The virtual kick-off meeting towards Empowerment for Mental Well-being through Sport has been held on 22 February 2021. The consortium from Germany, Spain, Hungary, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom supports adults adapting to challenges and crises by harnessing the positive mental aspects of physical activity and sport. The collaborative partnership is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
A unique combination of organisations has kicked off a new collaboration under the motto Move the Mind. It has the aim to empower Europeans towards well-being through sport: The International Council for Coaching Excellence based in the United Kingdom, the Hungarian University of Physical Education, the Tarab Institute International from Denmark, Sport Drenthe from the Netherlands, the Catalan Union of Sports Federations, and SPIN Sport Innovation from Germany, started their co-creation process.
In a globalised and interconnected world, we face new challenges and crisis; one of them being the current COVID-19 pandemic. They have unprecedented impact on our lives and fundamentally change the way we live. This has significant impact on our well-being. We believe that physical activity and sport positively impacts on aspects like stress, anxiety and depression, mood, resilience, self-esteem, and social inclusion. However, these positive traits can only be harnessed if the provision of sport is purposeful. With it, sport clubs offering healthenhancing physical activity at grassroots level play a crucial role in building resilient individuals and communities.
Today, the project consortium successfully kicked-off the European project collaboration. Because of the ongoing restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the consortium met online. Besides a thorough review of the overall aims and approaches, a focus was set on the development of the Move the Mind Knowledge Discovery. The Knowledge Discovery compiles existing information to gain a better understanding about the physiological, psychological, and psychosocial contexts of movement and mindfulness. It discovers and clarifies how recreation, physical activity and sport can contribute to overcoming anxiety and stress, improving resilience and grit, and developing life skills and purpose.
As a nextstep, the consortium assembles and examines existing literature, resources, and good practices relevant to the mental aspects of physical activity and sports. It is followed by an analysis of the needs and demands of our target groups and beneficiaries.
If you are looking to contribute to the project, or to make a change in your life, or to support those who wish to do so as a sports coach, look no further. Join our community at www.move-the-mind.eu or follow our social channels @movethemind.eu to get started today.
