The Agency of Change at Parliament
For more than 13 years, we have worked alongside young people across the UK, supporting them to develop ideas, lead projects and create change in their own communities. This summer, those journeys came together in one of the country's most recognisable buildings.
On 29 June, Agents, Alumni, partners, funders and supporters gathered at the Houses of Parliament for our National Gathering, marking an important milestone in our story as we officially celebrated becoming an independent registered charity.
We got told to keep the noise down in Parliament… We’ll take that!
Hosted by Marsha de Cordova MP, alongside The Agency of Change Chair, Saad Eddine Said, the evening brought together leaders from across policy, philanthropy, social change, arts and culture to hear directly from the young people at the heart of this movement.
The gathering wasn't about making noise for the sake of it. It was about laughter, conversation, community and making sure the voices that are too often told to "keep it down" were heard in one of the most powerful buildings in the country.
Each year, our National Gathering takes place in a different city, bringing together Agents, Alumni and staff from across the UK. This year, Parliament felt like the right place to celebrate a new chapter. Not because of the building itself, but because it represented something we've believed from the very beginning: young people don't need to be spoken for. They need to be listened to.
Throughout the evening, the room was filled with stories, creativity, reflection and honest conversation, all led by the people who continue to shape this movement.
A New Chapter
After more than a decade of being incubated by Battersea Arts Centre, Contact and People's Palace Projects, The Agency of Change has now become an independent charity.
This milestone wouldn't have been possible without the support of our founding partners, dedicated funders, and the many people who have believed in young people's ideas over the years.
We were also delighted to welcome Marcus Faustini, whose pioneering methodology in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, first inspired the movement that has since grown across communities in the UK.
As Faustini reflected:
"When an idea is born in one country, crosses oceans and continues to generate transformation elsewhere, it reveals something essential about our shared humanity: our ability to learn from one another and to build common futures together. I am deeply proud to have been part of the beginning of this story, and even happier to see it now gaining the independence to continue its journey on its own terms."
Beginning with Creativity
The Agency has always started with arts and creativity. Before conversations about systems, policy or leadership, the evening opened with poetry centred on lived experiences. Nasima Bee performed Agents of Change, a powerful piece reminding us that art isn't simply something we add to our work, it's how we begin.
Throughout our evaluation process, Nasima has worked alongside Agents to capture their stories through poetry, offering another way of understanding the impact of the programme and the experiences behind it. Read the poems here.
The Power of a Peer Network
One of the most moving moments of the evening came from Alumni Agent Eunice, who reflected on her journey of stepping up through The Agency.
Having first joined as an Agent in Battersea, Eunice has since become a Steering Group member, Peer Mentor and now works within the People Team at Battersea Arts Centre, supporting others as they navigate their own journeys.
As Eunice shared:
"A few years earlier, I'd been the person looking for guidance, and now as a Peer Mentor, I'm supporting other young people as they start their own journeys. One of the things I enjoy most is being able to reassure new Agents that it's okay not to have everything figured out straight away, because I'd been exactly where they were. If sharing my experience helped even one person feel a little more confident, then that means a lot to me."
Her story was a reminder that while projects may come to an end, relationships, confidence and leadership continue to grow long afterwards.
Creativity that Challenges Systems
The evening also welcomed back Alumni Agent Ade, returning to Parliament to share the next edition of Something to Say – a project that began as his Agency programme idea in Manchester, and has since grown into a platform for conversations that are too often ignored.
Drawing on his own experience of overcoming a wrongful conviction, Ade has used creative expression to challenge narratives, open difficult conversations and advocate for a fairer society.
His poetry and storytelling reminded everyone in the room that some of the most powerful conversations begin when people are given the space to share experiences that too often go unheard.
The Observer recently published an investigative podcast episode featuring Ade and his story. Click here to listen.
Change that Continues
Across the room were Alumni whose Agency journeys have continued far beyond the programme itself.
From Kyle's award-winning Franks Remedies, which funds body positivity work in schools, to Josa's The Life Room, now partnering with global organisations including Nike to support men's mental health, and Dorcas's Kulture Fest celebrating culture and diversity in Manchester, the evening reflected something we've seen time and time again.
The Agency isn't simply about funding projects. It's about creating the conditions for young people to continue leading change in whatever direction their journeys take them.
We also heard from Zarka, whose project Sports with Support is creating more opportunities for young women from ethnic minority backgrounds to take part in sport, demonstrating once again that the ideas young people develop through The Agency continue to grow in ways that reach far beyond the programme itself.
Looking Ahead
As our host for the evening, Henri, reflected:
"At a time of deepening community division, we are more powerful when we connect and work together. This chapter is just the beginning."
It was perfect to close an evening that wasn't simply about celebrating what has already been achieved.
It was about recognising what becomes possible when young people are trusted with real responsibility, listened to with genuine intent and given the opportunity to shape the conversations that affect their lives.
This was the third time The Agency has gathered at Parliament. Once again, it reminded us that some of the most important ideas don't begin in places of power. They begin in communities, with young people who care deeply about making things better.
And when those voices are heard, they have the power to shape what comes next.
Explore more moments from the evening in our gallery below, photographed by Agency Alumni Olalekan Victor Oderinde of OVO Gallery.
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