"Start Acting Up!" was a long-term project, promoted and coordinated by the Czech NGO Vice Versa CZ, aimed to explore theatre as a tool for authentic youth participation and show how theatre and performative art can lead young people to have a political voice, challenge youth radicalisation, build positive social identity and be a catalyst for change. In addition to the leading organisation, the project involved other 11 partners from different European countries: Cooperativa Sociale Muovimente (IT), Kids in Action (GR), Development Perspectives (IE), Egyesek (HU), EduEra (SK), Dinamo (PT), Medeina Foundation (PL), Youtheme Foundation (MT), Breakthrough Foundation (NL), Viaje a la Sostenibilidad (ES) and Culture Goes Europe (DE). As with most projects implemented throughout 2020 and 2021, we had to respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic to realise the project. While the dates changed and so did the nature of some of the activities of the project, our approach was, where possible, to honour the original aims and objectives and to maintain a three phases structure. Eventually the project unfolded through the following elements: 1) Contact Making Seminar, online, to offer a platform for national and international collaborations, sharing practices and exploring how this approach can be used for youth participation and as a tool for challenging radicalisation; 2) Practice Phase, for participating individuals and partner organisations to put in to practice some of the tools and methods experienced during the first activity; 3) Training Course, residential in Sermugnano, Italy, for sharing practices and methodologies for political theatre with young people and identifying future opportunities. We wanted to develop a greater understanding of how young people are politically engaged and how theatre can be utilised to increase participation and engagement and to do this we wanted to share theatre methodologies, tools and approaches that can lead to change. The overall aim of the project was to explore theatre as an opportunity for youth participation and a vehicle for political change and social identity, while building a platform for networking, exchange of practice and identifying and understanding the opportunities for political theatre in working with young people. The objectives for the three phases were: CONTACT MAKING SEMINAR -To network locally, nationally and internationally with other practitioners working with young people through theatre and performance; -To experience a range of theatre and performance and collaboratively explore the opportunities for youth participation; -To provide a greater understanding of the cultural differences of youth participation and theatre approaches when working with young people; -To begin to understand the political context and opportunities for using theatre as a tool for participation and for dealing with radicalisation; PRACTICE PHASE - To experiment and apply learning and inspiration gained from contact making seminar; TRAINING COURSE -To better understand political theatre and performance, techniques and practice; -To experience political theatre and performance methodologies and tools; -To share political theatre and performance practice and experiences with each other; -To better understand the benefits of youth theatre and performance as an opportunity for political education and awareness; -To identify collaborative opportunities within the framework of Erasmus+; -To identify opportunities for practice development of political theatre and youth participation;