Home > View all Courses for EDUCATORS > World Bound Educators: Italy Summer 10-day
World Bound Educators: Italy
A professional development and educational adventure for outdoor enthusiasts and aspiring change-makers
Most people have no idea just how important the summer months are for educators. As educators ourselves, we know that the summer is an invaluable time to rest, reflect, prepare, and let loose with some adventures. Italy provides a unique setting for finding that perfect summer balance that every educator needs. For open-minded educators who want to have a fun, challenging, and profoundly educational professional development adventure, look no further than World Bound Italy!
There’s a reason that Italy is on so many people’s bucket list for travel destinations. Italy is a “living museum” filled with history, food, art, language, and myth. It is a place that is at once layered and complex, yet wonderfully straightforward and authentic. On this ten day course, educators will explore the Veneto region during a journey that takes them from the waters of the Venice Lagoon to the peaks of the Dolomites. Alongside educators from around the world, you’ll venture into wild and unique natural landscapes and explore historical cities renowned for their art, architecture, and culinary traditions. All the while, you’ll gain an intimate familiarity with the food of the land through our locally sourced menu, showcasing the best of Cimbrian, Dolomite, and Venetian cuisine.
Itinerary and Trip Details
Packing List
Veneto Food Tour
DETAILS
Date: August 3–13, 2024 (10 days)
Group Requirement: Minimum 8 participants to run the course; a maximum of 12
Facilitator: Maria “Letizia” Festa Giordani
Locations: Venezia-Mestre, Northern Lagoon of Venice, Treviso, Parco Nazionale Dolomiti Bellunesi, Lago del Mis, Val Maor, Calalzo di Cadore, Lago di Santa Croce, Foresta del Cansiglio, Monte Pizzoc, Cison di Valmarino
PRICES (EUR)
Early Bird Deal (ends March 1, 2024): €2999.00 + tax
Regular Price: €3400.00 + tax
Deposit: € 300.00 + tax
Visit our Grant and Funding Support page for ideas about how to offset the cost of this course
Includes:
– Pre- and post-course virtual “Get Ready To Adventure” meeting
– World Bound Educator course instruction by experienced guides, resource booklet, and World Bound Professional Development Certificate
– Accommodations (tents in campsites, bed and breakfasts, agritourism, bivouac camping)
– Traditional Italian breakfasts and dinners using only ingredients sourced from less than 100km away, including a gourmet Italian dinner in a Michelin restaurant! (see our food tour for details)
– Gear (bikes, canoes, and more. See the packing list for details)
– Outdoor and cultural activities (cycling, hiking, canyoning, canoeing, and exploring historical cities and villages)
Does not include: Flights, hotel stays in Mestre, train tickets (Treviso-Santa Giustina: ~8EUR, Santa Giustina-Calalzo di Cadore: ~8EUR), and anything not mentioned above
In learning and educating we support and adhere to the First People’s Perspectives and Principles of Learning
More info: office@firesideadventures.ca
Test yourself in the mighty Dolomites and learn the skills of outdoor education and climate leadership
Last summer, our experience with the World Bound Italy youths was a profound learning opportunity. During this time, we learned from local perspectives about adapting to climate change and how old traditions have been adjusted to our new reality. As educators, we also learned many lessons from the youths themselves as they shared their ideas, hopes, and perspectives related to climate change and climate education. Not only did the youths feel that year-round, solution-focussed climate education was profoundly important, they argued that educators should also participate in a World Bound Course designed to support them in their own learning journey. So, we created World Bound Educators: Italy.
During this adventure, educators will test themselves by learning the fundamentals of wilderness expeditions, experience the joy and challenge of living locally, and push themselves physically and mentally during a variety of outdoor activities. This experience is paired with our World Bound Climate Change Curriculum, with emphasis on supporting educators of all types in becoming more confident, holistic, and cutting-edge in their climate education practice. Teaching deliverables include outdoor skill-building, hands-on experiential learning, connecting with educators and activists from around the world, and our pioneering climate education modules.
Key Course Takeaways
Learn core climate educator skills
This course will teach more than just theory. You’ll learn the practical skills needed to return to the classroom as climate leaders who are even more capable of preparing future generations for lives defined by climate change. These skills include organizing climate activism, methods of sustainable agriculture, and how to create and participate in circular economies. You’ll also participate in a variety of outdoor experiences that involve wilderness skill-building training. We ensure the knowledge you learn is transferable to the classroom, enabling you to share outdoor skills and environmental knowledge with your students. Maybe you’ll even plan some exciting field trips!
Participate in Italy-focussed climate change workshops
As with all our professional development adventures, we provide workshops (totalling 10 hours) and education materials (K-12) relating to climate education. Education materials for this experience will be Italy-focussed, teaching kids about a region where severe climate events can be exacerbated by geographical conditions – from the Northern Lagoon of Venice to the Dolomites and the River Piave, the most exploited river in Europe for hydroelectric production. Of course, both our expedition and curriculum are intended to be more broadly transferable to climate change education being taught in the classroom.
Meet our World Bound Italy youths
We have timed this course to overlap with our World Bound Youths, so that both groups can experience a collaborative workshop on climate change education. Both youths and educators will cycle together, surrounded by the peaceful beauty of the Dolomites, while sharing their emotions, hopes, fears, and ideas for climate action with one another. This is intended to provide both groups with a holistic perspective that builds a sense of collaboration in climate education.
