At the Rafa Nadal Foundation Center in Valencia, the program “On the Move” has become a transformative space for adolescents who voluntarily join this group.
This program, which is also carried out at the centers in Palma and Madrid, aims to support young people during a crucial stage of their lives: a time when they are no longer children but not yet adults, facing key decisions about their academic and/or professional futures.
Supporting a Time of Change
On the Move focuses on exploring the physical, emotional, and social changes characteristic of this stage. Identity exploration, peer interaction, and social acceptance play a fundamental role. That’s why this program provides a safe space where adolescents can express themselves, learn, and develop key skills while taking on greater personal responsibility within the group.
In Valencia, the sessions are held every two weeks and are designed to be more experiential than theoretical. First, they involve activities with movement and focus on a central theme; then, they are complemented with an outing where the topic is further explored.
Building Cohesion and Self-Discovery Through Play
The program’s initial sessions focused on group cohesion. For instance, a dynamic game allowed participants to score points and share something about themselves, posing questions to get to know each other better. Later, the group played a version of “Connect Four” that included reflective questions before each move:
- What talent do you have that others might not know about?
- When was the last time you did something brave?
- What value is important to you?
- What goal would you like to achieve in the future?
These questions encouraged spontaneous answers, personal exploration, and dialogue among participants, helping them open up and connect in a natural and enriching way.
Field Trip to CaixaFòrum: Mirrors, Inside and Outside Reality
In the third session, the group visited CaixaFòrum for a special activity. Taking advantage of free guided access, the adolescents explored the exhibition Mirrors. Inside and Outside Reality. Through experiments and mini-games, the young participants reflected on concepts such as:
- Is reality what a mirror reflects?
- What do I see in the mirror?
- What do I show about myself and how?
- What do I hide, and why don’t I let it show?
These activities helped connect the exhibition experience with personal introspection, leading the adolescents to reflect on their identity and the images they project to the world.
Ongoing Support for the Future
The On the Move program at the Rafa Nadal Foundation Center in Valencia not only provides tools for adolescents to face the challenges of this stage but also promotes values like introspection, empathy, and group responsibility. These experiences, tailored to the needs of the young participants, become key moments in their holistic development.
