The Faces of Change: Craig and Leigh
It’s time for Series 2 of The Faces of Change and as Series 1 was all about spotlighting Alumni Agents, we decided to pass the mic to the incredible team behind The Agency! These are the passionate creatives who drive the work forward - not just a team, but a group of individuals with unique motivations and talents that inspire change across our National Agency team, as well as in all six locations across England and Northern Ireland.
Get to know the people who make The Agency possible: their stories, their passions, and why they chose to be part of this movement.
In this post you’ll hear from Craig, who is Assistant Facilitator in Chester, where The Agency has been making an impact for the past two years. Craig joined the team officially in 2024, and has worked with countless Agents to make their creative ideas a reality.
We also introduce Leigh, Project Manager in Bolton at Octagon Theatre. She is brand new to The Agency team, as Bolton became our newest partner venue in September 2024 and they focus on working with young people in the area of Farnworth.
Scroll down to learn more about Craig and Leigh!
Craig Q&A
What’s your connection to Chester?
I was born in Chester and was raised here.
What inspired you to join The Agency team?
I’m really passionate about the work that The Agency does, giving young people to become the Change Makers and leaders in their community and the platform to become the next generation of influential people, helping to create a better future for generations to come.
If you had to describe your role in one word (and why you chose that word!), what would it be?
Inspiring – I’m constantly inspired by the Agents and Alumni and their ideas, and their commitment to positive change for their community.
What’s a hidden gem in Chester that everyone should know about?
Duke’s Drive
What do you think makes The Agency stand out from other creative programs?
I think what stands out for me, is giving the Agents the tools to take control and make positive changes in their communities using the skills they learn through the methodology and their desires for change.
Who has been one of your biggest inspirations or role models (inside or outside The Agency)?
My mum is my biggest role model, always teaching me that I can achieve anything if I set my mind to it and apply myself.
Describe a recent moment at The Agency that made you feel especially proud or moved.
Panel Day! All the Agents were so supportive of each other and all delivered their pitch brilliantly.
If you could invite any three people to a creative brainstorming session (alive or historical), who would they be?
Leonardo DaVinci, C.S. Lewis, David Attenborough.
Do you have a motto or phrase that guides you in your work or life?
Life is a book, fill your chapters with your greatest stories.
Finally, if there were a movie or a book about your life, what genre would it be, and who would play you?
Genre – Fantasy / Spernatural. Played by – Jonathan Bailey
Leigh Q&A
What’s your connection to Bolton?
I’ve worked at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton for almost three years now managing their youth programmes and their work with children and young people.
What inspired you to join The Agency team?
I previously had the pleasure of working on The Agency at Contact in Manchester before I joined the Octagon and I absolutely loved it. When the opportunity arose to bring The Agency to Bolton I jumped at the chance to project manage it here!
If you had to describe your role in one word (and why you chose that word!), what would it be?
I would probably say unpredictable (in a good way!) because every week is completely different and the Agents are continuously surprising us with their ideas and what they bring to each session. It’s an adventure!
What’s a hidden gem in Bolton that everyone should know about?
There are so many! But with me it usually involves food and I would say Th3 Guys Café who have the best Pastel de Nata or Ye Olde Pastie Shoppe because it’s iconic.
What do you think makes The Agency stand out from other creative programs?
Despite there being such a specific methodology to follow it still allows the young people to have complete freedom and agency over what they want to do and how they want to create positive change in their community. The programme just gives them the tools and support system to achieve their goals, which is really cool.
Who has been one of your biggest inspirations or role models (inside or outside The Agency)?
Probably the Agents I’ve met (past and present). Their passion, boldness and resilience is genuinely inspiring and I’m always learning from them.
Describe a recent moment at The Agency that made you feel especially proud or moved.
Our Festival of Desires last year was their first opportunity to talk to someone they didn’t know (in this case the CEO of the Octagon) about their desires for Farnworth. Despite their nerves and reservations at the start of the day, every single one of them did it and it was amazing to see them step out of their comfort zone and speak confidently about the things they’re passionate about.
If you could invite any three people to a creative brainstorming session (alive or historical), who would they be?
Mariah Carey, Samantha Morton, Jenny Sealey
Do you have a motto or phrase that guides you in your work or life?
“We learn from failure, not from success”
We hope you enjoyed getting to know the faces behind The Agency. Click here to see the full location teams and a snapshot of past agents from each city The Agency Programme has taken place in.