At Contact, we’re proud to be part of The Agency project, supporting young people to turn their ideas into meaningful social change. Recently, we were excited to be able to host a visit that really captured the spirit of what The Agency is all about.

After Agents Melissa and Elteyab met Councillor Sherita Mandongwe at a Moston Youth Voices event at F.C. United, we invited her to join us and see The Agency in action. Despite it being a Saturday, Sherita generously gave her time and popped in for a visit, which was an inspiring and energising experience for everyone involved.

Sherita shared her personal journey, from her work as a Detective to founding the Dimobi Children Disability Trust, and then her path into politics. Hearing her story sparked conversation and encouraged our Agents to reflect on their own ambitions and the impact they would like to make in their own communities and wider circles.

We also had the chance to introduce Sherita to the structure and purpose of The Agency, including our unique team model, where lived experience is absolutely central. Both our Lead Facilitator, Josh, and Project Producer, Demereece, are former Agents themselves and have worked across multiple projects at Contact and The Agency since. Sherita was particularly interested in learning more about Demereece’s project, ‘Dawn to the Light,’ a video game exploring mental health. 

The highlight of the visit was hearing directly from this year’s Agents, Mary, Kelisha and Melissa, who are each developing projects aimed at improving their communities in Moston and Harpurhey. From sustainable clothing initiatives to creative storytelling and dedicated mental health spaces for young women, their ideas reflect both passion and purpose which we are so proud to see time and time again with The Agency participants.

Sherita was impressed by the work and said she was really looking forward to seeing how these projects develop. We’re excited to invite her back for the upcoming launch events and to continue building this valuable connection between our young people and local leaders.

A huge thank you to Sherita for taking the time to visit and support our work. Moments like this remind us why The Agency matters, and how powerful young people’s ideas can be when they are given the space to grow.