Chris: Harvesting Hope For Others
Alumni Agent Chris created Harvest of Hope, part of The Agency of Change Southampton (produced by Energise Me)
Chris grew up in SO14, one of Southampton's most underserved areas, with a deep belief that access to food is a basic human right and not a privilege. He joined the Agency without fully knowing what to expect, finding the creative, activity-based approach nothing like the school environment he would anticipated. Over time, the confidence-building activities in Cycle 1 helped him to open up, connect with others, and eventually pitch successfully for funding to bring his idea to life.
That idea became Harvest of Hope — a free cooking course teaching young people from low-income households how to turn food bank supplies into nutritious, affordable meals. The project aims to support the community through cooking based workshops teaching young people essential skills in a way that alleviates hunger and food waste. Sessions were planned but responsive, with dishes adjusted based on what participants actually wanted to cook. Over eight weeks, the group grew more confident, collaborative, and connected.
Since then, Chris has shared the project with Southampton Food Partnership, Sustainable Food Places, and Voice FM Southampton, where he was interviewed about the work. He credits the Agency directly for shaping his confidence and opening those doors.
“The Agency is life-changing, as it has helped shape my confidence in so many ways and it has led to so many things that I have now, such as being a part of the Southampton Food Partnership.” - Chris, Southampton Alumni Agent and Founder of Harvest of Hope
The Agency is delivered by creative people - artists, theatre makers, dancers, who are at the centre of it rather than being like school. Chris feels that having facilitators from the creative industries is the main point of The Agency. If you have people who are dancers, in theatre and the arts, everything they do has a passion behind it. And if they're getting to share that with young people who've never done it before, it can truly ignite things in people they didn't know they had. That's why having people from these industries is important.
The Agency helped Chris to understand his community and territory better because it allowed him to not only see the people in the area but listen to the stories that they have to tell as well. Because SO14 is 80% white and 20% ethnic minorities, it was important to see that as a visual representation, seeing why the area is a certain way. Going into the area and meeting people and learning about people helps you learn a lot more about the area and why everything happens in that area.
The Agency has affected what Chris wants to do personally, allowing him to get his passion across. He wants to study Criminology at university because in criminology there’s always going to be working with groups of people that we don't know. Last year, he was really nervous working in groups, but after The Agency he is confident in working with group-based subjects and presentations and projects.
One thing Chris wants to say to anyone who is not sure about joining The Agency, or they're in The Agency and they're struggling, is do go on with it.
“There’s always going to be someone to talk to. If you're struggling, find that someone, talk to them, tell them how you feel, tell them what's going on and they can help solve it. Because at the end of the day, The Agency is about getting the best out of people and truly helping members of a community grow. It's all about being the change you want to see. If you're struggling, just think of what kind of change you can make in the area.” - Chris, Southampton Alumni Agent and Founder of Harvest of Hope
Learn more on Chris’ project and journey with The Agency of Change at The Faces of Change: Amara and Chris — The Agency. Change Makers.