A Conversation Between Genuine Futures Founder Sam Smith and Lidl Area Manager Neil Hilsley
Across the UK, more than one million young people are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET). Behind every statistic is a young person with potential, ambition and talent, but often without the opportunities they need to move forward.
At Genuine Futures, we see this reality every day.
Recently, during one of our Big Pop-Up Charity Car Wash events at Hill Tops Sports & Social Club in Blackrod, our Founder and Co-Director, Sam Smith, sat down with Neil Hilsley, Area Manager for Lidl, to discuss youth employment, opportunities for young people and why he supports the work of Genuine Futures.
For Sam, this was more than just another interview.
The two have known each other for more than 26 years, dating back to Sam’s time in Blackpool when Neil was one of his football managers.
Today, both share a common belief:
Young people deserve opportunities, not limitations.
A Friendship Built Over 26 Years
For Sam Smith, this wasn’t simply an interview with a local business leader.
It was a conversation with someone who has supported him throughout different chapters of his life.
Sam first met Neil more than 26 years ago in Blackpool, when Neil was one of his football managers. Over the years, their paths continued to cross as Sam built several successful businesses across the Fylde Coast, including car wash, valeting, window cleaning, carpet cleaning and commercial cleaning operations.
During those years, Neil witnessed first-hand Sam’s passion for helping young people gain experience and opportunities through work.
Long before Genuine Futures was established, Sam was creating opportunities for young people through his businesses in Blackpool, providing work experience, mentoring and employment opportunities for hundreds of young people who simply needed someone to believe in them.
Many of those young people went on to secure employment, build careers and gain confidence through those experiences.
Neil was one of the people who consistently encouraged and supported those efforts.
Reflecting on their long-standing friendship, Sam said:
“Neil has known me through many stages of my life. He knew me when I was building businesses in Blackpool, and he saw first-hand how passionate I was about helping young people.
Over the years, hundreds of young people came through our businesses, gaining experience, confidence and opportunities. Even back then, we were trying to show young people that there was another path available to them.
What means a lot is that Neil is still supporting that vision today. Twenty-six years later, we’re still having the same conversations about creating opportunities and helping young people reach their potential.”
Why Neil Supports Genuine Futures
During the interview, Sam asked Neil a simple question:
“Why do you support Genuine Futures?”
Neil’s response highlighted why community-led projects like ours are so important.
“This is an amazing, honestly amazing service, amazing thing that you guys do for the community. Getting kids back into work is, I cannot think of anything better in terms of trying to really support and help the youth today.
I think it’s probably one of those areas that people often forget about and kids kind of just get left to their own devices.
So I’m so very impressed with how you go about it, getting the kids to have active work skills. That’s why I’m down today.”
His words struck a chord with all of us at Genuine Futures.
Too often, young people are defined by their challenges rather than their potential.
Too often, they are expected to navigate increasingly complex lives without the support, guidance and opportunities they need.
The Reality Facing Young People Today
We know there is no shortage of talent amongst young people.
What we often see is a shortage of opportunity.
Many of the young people we support have experienced barriers including:
- Long-term unemployment
- School exclusion
- Social isolation
- Lack of confidence
- Limited access to work experience
- Uncertainty about their future
Without support, these barriers can become difficult to overcome.
That is why Genuine Futures was established.
We believe prevention is better than crisis intervention and that providing opportunities early can change the trajectory of a young person’s life.
From Lived Experience to Lasting Change
Reflecting on his conversation with Neil, Sam said:
“Neil’s words really resonated with me because I’ve lived what happens when young people are left to their own devices. I was excluded from school, spent time in care, secure units and prisons, and for years I struggled to find a way forward.
What changed my life wasn’t a programme or a policy. It was people. People who gave me opportunities, believed in me and saw potential in me when I couldn’t see it in myself.
That’s why we created Genuine Futures. We know there are thousands of young people with incredible potential who simply need someone to open a door. Through our programmes and social enterprises, we’re creating opportunities that many of us wish we’d had growing up.”
Boss Your Future: Where It All Began
Our flagship Boss Your Future programme was developed to support young people who are not in education, employment or training.
