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I sat down with NHS’s Rachael Hardcastle-Pearce, group head of voluntary services, and Liz Winn, managing director of Y Engage and Y Focused, to discuss empowering the youth through volunteering and employability initiatives. 

In a system as vast and complex as the NHS, it’s rare to find someone who has not only climbed the ladder but has also built new routes for others along the way. Rachael Hardcastle-Pearce, Group Head of Voluntary Services at the NHS, is one of those people.

Over the past 11 years, Rachael has worked tirelessly to support and empower nearly 3,000 young people across Hull and the East Riding. Her work spans partnerships with 40 schools and colleges, helping students find purpose, direction, and a place in a world that often overlooks their potential.

Rachael began her NHS journey as a clinical support worker in neurosurgery. At just 16, her dream had been to become an air hostess – yet life took a different path. Coming from a working-class background, she’s the first to say she’s done it all herself. Rachael’s trajectory is powered not by privilege, but by relentless hard work, self-belief, and a profound sense of purpose.

“I’ve always given 110% in every job,” she says. “I’ve done what I’ve set out to do. Do I think I could give more? Yes I do, I’m driven by it. Not by success but by making people happy and changing their lives.”

Growing up, Rachael played both hockey and football, but when there were no girls’ teams, she had to join her brother’s. She eventually turned to hockey, but the experience of being sidelined left a mark. That mark became motivation – fuel for her now unwavering commitment to ensuring young people don’t miss out on chances to thrive.

I asked – Do you feel that your drive to help others and to create opportunities stems from not having had those same chances yourself ? 

“Yeah I absolutely think so. I often say to people when I’m speaking at national conferences, I wish I had that, especially between the ages of 16 to 25…I wish I had more guidance. I always say to the room when I address it, let’s just sit for one minute and think, every single person in this room has had at least one positive influence in their lives. I suppose I am doing it to be that person for those young people.”

In 2012, she helped set up the NHS Friends and Family Trust, igniting a passion for patient experience. This path led her to become the senior patient engagement and experience manager, and later, a senior leader. In 2014, her career took an unexpected turn. A conversation about America’s “candy stripers” – a youth volunteer program – planted a seed. What if the UK could do something similar? That year, Rachael proposed the idea of a homegrown version. By 2018, she was asked to take over all voluntary services for the NHS trust in the area. 

Since then, her life has transformed. Her time is now spent visiting schools, speaking at conferences, and even consulting on national youth volunteering strategies. Her work has taken her to places she never imagined and changed her profoundly along the way. In 2024, her efforts were formally recognised when she won a prestigious Golden Star for Youth Volunteering. But for Rachael, success isn’t measured in trophies or titles – she says “Awards don’t float my boat…I would much rather somebody ring me and say ‘you’re not going to believe it i got that apprenticeship’ or ‘i got that job’. Nothing can outweigh someone walking in here with no confidence and then seeing them down the line and seeing how much they have changed.”

Now a trustee of Tigers Trust, her role there has opened personal doors, further expanding her reach into the community. Rachael Hardcastle-Pearce is more than a senior NHS leader. She is a force for youth empowerment, a believer in second chances, and a testament to what’s possible when passion meets perseverance. Her journey is a reminder that true leadership is not about climbing higher – it’s about lifting others with you.

Alongside Rachael is Liz Winn. As Managing Director of Y Engage and Y Focused, Liz has carved out a powerful role in the region’s youth development landscape, using sport, education, and business collaboration to transform futures.

Her journey began with a dual passion for people and sport. While studying at university, Liz spent 8 years working in libraries – an early sign of her natural affinity for connecting with others. At the same time, her love for sport never faded. What started as a part-time role in Hull College’s sports department soon became something much greater. Liz rose through the ranks to become Vice Principal, driven by a passion not just for sport, but for nurturing potential.

Liz realised that her mission extended beyond the field. Many of the young people she worked with didn’t have the same advantages or support systems she had growing up. That realisation shaped her approach to leadership – and to life.

“I realised that not everyone is as fortunate as yourself when it comes to home life and building confidence” she reflects. “It was from then when I thought that I would like to do that for others.”

Her answer came in the form of Y Engage, a community-rooted organisation that provides immersive, real-world experiences for young people who may be struggling in traditional school or home environments. One of her standout initiatives is the Immersive Work Experience programme, designed when it came to her attention that 180 students at a school she worked with were without work placements. 

Instead of seeing a problem, Liz created a solution.

