The People Behind Hersch
Hersch Group was founded by Jo and Richard “Richie” Herschell-Smith, bringing together a lifetime of experience across education, SEN, SEMH, youth and community work, alternative provision and vocational learning. Different professional journeys have given them one shared belief: every young person deserves to be heard, understood and given the opportunity to find their own way forward.
Jo Herschell-Smith
With more than 30 years in education, Jo has worked with children from pre-school through to secondary education, including specialist SEN/SEMH teaching and outreach consultancy supporting mainstream schools. She later founded and successfully led True North Alternative Provision, developing a strong track record of helping young people rebuild trust, confidence and engagement with learning.
Hersch Group grew from Jo’s desire to take that experience further — supporting children earlier, working alongside families and schools, and continuing to help young people beyond school into adulthood and their next opportunities. Kind, caring and deeply committed, Jo believes that the right relationship and the right approach can help a young person begin to see possibilities again.
Richard “Richie” Herschell-Smith
Richie is a highly experienced and qualified youth and community specialist, with over 25 years’ experience with the Army Welfare Service, supporting service personnel and their families. His work has included developing youth provision and community centres, working with stakeholders to provide wraparound support. Richie has also worked with young carers on behalf of the local authority, supporting children and young people who were balancing education with significant caring responsibilities at home. He provided a trusted space where they could talk openly about the challenges they faced, while advocating for their needs and ensuring their voices were heard
Most recently, as Vocational Activities Lead at True North, Richie used practical learning, sport, life skills and shared interests to build relationships and engage young people. He is passionate about youth voice and advocacy, ensuring young people are not simply spoken about, but are listened to and involved in decisions about their own lives.
Our Future
Jo and Richie want Hersch Group to provide something young people can grow with from early support and re-engagement through to education, vocational opportunities and the transition into adulthood. Our ambition is not to make young people fit a system, but to find the relationships, opportunities and pathways that fit the individual.
Listen
We start with the young person.
Understanding their story, strengths, interests and what matters to them.
Engage
We find what works , building trust through relationships, learning, creativity, sport, practical experiences and achievable success.
Move Forward
We build towards their future.
Developing confidence, skills and independence towards education, training, employment and adulthood.