Acting UP!

"Acting UP!" is an international project supported by the Dutch National Youth Agency through Erasmus+ Youth. The project will bring youth workers, youth leaders, youth theatre workers, theatre practitioners and those supporting performance led initiatives with young people together to explore ‘theatre as an opportunity for youth participation and a vehicle for political change’. The project is hosted by Breakthrough Foundation (NL) and international partners include; Connect Art (PT), Kids in Action (GR), Cooperativa Sociale Muovimente (IT), Egyesek Youth Association (HU) and Aunty Social (UK). The project has two key activities that will take place in the Netherlands and these are; - Contact Making Seminar/Study Visit - 18th - 24th July 2017 (inc. travel days) - Training Course - 20th - 26th November 2017 (inc. travel days) Background: As traditional youth work platforms start to change or disappear, Breakthrough was keen to realise a project that offered a platform to explore how theatre can be used as an opportunity for authentic youth participation and then how this can lead young people being engaged in theatre that can be a political voice and catalyst for political change. This long term project will start with a Contact Making Seminar/Study Visit, this will offer participants the chance to develop national and international contacts, start to network, share practices and concepts, identify opportunities and collaboratively experience the ‘De Parade’ ( http://www.deparade.nl/ ). At De Parade participants will be invited to research, participate and observe how this methodology and process can be utilised in their work and as an opportunity for youth participation. We will be accommodated in Orvelte and then have a bus to take us to Utrecht for De Parade. The second activity will be a training course in Orvelte in the province of Drenthe, where participants will focus on sharing practice and methodologies for political theatre engagement with young people and in identifying opportunities for future collaboration. The training will take place at the same time as the villages Winter Market and we will also look to explore participation opportunities with this event. Target group: youth workers, youth leaders, youth theatre workers, theatre practitioners and those supporting performance led initiatives with young people. Aims and Objectives: The main aim of this long term project is to explore theatre as an opportunity for youth participation and a vehicle for political change, while building a platform for networking, collaboration, exchange of practice and identifying and understanding the opportunities for political theatre in working with young people. Objectives - CMS/Study Visit: - For participants 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 to collaboratively explore the opportunities for youth participation. - To develop 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. Objectives - 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.