She began hiring external venues and inviting local businesses – law firms, education providers, sports organisations, and healthcare professionals to come to the students. The week-long experience is carefully designed: Day One focuses on vital skills like communication, teamwork, and professionalism. Over the next three days, students select a pathway (such as law, healthcare, education, or sport), engaging in hands-on workshops led by professionals in those fields. On the final day, apprenticeship providers present pathways to employment, followed by a celebration event where an “Employee of the Week” is awarded. 

“The main aim,” Liz says, “was to make sure that every single student regardless of postcode or background has access to their first-choice career.”

Another of her flagship programmes, Aspiring Leaders, brings students together over a six week period with local business leaders. These sessions explore themes like resilience, public speaking, and pride. Ending the weeks with a pitch presentation to a panel of local businesses and charities. Student-led projects have ranged from fundraising events to awareness campaigns – real initiatives driven by real youth voices.

Firms like Wilkin Chapman and Rollits have joined forces with her programmes, providing invaluable insight and in many cases, direct opportunities for students who might otherwise be left behind.

It was through the healthcare pathway of her immersive programme that Liz’s path crossed with Rachael. Their shared values and community-first approach led to a powerful partnership, enabling students to take on volunteering roles within Humber Health Champions. Together, they’re not just preparing young people for the future – they’re helping them shape it.

When asked about their plans for the future it became apparent that they both have a very clear goal in mind. To strengthen their already incredible partnership and to take their work beyond the area. 

Rachael says – “I believe that my model can be used anywhere, that it can be replicated out into industry because I don’t feel that young people are good enough prepared for when they leave school. We’ve concentrated on one element of it (volunteering) and that’s in the NHS…the dream would be to take this and replicate it somewhere else.” 

With the volunteer recruitment period coming up and an influx of young people wanting to join Rachael plans to work more this year on health and wellbeing whilst also maintaining the monopoly in Hull for youth volunteering.

When asked the same question, Liz similarly responded – “I would love for it (Immersive) to become a national programme and trial it in other cities. It gives businesses an excellent opportunity to meet students going into their profession. It’s a model that can be picked up and taken anywhere in the country.”

I asked – Can you see this being taken worldwide ? 

To which they both agreed that without a doubt there’s a strong possibility that everything they have worked on together and individually can be taken internationally.

“I would love to see that happen. It is such a basic model but one that really works and has seen a lot of impact. To see that across the world would be great.”  – Liz 

So, why are these programmes important ? 

For both Rachael and Liz, the work they do isn’t just about roles or recognition, it’s about reshaping a system that too often leaves the most vulnerable behind. In places like Hull and the South Bank, where deprivation is a daily reality and chances aren’t handed out easily, the importance of structured, supported youth development programmes can’t be overstated.

With over 25 years of experience, Rachael is determined to leave behind a legacy – not of awards or titles, but of real lives changed. From providing access to roles in nursing, the mortuary, and other medical careers through volunteering, to building confidence and teamwork in students who once felt unseen, the impact is phenomenal.

Meanwhile, Liz’s Immersive Work Experience has become a gateway into meaningful employment, especially in areas where placements are few and far between. By connecting students directly with employers and allowing them to prove themselves in a real-world setting, she’s helping young people take their first confident step toward the careers they dream of. In many cases, these one-week placements have led to further volunteering or even paid roles. 

The programmes are about far more than CVs and credentials. They’re about empowerment. Respect. Real-life experience. The belief that every young person deserves a fair start.

One of the most powerful examples of this is Humber Health Champions – a volunteer network that has donated over 27,000 hours of time, equating to around £90,000 in savings for the NHS. But the true value isn’t measured in pounds. These volunteers, young and old, stepped up during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the healthcare system was at breaking point. Their service helped hold communities together.

“Running a volunteer service like this is incredibly humbling,” Rachael reflects. “People give their time for free, simply because they care.”

While there is a strong volunteer base in Hull and surrounding areas, both Liz and Rachael are keen to grow this model across the South Bank and beyond. Youth volunteering is only formally embedded in the NHS right now but they believe it should be accessible to all young people, regardless of background, interests, or location.

For Liz and Rachael, it all comes back to the same core values: attitude, employability, and respect. They’re not just offering work experience or volunteer placements. They’re offering guidance, purpose, and the one thing every young person deserves – a chance.

“Young people are our future so we should look after them.” – Rachael 

The partnership between the two is incredible, they’ve created a dynamic force that’s opening doors, breaking down barriers, and transforming futures for young people across the region.