#AcademiaEnComunidad project goes from strength to strength

2020 saw the club take a step forward with the philosophy of 'educating people and training footballers,' with the creation of the #AcademiaEnComunidad campaign, in which over the course of the current season VCF Academy teams are participating in various social actions alongside the VCF Foundation.

“The first thing that is accomplished is that we help others. For this reason alone, it makes sense to run these kinds of initiatives," explains Emilio Ibáñez, a former Valencia CF player who now heads the VCF Academy's Psychology Department.

“At the VCF Academy we work to give youngsters the tools and abilities to make their dream of being professional athletes come true, but we also have a commitment to educating them as people. We help others, but we also help those at the VCF Academy to become better players and people."

Three actions have been organised to date: A visit to the Valencia Modepran animal shelter, volunteering at the Banco de Alimentos food drive, and the recent visit to the A-Ball wheelchair football team. There have also been food collections by the various 8-a-side teams, and work done by the VCF Soccer Academy in Houston before Christmas.

“Through these activities, the kids are able to see that there are other realities that are different to theirs," says Ibáñez.

“We help them to keep their feet on the ground, and have the important value which is humility. Besides this, Valencia CF have identified the values that define this club: Responsibility, social commitment, empathy, solidarity... and with these activities we boost and consolidate these values -which are also worked on throughout the season at the Ciudad Deportiva."

The actions provide help to collectives in the form of visibility, so that society as a whole is also conscious of the situation.

“You don't know what it means for the A-Ball team whenever there is a visit. Nobody misses out that day," explains Miguel Ángel Bossio, Valencia CF social ambassador and coach of the team.

“They loved training with the Cadete team and seeing the video that was put together about the visit. It helped them so much."

Volunteer work in the regular food drives put on at Mestalla with the Banco de Alimento has become an important part of #AcademiaEnComunidad. Every fortnight, around 7000 families are helped by the initiative, and the chance to help out for the workers at the VCF Academy means that shifts have to be shared out, such is the demand for participation.