needs support at one moment may be the person helping someone else move forward at another.
This creates a team in which people with different strengths and support needs can complement one another.
Growing by trying things out
Room to try
Development also means that things sometimes do not work out. An idea may disappoint, a task may prove too difficult or an agreement may be missed.
We do not try to protect participants from every difficult experience. We create an environment where mistakes can be discussed and someone can explore what happened, what the effect was and what could be done differently next time.
Guidance that adapts
Not every participant needs the same support at every moment. Sometimes someone needs hands-on support, help breaking a task into manageable steps or assistance creating an overview. At another moment, someone may need room to try things independently.
As someone gains confidence and can carry more responsibility, the support can change.
A next step does
We do not expect every participant to choose the same direction after Breakout Bandits. For one person, the next step may be education or paid work. For another, entrepreneurship, volunteering, another programme or first taking on more responsibility within Breakout Bandits may be a better fit.
A sense of direction often begins with much smaller steps. Being expected somewhere again, being part of a group, keeping an appointment, discovering what you are good at, or being given responsibility and finding that you can handle it. Experiences like these can gradually strengthen confidence in yourself, in others and in what may come next.
What matters most is that someone starts seeing possibilities again and gains a better understanding of what suits them.
Moving forward starts with rediscovering your strengths, recognising what you can contribute and seeing new possibilities ahead.