Abstract ID: 3.12888 | Not reviewed | Requested as: Talk | TBA | TBA

In the last decade, there has been a growing focus in policies on rural areas and the emergence of holistic approaches that involve joint interventions in access to services and economic development, in interaction with local communities (e.g., SNAI in Italy, Long-Term Vision, Smart Villages, One Health Strategy). These approaches apply multiscale strategies based on network and innovation theories, recognizing the importance of interconnections and external collaborations as key factors in promoting innovative development at the local level. The new intervention paradigm is based on co-designing with local communities and fostering collaboration to stimulate social capital growth and bring the needs of communities and individuals back to the center of local development models. At the local level, many communities in mountain and marginal areas are placing agriculture at the core of their sustainable development strategies. One of the main challenges is creating new opportunities for young people related to agriculture and natural resources. Participatory action research engages diverse networks, the research sector, and cultural and social dimensions. It can provide mountain communities with the opportunity to co-design innovative projects, enhance local vocations (e.g., livestock farming and viticulture), and support youth participation in agricultural communities. This contribution focuses on the implementation and main results of the School for Young Shepherds, a research-action project. The school, promoted by CREA in collaboration with the association Riabitare l’Italia, was created to support young people who want to start a pastoral business, revitalizing the economic and environmental cycle of mountain areas and fostering processes of regeneration and repopulation. It is an unconventional school that provides training through innovative methods (peer education and experiential learning) while also aiming to create a true community that extends beyond the courses, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds. The first edition took place in Piemonte, in the Alps, in Valle Stura di Demonte, while the second edition was held in 2024 in collaboration with the Mayors and the Union of Municipalities of the Madonie, aligning with the strategic vision that this region has adopted as part of the National Strategy for Inner Areas.