Walk to Assisi - Pilgrimage to Sustainability

The activity is a 10-days “Pilgrimage to Sustainability” from the Sanctuary of Chiusi della Verna (Tuscany) to Assisi (Umbria), along the 186 km of the St. Francis’ Way.

The rationale for this stems from two considerations.
First, Pilgrimage was the medieval “technology” for mental health & self-development; walking to a faraway destination led to encounters, situations, & places conducive to self-knowledge – the life-story of St. Francis being an example.
Second, mental health is a key dimension in sustainability: no sustainability without (mentally) healthy youth and social workers, and youth workers’ mental health is influenced by the sustainability of their organization.

The activity is, in essence, a modern pilgrimage looking for (SELF-)knowledge about sustainable life: on a pilgrimage, you cannot afford luxuries – you make do with what is available on a day-by-day basis; you rely on the help of others; you are thankful for the hospitality you receive and move on to the next destination, making sure to leave the lightest footprint possible behind; you take any opportunity to learn new skills. Each leg of the walk is organized around a common theme/topic (e.g. “La Verna Sanctuary & St. Francis' Stigma: Mental Health as a Pillar of Sustainability”) using places/moments of the life of St. Francis as metaphors for the training topics. All training modules include experiential/outdoor sessions, cognitive/debriefing ones, & visits to local experiences in the field of sustainability, so that participants can explore the practical issues & question the protagonists of these organizations.

All of these activities, it should be underlined, will be delivered while walking along the hills, forests, and villages on the very steps of St. Francis, making the “pilgrimage to sustainability” an invaluable learning experience involving participants’ bodies, minds & emotions.

A 10-day walk-based storytelling and folktale therapy training centered around the life of Saint Francis ( as an example of walk-based land and story connected overnight program) significantly support the mental health of youth and social workers and their young learners and prevent burnout and other mental health related states.

We choose walking because slow paced walking in natural surroundings reduces stress, enhances mood, and supports mental well-being. Narrative approach: Storytelling and folktale therapy help youth and social workers and their learners explore their experiences, emotions, and challenges, providing insights and solutions. Saint Francis's story, an example for future youth mobilities and exchanges and workshops inspires reflection on values, purpose, and resilience. It creates a huge impact which will change the life of participants for the better (therefore the long-term and experience based approach.)Participants apply insights and techniques to improve non-formal learning and facilitation practices through the testing of the project related easy-to-use tools. Training is meant not only as a field test but as a learning flow which equips youth workers, helping professionals and their learners with self-care tools, stress management, and emotional processing skills.