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ABOUT US
Located in central Chile, Valparaíso is a city where most people live in the hills surrounding its industrial port. VSP works in the city's poorest neighborhoods, which are affected by violent crime, drug abuse, and chronic unemployment.
VSP provides a vital role in our students' lives. Our students have few positive role models and limited educational and social support. Through surfing, academic tutoring, & environmental stewardship we engage, educate, and motivate our kids.
Kids enter VSP as young as 8 years old and graduate at 18. Many of our graduates are the first in their families to attend college. They are also returning to VSP to volunteer as mentors, giving back to the next generation in their own communities.
Our Mission
Valpo Surf Project (VSP) is a youth mentorship organization that works with at-risk populations in Valparaíso, Chile. We use surfing, academics, and professional development to instill positive values and life skills in our students during their most formative years.
Did you Know?
1 in 3 young people will grow up without a mentor.
Studies show that youth with mentors are more likely to engage in positive behaviors, attend college, and participate in productive and beneficial activities.
VSP students live in neighborhoods where poverty, drug abuse and trafficking, and violence is an everyday reality. The visionary approach of VSP, its commitment to mentoring, and its dedication to student well-being have been fundamental in creating the next generation of young leaders who are breaking the cycles of poverty and the norms that define their neighborhoods.
Program Details
SURF
Surfing sessions are the heart of our program. In the ocean, our kids can escape daily stress, engage in healthy physical activity, and spend quality time with their mentors.
ACADEMICS
Our academic programming includes social-emotional learning, academic tutoring, English classes, and environmental workshops. These activities equip students with the necessary skills to thrive in school and in their communities.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
We offer opportunities for students to work at VSP, college and career preparation, personalized mentoring, and community service projects, promoting leadership, life skills, and care for others and the environment.
History
Founded in 2009 by a group of four friends, the Valpo Surf Project began as a way to better the lives of young people in Valparaíso, Chile. While living in Valparaíso founders Wiley, Jon, Henry, and Andrés recognized that hidden amongst the city's unique beauty were families struggling with the consequences of poverty. The entire city of Valparaíso, which is set in the foothills of the Andes, faces the Pacific Ocean. The guys decided to use surfing and the ocean as a way to connect with the kids of Valparaíso.
After a grassroots fundraising campaign in 2009, the VSP's Pilot Program was launched in 2010. The program began with 4 surfboards and 20 students in one classroom in the hills of Valparaíso. The four founders ran all aspects of the program. Jon, Henry, and Wiley took turns going home to the United States to fundraise and work odd jobs saving up enough money to buy another plane ticket back to Chile.
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Since 2010 the program has grown to include:
5 Communities
12,000+ Instances of Participation
1,300+ Students
2,000+ Activities
6,800+ Mentorship Hours
9 Staff Members
55 Interns
840+ Volunteers
As the VSP continues to grow the organization remains committed to each student, empowering them with the tools to better their own lives and positively impact their communities.