Celebrating 10 years

For ten years, The Agency has supported young people to create social change projects for their communities. Our National ProgrAMME MANAGER, Andrew Westle shares WHAT THE PROGRAMME IS ALL ABOUT.

Image by OVO Gallery, Agency Alumni Olalekan Victor Oderinde

The Agency is a creative entrepreneurship programme working with 15 to 25-year-olds from underserved areas across the UK. We use a theatre-based methodology to support them to become beacons of positive transformation. The Agency's story is one of innovation, collaboration, and the unwavering belief in the potential of young people.

In a world that can feel quite dark, with mounting pressures from fuel poverty, climate change and geographic and political instability, our agents are enabled to harness creativity as the tool for fresh thinking and positive change. For 10 years across the UK, The Agency has proven time and again that no problem can be too big for a creative rethink.

A Journey from Rio to the UK

The Agency began in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, where Brazilian theatre maker, activist, and journalist Marcus Faustini envisioned a programme that could harness creativity to address pressing social issues in their communities. This vision birthed Agência de Redes para Juventude, a concept that would transcend borders and cultures to become The Agency in the UK.

The Agency found its way to the UK through a groundbreaking partnership between Battersea Arts Centre (BAC), Contact Theatre, and People Palace Projects (PPP). This partnership was not just about replicating a successful model, it was about understanding that young people, regardless of their backgrounds, have the power to drive change when provided with the right tools and support.

What is The Agency?

At its core, the programme uses creativity to unlock innovation. It recognises young people are not the problem, instead, they’re experts in their own areas, and best placed to propose new solutions. With support, they identify and respond to the needs of their communities, and we equip them with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact.

A key aspect of the programme is networks, as each idea can only be strengthened by having a strong network to help an idea grow and flourish. We utilise the connections of our organisations to leverage opportunities and to make connections with the gatekeepers, movers and shakers. Agents learn the importance of their own network and how to nurture and nourish it. We like to think of this as an alternative to the ‘old boy's’ network, for which nepotism replicates the very structures we seek to dismantle.

The Agency is driven by artists encouraging young people to see their communities in a new light, just as an artist might look at a problem or a blank canvas with a sense of potential and expectation, a chance to create something new.

The philosophy is simple but profound: young people have the capacity to be change-makers in their lives, communities, and cities. They are not passive recipients of assistance; they are active drivers of progress, and we stand by to follow and support them in finding their passion.

Programme founder Marcus Faustini with Agency Alumni. Image by OVO Gallery, Agency Alumni, Olalekan Victor Oderinde

Methodology a Blend of Theatre and Adaptability

The Agency’s unique methodology is inspired by theatre practice and interpreted and delivered by local artist facilitators. This methodology recognises the inherent creativity within people and provides them with the tools to channel that creativity into projects that address social challenges. Often,we are working with people who would never identify themselves as creative or have participated in arts in any more depth than what is rudimentary undertaken at school.

The adaptability of The Agency's approach is one of its defining features. It can transfer seamlessly to any location, because at its core is an understanding that creativity is central to all social or business innovation. Whether in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro or the community of North Manchester, the core principles of The Agency remain constant: trust in the potential of young people and belief in their capacity to create change.

Agent Stories- Transformative Impact

The true measure of The Agency's success lies in the stories of its individuals who have created lasting change within their communities.

Osmond now 24, founded ‘Life Is What U Make It.’ His interactive board game promotes dialogue on key challenges that young people face in areas where gangs operate. The project is 10 years in the making and continues to develop and be played with people in different communities across London. His success has just been recognised by the National Lottery, winning the Young Hero of the Year.

Eliah is a 15-year-old with a vision. Her project last year, 'Flavour Bank,’ provided meal cards, ingredients, herbs and spices all tailored to the needs of food bank users, at a time when food bank usage has surged.

Henrietta set up a theatre company for care leavers called ‘Redefine’. The project is based on her personal experience of the care system. The programme led her to become a national advocate for the rights of young people in care and care leavers and a trustee of BAC. She explains that power for her:

‘The Agency made me think creatively about my whole life. The process started with me and my desire and was shaped around what I wanted to do. It’s made me who I am today.’

These are a few of the countless stories of success and transformation, there are so many others including alumni who have gone on to earn hundreds of thousands of extra funding for their projects or became CEOs before they turned 25.

Legacy

In a sector that is increasingly focused on co-creation, The Agency isn’t a box-ticking exercise, the programme invests heavily in communities, with organisations building genuine reciprocal relationships. Agents often move on to paid roles or as trustees and represent their communities, keeping organisations accountable. Currently, we have five alumni working on staff. They are not just the leaders of tomorrow, but they are the leaders of today.

We are starting to pivot for the future, looking for The Agency to become its own organisation, led by young people who have emerged through the programme. This organisation would allow us to partner with more organisations across the UK, to continue and expand this transformative work.

The journey from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro to the streets of the UK is a story of hope, empowerment, and transformation, and that creativity is powerful. It's a reminder that when we see creativity as a core component of a healthy society, this creative energy can take place outside of the theatres and galleries and can help us create a much brighter future.

Dr. Andrew Westle is the National Programme Manager at The Agency.

A version of this article was first published by Arts Professional.

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