The programme helps participants develop:
Employability Skills
Enterprise Skills
Confidence and Resilience
Communication Skills
Personal Development
Workplace Experience
Through mentoring, practical activities, inspiring speakers and community engagement, young people begin to rediscover their confidence and believe in their future.
However, as our programme grew, we recognised a challenge.
What happens after the programme ends?
Clean Futures: Creating Opportunities Through Social Enterprise
To answer that question, we launched Clean Futures.
Clean Futures is a Genuine Futures youth-led cleaning initiative founded through our flagship Boss Your Future programme.
We wanted to create a social enterprise where young people could continue developing their skills while making a positive contribution to their communities.
Today, Clean Futures provides:
Wheelie Bin Cleaning
Driveway Cleaning
Patio & Pressure Washing
Bin Store Cleaning
Community Clean-Up Projects
Every project helps young people gain practical work experience, confidence and a sense of purpose.
Our mission remains simple:
Clean Bins. Cleaner Communities. Brighter Futures.
We Shine Any Car: Not Just Cleaning Cars, Changing Lives
Alongside Clean Futures, we created We Shine Any Car, our youth-led valeting and car cleaning social enterprise.
Since launching in January 2024, our pop-up car wash events have become a powerful way of engaging young people while providing real-world experience.
Young people involved in We Shine Any Car develop:
- Customer Service Skills
- Communication Skills
- Teamwork
- Time Management
- Leadership Skills
- Enterprise Knowledge
Our upcoming event at the White Horse in Harwood will be our 49th Charity Car Wash Event since launching.
Each event is about far more than washing cars.
It is about creating opportunities, building confidence and helping young people discover what they are capable of.
As we often say:
“We’re not just cleaning cars. We’re changing lives.”
Creating New Pathways Into Retail Employment
One of the most positive outcomes from Sam’s conversation with Neil was the discussion around future employment opportunities.
Having seen the impact that work experience and employment opportunities had on the hundreds of young people supported through Sam’s businesses in Blackpool, Neil understands the life-changing difference that employment can make.
Today, as an Area Manager for Lidl, Neil brings extensive experience of leading teams, developing people and identifying talent.
Together, we discussed how organisations like Genuine Futures and employers like Lidl can work collaboratively to create new pathways into retail and employment.
Retail remains one of the UK’s largest employment sectors and can provide:
- Entry-level opportunities
- Career progression
- Leadership development
- Transferable workplace skills
- Long-term career prospects
For many young people, a first role in retail can be the beginning of a successful career journey.
These conversations are exactly the type of partnerships we need if we are serious about addressing youth unemployment, tackling the NEET crisis and supporting the next generation.
Employers Have a Role to Play
Reflecting on the importance of employer engagement, Mike Alleyne, Co-Director of Genuine Futures, said:
“Neil’s comments highlight something we hear time and time again. Young people don’t lack potential; they often lack opportunities.
We’re focused on helping young people develop the confidence, communication skills and work ethic that employers are looking for. We want businesses to see young people not as a risk, but as an investment.
Conversations with leaders like Neil are important because they help us create genuine pathways into employment. If we’re serious about tackling the NEET crisis, employers, communities and organisations need to work together.”
A Shared Vision
Our conversation with Neil reinforced something we have believed since day one.
Young people do not need lower expectations.
They need greater opportunities.
Whether through Boss Your Future, Clean Futures, We Shine Any Car, mentoring, community projects or workplace experiences, our goal remains the same:
To bridge the gap between potential and opportunity.
As Sam often says:
“Every young person deserves someone in their corner. Sometimes all it takes is one conversation, one opportunity and one person believing in them to completely change the direction of their life.”
And as Mike Alleyne adds:
“We don’t just talk about employability. We create opportunities for young people to experience it, practise it and believe they can achieve it.”
Looking Ahead
At Genuine Futures, we remain committed to creating pathways into employment, enterprise and education.
Through Boss Your Future, Clean Futures and We Shine Any Car, we are helping young people gain confidence, develop skills and build brighter futures.
We are excited to continue conversations with employers, businesses and community leaders who share our vision.
Because if we want to tackle the NEET crisis, strengthen communities and create a brighter future, we must work together.
As Neil said:
“Getting kids back into work is one of the best things you can do.”