Young people encouraged to discover the Camino de Santiago

The Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo is encouraging young people aged 18 to 29 to take part in the cross-border project PEGADAS, which turns the Camino de Santiago into a path for practical training and skills development.

The programme, free of charge, combines online training in four modules — Digitalisation, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability and Critical Thinking — with five-day expeditions along the Portuguese Coastal Route, carried out in groups with young people from Galicia. During these trips, participants are provided with accommodation, transport, meals, equipment, cultural activities and hands-on training.

Through this transformative experience, PEGADAS aims to strengthen young people’s employability and provide them with tools for the future. The journey includes local activities that deepen contact with the culture surrounding the Camino de Santiago, and at the end of each expedition, participants create a short documentary film that reflects their learning process and gives visibility to the historic route. The goal is to build confidence and skills, helping young people return to education or enter the labour market. A total of 12 expeditions are planned by September, involving 120 participants.

The project is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Spain–Portugal (POCTEP) 2021–2027 programme, and is a partnership between the University of Santiago de Compostela, the Intermunicipal Community of Alto Minho, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo, Clúster da Comunicación de Galicia (Galicia Communication Cluster) and Femxa.

Further information and registration form available here.