Kumpania Summer School: A Hawaiian-inspired edition to live together, learn and enjoy

The children and teenagers taking part in the Kumpania and IKumpania programs have experienced an educational journey designed to build community, strengthen bonds and keep learning while enjoying the summer.

Playful, sports and cultural activities served as an excuse to work on values, reinforce skills, and create a space of trust and shared joy in the La Coma neighborhood.

The Summer School of Kumpania and IKumpania in La Coma returned this July more vibrant and colorful than ever. With an educational proposal infused with the joyful and welcoming Hawaiian theme, families found a space to live together, have fun, and learn as a community. For several weeks, we were surrounded by flower necklaces, water games, colorful workshops, and shared smiles.

Nearly 40 participants took part in this five-week experience, full of thematic activities, cooperative games, excursions, workshops, and a big closing event with families. Every moment was carefully designed by the educational team to promote the holistic development of children and adolescents through educational leisure, reinforcing coexistence, empathy, autonomy, and respect for diversity.

A summer of shared learning, active participation, and community

Beyond fun, every activity had a clear educational purpose. From water gymkhanas and a baseball tournament to creative recycling workshops, cooking classes, and a wide range of activities — all were aimed at enhancing motor, emotional and social skills.

Team spirit and fun during the summer baseball tournament

Participants expressed themselves in artistic workshops such as body painting and handicrafts with cold porcelain; they cooperated in collective challenges like the educational market and immersed themselves in sensory experiences. They also took part in group activities like pre-sport games, water Olympics, slime workshops, karaoke, and the ‘Ohana Games’, inspired by traditional Hawaiian games. The excursions to different locations offered ideal settings to work on autonomy, emotional regulation and teamwork.

Art, color and freedom in a sensory painting workshop

The participatory approach was essential: many activities responded to shared interests identified in earlier group sessions with the youth. This helped ensure that each day was experienced as something meaningful. The close guidance of the educational team created a safe and stimulating environment where everyone felt included.

Logic, collaboration and excitement in the group escape room challenge

In this way, the Kumpania and IKumpania Summer School becomes a space to learn to live together, to express oneself, to take care of oneself and others. One of the highlights of this edition was the strengthening of the community fabric. The active participation of mothers and fathers also turned it into a shared space, where relationships between families, educators and the wider community were reinforced and a mutual support network was created.

Kumpania and IKumpania are socio-educational programs aimed at Roma children and adolescents from the La Coma neighborhood (Paterna), focusing on family support, academic reinforcement and personal development through educational leisure. They are managed by Jovesólides, with funding from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and the First Vice Presidency and Department of Social Services, Equality and Housing of the Generalitat Valenciana.

Follow all updates from the project on social media through the hashtags #Kumpania and #IKumpania.