The European Association of Via Francigena ways (EAVF) is lead partner of the transnational mobility project called “FORREsT 2.0 – FOsteR an euRopEan identity through the Trainees mobility“, within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme, for students located along the Via Francigena.
The project offers the opportunity for one hundred graduates from Italian schools located along the Via Francigena to carry out a work experience in the field of slow tourism abroad. They will be able to travel for 62 days in France, United Kingdom or Spain thanks to the contribution that the European Commission, through the EAVF, is making available to them.
The project aims at responding to the new international tourism trends (experiential and sustainable tourism) by promoting the development of specific professional skills in the relevant sector, in order to ensure the economic-productive development of the areas affected by the presence of the Via Francigena, with a perspective on enhancing local communities which share a European cultural identity expressed precisely through the Via Francigena network.
The young participants have the opportunity to carry out a training/work placement in European realities in the aforementioned sectors thanks to a grant that will provide a series of services, including: the identification of the placement and the host organisation the linguistic preparation via the European OLS platform;the cultural and pedagogical preparation of the trainees; round-trip air travel to the traineeship destination; insurance coverage for the entire duration of the stay; accommodation; professional, logistical and organisational tutoring and monitoring; and the issuing of certification and certificates.
For the realisation of this project, the European Association of Via Francigena ways has set up a specific national consortium of fifteen school institutes from Valle d’Aosta, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, Campania, Basilicata and Apulia. Project partners are also the Region of Tuscany, the Tourism Promotion Body of the Province of Turin, the Italian Association of Youth Hotels and Radio Francigena.
Here is the witness of Irene, a participant in the project (in Italian):
