Three young people are sat on the floor od a studio space with light wood floor, staring proudly down the lens of the camera. They are of varying races and genders, and all are casually dressed.

The Agency is now an independent charity

After 13 years of backing young people to lead change in their communities, The Agency is now an independent charity. 

Since 2013, more than 900 young people across the UK have taken part in The Agency, launching 277+ youth-led social enterprises and community projects, creating 167 jobs and reaching 41,000+ people. These initiatives have addressed challenges including knife crime, social isolation, mental health, unemployment and representation — each one designed and led by Agents responding to the realities of their own communities.  

The Agency model was brought to the UK through a partnership between Battersea Arts Centre, Contact and People’s Palace Projects, inspired by a methodology created by Brazilian theatre maker and activist Marcus Faustini in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.  

Marcus Faustini at the National Gathering of Young Leaders.

Marcus is a man in his 40s with olive toned skin and wearing a baseball cap and khaki jacket. He is holding a microphone and smiling as he speaks to lots of young people in a studio space with light wood flooring.

Marcus Faustini explains:

The Agency was born from a belief that young people are not problems to be solved but creators of new futures. What began in the favelas of Rio was an invitation for young people to recognise their potency and act on it. Seeing my idea travel across countries and cultures, and now stand as an independent movement in the UK, is a powerful reminder that creativity and courage can transform communities anywhere.

What began as an invitation to young people in Rio has grown into a national model of youth-led change. Today, Agents are leading impactful projects in Belfast, Bolton, Chester, London, Manchester and Southampton. All of these projects address locally identified social challenges.

Manchester Agency Group Community Day.

A group of teenagers are crowded together for the photo, throwing up peace signs and grinning at the camera.

Saad Eddine Said joins as Chair of the Board. A cultural leader known for advancing citizen-led governance and institutional transformation, he will help drive the organisation’s next chapter. Saad said:

The Agency of Change has demonstrated what becomes possible when young people are trusted with real responsibility and supported to lead. The task ahead is to embed that trust structurally, so that youth leadership is not dependent on a programme or funding cycle but becomes part of the civic infrastructure of our towns and cities. 

In the years ahead we should see alumni shaping policy, leading institutions and mentoring the next generation, with The Agency recognised as a national framework for intergenerational leadership.

The relationship between The Agency and Battersea Arts Centre continues with the appointment of our Artistic Director and CEO Tarek Iskander to the Board of Trustees.

Tarek Iskander said:

Battersea Arts Centre was proud to bring The Agency to the UK, inspired by a powerful model and a belief in young people as creative leaders. Seeing The Agency of Change now launch as an independent, youth-led charity is a moment of real pride and a testament to the strength and sustainability of the model.

 

Tarek Iskander, CEO of Battersea Arts Centre and member of the Board of Trustees.

A headshot of Tarek Iskander, wearing a blue blazer and a black shirt. The walls in the background are covered in ivy

Saad Eddine Said, newly appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees.

A brown skinned man in his mid to late 30s is wearing a grey t-shirt and smiling at the camera. He has some stubble around his chin and dark curly hair. he is standing outside a large grey building.

Independence marks the transition from a programme to a standalone organisation with national reach and long-term sustainability. Alumni Agents now sit on the board, ensuring lived experiences shape decision-making. 

Henrietta Imoreh, Trustee and Alumni Agent, said: 

I entered The Agency lacking confidence, tools and stability. Receiving funding and support gave me power for the first time — the power over my story, my project and how I wanted to create change.

Aaron Omotosho, Trustee and Alumni Agent, said: 

Joining the board of trustees feels like a natural next step in a journey that began when I first became an Agent.