Learning with international and local knowledge keepers
Climate change is an international crisis brought on by industrialization. The more we can create an international network of activist educators, who are willing to learn the wisdom of cultures that are deeply connected to the natural world, the more hope there is. Participants will consult with local knowledge keepers from the North Lagoon of Venice to the Dolomites, learn from the sustainable entrepreneurship of the farmers living on a unique territory between old history and modernity, and engage with people trying to balance Venice’s tourism and economies with the needs of a community facing floods and other extreme climate events.
Some Highlights from the Adventure Ahead:
Expand your knowledge of Northeast Italy’s culture and experience it as a curious and respectful visitor – not a tourist. Enjoy the sunset of the Northern Lagoon of Venice, the taste of Venetian traditional dishes (and so many other amazing foods you’ll never find at home), and the authenticity of local artisanal products.
Challenge your mind and body as we paddle the Piave River, hike in the unique landscape of the Dolomites, and sleep in a bivouac while waiting for the dawn in the mountains.
Sample the best of one of the world’s great food cultures, from local fresh produce to fire-baked pizzas to a once-in-a-lifetime Michelin star tasting experience. All the food we eat will be Italian grown and sourced from within 100 kms of us.
Visit the largest agricultural area in Italy, where climate-conscious farmers are working to protect biodiversity in the Northern Lagoon of Venice, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Go canyoning in the Secret Canyon, one of the wildest canyons of the region, so-called because the alpine guides have kept it off of the well-known tourist maps.
Explore the breathtaking canals and architecture of historic Treviso together with some old Italian villages with their typical artisans,
Lose yourself in the ancient Foresta del Cansiglio to learn about the nature of this enchanted forest
Learn the skills of an eco-traveller by using sustainable travel – like cycling, hiking, and paddling – while maintaining a very low carbon footprint.
Meet the youth and young adults who are on the World Bound Italy course to spend a day cycling with them in nature and sharing your experiences, thoughts and ideas about climate change and sustainability.
Like all of our experiences, we’ll cater to your group’s collective and individual outdoor experience and interests while handling all the gear, food, and logistics… sweet and simple! We provide an inclusive experience for participants with varying skill levels, interests, and agendas to keep the experience informative, safe, and fun for everyone. Please reach out to office@firesideadventure.ca to learn more, book your group, or join a group.
Your adventure starts with giving yourself permission to have a larger-than-life experience!
Funding Support for Educators
Fireside Adventures views this experience as essential professional development for empowering educators in their role as conscientious climate leaders. As such, we are committed to assisting educators with whatever they need to access available professional development funding to offset the cost. Visit our Grant and Funding Support page for ideas about how to offset the cost of this course, or contact us with any questions or support needs.
Why Veneto?
Home to Venice, the Dolomites, and much of Italy’s farmland, the Veneto region is beloved by both Italians and visitors from around the world. Here are just a few of the reasons why we’ve made Veneto the location for World Bound Italy.
The gateway to a diverse array of ecosystems
The Veneto region has different types of natural environments, from the high altitudes of the Dolomites to the Piave River valley and the coastal lagoons of the Adriatic Sea. This region boasts incredible biodiversity with an unparalleled number of plant and animal species. One spectacular example we’ll witness: every season, different species of birds travel from the Arctic and Africa to come to Veneto, surprising witness with a beautiful display of intertwining of shapes and colours.
A place to encounter the effects of climate change
From the flooding of Venice to the Dolomites’ melting glaciers, the Veneto region offers one of the most stark and challenging examples of the effects that climate change is having in Italy. This also means it’s the best example of how local people are innovating and adapting. This small region boasts an enriched and diverse perspective on climate change education because of its unique culture, old traditions, nature, history, and people.
An icon of outdoor and historical tourism
The Dolomites are known worldwide as one of the icons of luxury tourism, as well as one of the most beautiful national parks in the world. This region is rich in nature and wildlife, but also history as it was the theatre of many of the most terrible battles during WW1. Not only this, the naturally stunning Piave River was once the main trade route from the Dolomites to Venice, with hundreds of merchant rafts sailing its waters weekly. The alpine section of the river is also an open-air book about the hydro-geological history of the region.
The home of our wonderful partners
Another reason why we love Veneto is because it’s the home of our partner in this adventure. Barbasso Nature Culture is many things: a small and dynamic company, a group of outdoor guides and wildlife photographers, a team of professionals and researchers in the field of sustainable tourism and environmental protection. Having been born in Veneto and living there ever since, everyone at Barbasso Nature Culture is looking forward to welcoming educators to the place they call home.
Meet your Lead Instructor: Maria “Letizia” Festa Giordani
A quote that describes me: “Don’t just think outside the box, live outside it!”
Born in the gulf of Naples, I’ve always been fuelled by a volcanic energy to follow my life passions: exploring nature and connecting with people from different cultures through travel. These passions have led me on a wandering path. In travel, they led me from backpacking in Europe to a coast-to-coast adventure across the US. In career, they led me from international corporate communications to becoming a certified high school teacher of ESL and Literature in Milan, which I’ve done for over 20 years. Now, my path has led me to Jeff Willis and Fireside Adventures, where I began training as an outdoor group expedition leader during the inaugural World Bound Yukon.
Out of World Bound Yukon, World Bound Italy was born. Now, after last year’s successful expedition, we’ve decided to create a course for Educators who are as motivated, and love their job as much as Jeff and I. Being a mum and a passionate teacher, I believe our generation has the huge responsibility of helping young people become the future leaders of our planet. I also believe that outdoor experiential education is the right tool to transmit our knowledge of how to balance analog and digital living in tune with nature. To me, true education is life design, and life design is a journey that teaches us to let go of the end goal, focus on the process, and see what happens next. So, let’s go!
