The EXCEPT Exchange of Community-engaged Performing Arts Practices created a European-wide team to improve the circumstances of underprivileged children and youngsters. We created several actions to work on all needed levels: 1. Development of a network of professionals in Performing Arts Practises 2. Training of social workers, teachers and artists with the methods of the arts 3. Working in the praxis with kids and youngsters in camps and youth groups We clearly see the challenges that are taking place in the education of underprivileged children from remote areas. Different that in developed regions, there is a lack of basic human competence. Based on the recognition that stage is an exceptionally effective asset of community building, our core team established new ways of social work through arts and culture (Social Arts Practices –SAP) to work with the disadvantaged youth. We are broadening minds of all target groups by teaching the ones that are working with the kids and immediately bringing the innovative methods into praxis. Our long term aim is to reduce the difference between the social ranks, create more understanding and learn from each other. The EXCEPT Academy will be part of the education of social workers within the programme. The two week educational programme invites 40 young professionals to new ways of working with underprivileged youth through special social art practices in the fields of theatre technics, mask & object work, psychology, sociology, project management, music and yoga. Each partner country will send one trainer from their professional field and four participants to the trainings exchange that will take place on the Hungarian countryside with a Roma majority. The targeted participants are devoted art professionals, professionals of social, health and educational fields, project managers and organisers, social workers, psychologist, sociologist, open-minded people interested in social issues. The methods will be workshops, discussions, performances, coaching, evaluations, visits and trainings. The focus will be shifted from a pedagogical approach to an intercultural one. The content will focus on body-sensing, improvisation, triggering creativity and imagination (of the participants and of the kids they work with), activities that can be played without language or culture barrier, creating plays that are communicating a message also between cultures, or even involve the youngsters and transform their point of view. Furthermore, there will be trainings in project management and financial aspects. Accommodation and meals will provided together with the social entrepreneurs from “Move 2 Hungary” in Szakácsi in collaboration with local Roma workers. Besides the workshops there will be opportunities to interact with the locals from the village. Learned content can be practised immediately with the kids on the spot. Collaborations not only aim to teach social arts practises, but to create a new comprehensive understanding and the first steps for a world-wide network. We contribute our knowledge to community building through best practices of social theatre and performing arts practices. With the result of more open-minded target groups, social workers with innovative and creative skills, involved underprivileged in the programme and beyond, inter-social beneficiaries, the change for a common creative process for (interactive) performances and an enlargement of the SAP network where individuals are not acting locally anymore, but across borders. On a longer term, the participants will build long term relationships through regular activities with their youngsters. Besides the Academy, but within the Except project, there will be a creation with the youngsters and an international presentation tour. To evaluate and plan the future, there will be a closing conference with representatives from the involved partners.