Kind Surf: Where Every Wave Brings Joy and Belonging
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By Alexandra Flores I Laureus Sport for Good
Along the Spanish shores of Zarautz and Valencia, Kind Surf provides children with disabilities and those at risk a lifeline through surfing, offering them a chance to rewrite their stories.
"If you look around in your community, there are always children at risk of exclusion," said Aritz Aranburu, Spanish surfer and vice-president of Kind Surf.
Founded in 2012, Kind Surf - shortlisted for the 2025 Laureus Sport for Good Award and recipient of the 2024 Laureus España MARCA Sport for Good Honour – is an inclusive surfing programme that offers broad holistic support through therapists, coaches, psychologists and professional surfers to young people with Down's syndrome, Asperger syndrome, on the Autism spectrum, with cerebral palsy, and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
"That’s why in Kind Surf, we want to dedicate the right time to them and their families, who never thought they would one day be on a surfboard," Aranburu added.
Beyond the Board: Building Confidence
In an effort to foster independence in their participants, Almudena Fernández, co-founder of Kind Surf and new Laureus Ambassador told Spanish magazine Revista Mia:
"Without their parents nearby, they engage much more with the water and instructors," a practice that encourages the children to fully immerse themselves in the experience.
According to research, surfing intervention offers significant benefits for children with disabilities, including improved cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength and flexibility.
Founded in 2012, Kind Surf - shortlisted for the 2025 Laureus Sport for Good Award and recipient of the 2024 Laureus España MARCA Sport for Good Honour – is an inclusive surfing programme that offers broad holistic support through therapists, coaches, psychologists and professional surfers to young people with Down's syndrome, Asperger syndrome, on the Autism spectrum, with cerebral palsy, and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
"That’s why in Kind Surf, we want to dedicate the right time to them and their families, who never thought they would one day be on a surfboard," Aranburu added.
Beyond the Board: Building Confidence
In an effort to foster independence in their participants, Almudena Fernández, co-founder of Kind Surf and new Laureus Ambassador told Spanish magazine Revista Mia:
"Without their parents nearby, they engage much more with the water and instructors," a practice that encourages the children to fully immerse themselves in the experience.
According to research, surfing intervention offers significant benefits for children with disabilities, including improved cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength and flexibility.
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"One of the most beautiful things is watching them make their own decisions in the water," said Aranburu.
Each child receives personalised support based on their needs, from those with Autism to cerebral palsy.
When they are in the water, their locomotor skills are activated, eventually producing action and reaction once their skin senses the ocean.
"Many of them learn to choose their waves. All waves are different. They take the risk. Sometimes they would fail, sometimes they would choose well,” Aranburu said. "But it contributes to decision-making for their lives.”
Kind Surf uses the water to teach patience, resilience and trust, values that ripple into every day.
‘‘In the end, the Kind Surf programme is of course a win-win, everything you give you get back multiplied by two," Aranburu reflected.
"Witnessing our kids improving is deeply significant to us."
For many of the participants, the transformation can be seen in small but significant ways, showcasing they are capable of more than they imagined.
A young boy on the Autism spectrum who participates in Kind Surf shared: ‘’Surfing is much easier now, the sessions are always good.’’
Each child receives personalised support based on their needs, from those with Autism to cerebral palsy.
When they are in the water, their locomotor skills are activated, eventually producing action and reaction once their skin senses the ocean.
"Many of them learn to choose their waves. All waves are different. They take the risk. Sometimes they would fail, sometimes they would choose well,” Aranburu said. "But it contributes to decision-making for their lives.”
Kind Surf uses the water to teach patience, resilience and trust, values that ripple into every day.
‘‘In the end, the Kind Surf programme is of course a win-win, everything you give you get back multiplied by two," Aranburu reflected.
"Witnessing our kids improving is deeply significant to us."
For many of the participants, the transformation can be seen in small but significant ways, showcasing they are capable of more than they imagined.
A young boy on the Autism spectrum who participates in Kind Surf shared: ‘’Surfing is much easier now, the sessions are always good.’’
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A Community of Support
Over the past decade, Kind Surf has supported more than 1,500 young people.
Its Continuity Programmes launched in 2017 provide weekly adaptive surf lessons for eight months each year, with the goal of achieving significant progress for children with special needs through surf therapy.
"The value of relaxation learned through surfing can be applied to life outside the water, allowing individuals to approach situations with more patience and less urgency," Aranburu said.
After years of surfing competitively, Aranburu found a new purpose through Kind Surf.
"It doesn’t matter where you come from, once in the water we are a community, every session reminds participants – and those around them – that in the water, everyone has a place."
"When there are waves, there has to be joy. When there are good waves, surf is what I like the most," said another young participant.
To learn more about Kind Surf, visit: https://www.kindsurf.org/en/
Over the past decade, Kind Surf has supported more than 1,500 young people.
Its Continuity Programmes launched in 2017 provide weekly adaptive surf lessons for eight months each year, with the goal of achieving significant progress for children with special needs through surf therapy.
"The value of relaxation learned through surfing can be applied to life outside the water, allowing individuals to approach situations with more patience and less urgency," Aranburu said.
After years of surfing competitively, Aranburu found a new purpose through Kind Surf.
"It doesn’t matter where you come from, once in the water we are a community, every session reminds participants – and those around them – that in the water, everyone has a place."
"When there are waves, there has to be joy. When there are good waves, surf is what I like the most," said another young participant.
To learn more about Kind Surf, visit: https://www.kindsurf.org/en/
