Intisar’s Legacy of Change
As we bid farewell to Intisar Yusuf, a remarkable Project Manager at The Agency's London location, we reflect on the incredible impact she has had on both the programme and the young people she has worked with. Intisar joined The Agency with a passion for empowering young people and during her tenure, she played a pivotal role in fostering creativity, leadership, and social change within the communities we serve. Her journey with us is a testament to the power of youth-led initiatives and the transformative potential of providing young people with the right platforms and support.
Below, in her own words, Intisar shares her experiences, insights, and the indelible mark that The Agency and the brilliant young people who have travelled through the programme, have left on her.
Reflections from Intisar Yusuf
“When I started the Agency, I was frustrated at the extracurricular activities available for young people, and how much they hadn’t moved on beyond youth clubs & activities.
I’d just completed a short film on school exclusions & county lines with a group of 27 young people, who sneered at me when I first approached them about creating a short film from scratch. But we wrote the script together, we set the scenes, they led the way & I typed, questioning every so often what a scene means in the wider context. We rehearsed, it felt uncomfortable for a group with no prior experience, but they filmed, and it became a true testament of what young people can do when given the space, time, and encouragement to bring their ideas to life.
I knew then, that this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to work in a creative way that emboldened young people. They have their stories & experiences, they know the change needed - they just need platforms, support and the handing over of power. The Agency does just that!
In London, Winstanley Estate is one of the key areas The Agency works, ensuring young people identify the needs and create ideas based on the potential for change. I’ve been a resident of Winstanley Estate since 2001, it’s the estate well known for being the base of So Solid Crew – a UK garage and hip-hop collective who are pioneers in the UK music scene. It’s an estate which has been riddled with drugs and homelessness, gangs and knife crime but it is also an estate full of potential. This is the perfect environment to instil agency in young people, reminding them they have what it takes and that their collective action is powerful.
I managed three cohorts during my role as project manager of The Agency at Battersea Arts Centre, with 9 funded projects. I witnessed agents develop ideas ranging from empowering young girls to take STEM subjects for university; to teaching young Black children to swim, to celebrating culture through food and cooking, to upskilling care leavers with life skills, these are just to name a few. We took our projects to youth clubs, to swimming pools, to the estates, to pupil referral units, we took them to universities, to our local council chambers, BBC Radio and Parliament and anywhere else that would open doors for them.
What stood out to me most about the agents, was how much they cared about their desires for change, and how much time and effort they put in to bring that idea to life. They inspired me to be better, they inspired me to want more, they inspired me to be fearless in my pursuits and for that I will forever be grateful to the amazing agents, to the hardworking Agency teams, the passionate panellists and to the generous hosts that gave us the space to dream.”
Intisar's dedication, creativity, and leadership have left an indelible mark on The Agency and the many young lives she has touched. We are deeply grateful for her contributions and wish her all the best in her future endeavours. The impact of her work will continue to resonate, inspiring future generations of young people to become agents of change in their communities.
Thank you, Intisar, for everything. We will miss you.
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