The Rafa Nadal Foundation Centres in Palma, Valencia and Madrid have started a new academic year of the “Education and Sport” project, looking forward to continuing to support more than 500 children and adolescents in their personal and emotional development.
October marks a return to routine, reunions and the beginning of new challenges. At the Rafa Nadal Foundation Centres, this month has a very special meaning: we have started the 2026–2027 academic year of the “Education and Sport” project! After the summer holidays and the summer programmes organised at our centres, the more than 500 children and adolescents we support have returned, filling our spaces with energy, excitement and enthusiasm for sharing new experiences.
However, before activities could begin, September was a crucial month in preparing for the new academic year. During these weeks, the professional teams in Palma, Valencia and Madrid carried out family welcome meetings, an essential part of our approach to intervention and support.
What are family welcome meetings, and why are they so important?
At the Rafa Nadal Foundation Centres, we understand that every child has their own story, needs and personal and family circumstances that influence their everyday life. That is why our work goes far beyond activities: we want to gain a deeper understanding of each child’s situation and family environment so that we can provide the support they need.
Family welcome meetings consist of individual interviews with the families of all the children and adolescents participating in our programmes. These meetings allow us to understand how each child has progressed, how they are doing personally and emotionally, how their family situation is evolving and how they have readjusted to their routines after the summer.
During these conversations, our professionals also assess the support children receive from the adults in their lives, whether parents or guardians, and identify any additional support they may need. This enables us to determine whether educational, sporting, psychological or social support should be strengthened, tailoring our approach to each individual situation.
These interviews provide an opportunity to listen, share concerns and establish joint goals with families. We believe that close cooperation between our centre teams and each child’s family environment is essential to promoting their well-being and overall development.
Continuity is also one of the great strengths of our project. The retention rate among the children and adolescents we support is very high, meaning that the vast majority return to our centres for another academic year. We know their stories, have shared many experiences with them and can build on the work carried out in previous years. At the same time, new participants join us every year, and we need to get to know them from the very beginning, building relationships of trust and helping them feel part of this big family.
A multidisciplinary team supporting every child
Individualised support is one of the pillars of the “Education and Sport” project. At our centres, we take a holistic approach in which the educational, sporting and psychosocial areas complement one another to meet the needs of every participant.
Educators, sports coaches, psychologists and social workers work closely together to provide personalised support throughout the academic year. This shared perspective allows us to identify potential difficulties, recognise strengths and support children and adolescents as they navigate everyday challenges, always in coordination with their families.
Every child is different, and not everyone needs the same kind of support. Our aim is to provide a safe, welcoming and trusting environment where they can grow, learn, develop their abilities and acquire skills that will help them both inside and outside our centres.
The first few days: reunions, new faces and shared goals
With the family welcome meetings completed and our teams ready, October has been the time to reunite and begin building this new academic year together.
The first few days are dedicated to welcoming participants, reconnecting after the summer and helping those joining us for the first time settle in. Group introductions, getting to know each centre’s rules and routines, and presenting the central theme that will guide activities over the coming months are all part of this initial stage.
We also make time for something we consider essential: listening to the children and understanding how they are starting the new academic year. We want to know how they feel, how they are coping with the start of school, what concerns them, what excites them and what goals they have set for the coming months.
This allows us to offer closer support, helping them face any challenges that may arise while strengthening their abilities and motivation. We want every participant to feel that they belong at our centres, that their voice matters and that they have a team ready to support them.
A new academic year to keep growing together
We begin the 2026–2027 academic year with great excitement and a firm commitment to continuing our work with the children, adolescents and families who are part of the Rafa Nadal Foundation Centres in Palma, Valencia and Madrid.
Months of learning, sport, togetherness, new experiences and shared challenges lie ahead. We will continue working to ensure that every participant finds a supportive environment at our centres, where they can develop their potential and discover everything they are capable of achieving.