The participatory based project “Algarve 2020: A Youth Contract” allowed the development of the 1st Regional Action Plan for youth policy implementation and monitoring in Portugal, contributing with a measurable tool to support different stakeholders responsible for policy making and implementation in the region of Algarve, to change the current trends. The Algarve region often presents the highest unemployment rates and has the 2nd highest level of school drop-outs in the country. With 20.2% of the youth between 18-24 years old not concluding high school education or being taking part in a training or employment, the number of NEET’s has reached alarming numbers. This situation was putting in question not only the future of the youth in the region but also the sustainability and development of the Algarve itself. This panorama in the youth field demanded a cross sectorial and integrated approach into policy design and implementation. Therefore, believing that youth can make a difference by actively contributing as a key actor on the economic, social and political development of the region, we implemented a participatory-based project established on creating the 1st Regional Action Plan for youth, aiming to promote structured-dialogue among the main stakeholders and young people and create a new culture of youth participation in the region of Algarve The project involved the establishment of a Partner Coordination Commission that supported the overall project design and implementation and where youth leaders, youth organisations, youth workers, officers and public authorities planned, discussed and worked together for all different phases and activities of the project. We also organized different Working Groups composed by 84 experts, educators, officers, investigators, youth workers, youth leaders and youth organisations that where selected regarding their expertise in 22 different public policy areas. Along the project they were facilitated to create specific action proposals that could be feasible, measurable and that could be a response to the challenges and proposals of youth. The different participants had the opportunity to further analyse and debate upon the results of the precedent project “Algarve 2020: a Youth Proposal” - where a wide regional youth consultation process took place - and to be involved in other 3 large youth consultations using structured dialogue and non-formal education activities and to participate in the 1st National Conference on “The Role of Youth Policies for the Development of the Territories” where 172 participants, from municipalities, youth workers, young leaders and decision makers from all around the region and the country debated, shared and worked together during 3 days. The design of the “1st Regional Youth Action Plan of the Algarve” is the final result of all the learning, sharing and working along the different activities of Algarve2020: a Youth Contract and its ancestor, where a total 93 entities and organizations and around 1200 young participated. This regional youth action plan has around 255 concrete actions with defined results, indicators, actors to mobilize and calendar, divided in different thematic areas of public policies to be implemented till 2020. The 7 main regional entities for youth agreed to assume responsibility on the monitoring and implementation of the plan and started to development a common strategy regarding it. This strategy aims to develop a methodology based on the Open Method of Coordination for monitoring and feedback of the plan implementation and the use of a co-management model for a Regional Youth Council of Algarve. The project also managed to accomplish other objectives and outcomes, such as: - To develop the on-line Youth Agenda 2020 that was presented and debated in the National Conference during a regional session with youth and all the candidate parties for the Algarve circle in the legislative elections of 2015; - To allow that 93 organisations that work with youth in the region could develop their knowledge about the new Erasmus+ programme; - To develop 30 concrete actions for the implementation of the Youth Guarantee at local and regional levels; - To allow the increase of knowledge on young people in the region concerning the European Union, developing their European Citizenship and engagement in the European construction. Also, we believe to have contributed to the strengthening and development of the 9 Municipality Youth Councils, or similar structures, in Algarve and that all the visibility given to the programme will allow to increase in 35% the number of projects presented in the region to Erasmus + - Juventude em Ação. We believe that this project has contributed for the different stakeholders to see young people as a source of inspiration for the current challenges we are facing in our society; and to consider them as fundamental partners in the policy making in the region.