Kick-off for the Mind Body Boost
On January 26 , ENAS attended the launch of the Mind-Body Boost (MBB), an innovative Erasmus+ collaborative partnership led by Trinity College Dublin and supported by several ENAS members and partners including Vilnius University, National University of Ireland, University of Stirling and University of Limerick.
About the Project
MBB is essentially an evidence-based intervention, designed to support students and young people on campus. It aims at addressing social isolation and mental difficulties by supporting youth in managing better mental and physical activity. MBB is also based on a very innovative ‘social prescribing’ model” that seeks referrals from sports coaches, health professionals and educators.
The intervention
MBB is based on a 6-week intervention programme aimed at third level students. The intervention is co-designed by experts from both the sport and the counselling services. The students can follow the programme on their campus or at home and learn how to manage physical and mental stress better through sport and physical activity. Indeed, the link between mental health and physical activity services augments the traditional social prescribing model to provide holistic support to young people through a single intervention.
Pilot Phase
In 2021, The MBB project has already been piloted successfully in Trinity College Dublin and the National University of Galway (NUIG) and the results have shown through surveys and testimonials that the project significantly impacted their lives. Almost all the students said the project improved their motivation and confidence to engage in regular physical activity.
Next Steps
Now the MBB will be launched in several European Universities and more students will have the opportunity to follow the programme. Moreover, specific materials (including a best practice model and tool kit) will be publish in the upcoming months. If you are interested in the MBB project and you would like to know more, please visit the website and subscribe to the newsletter.
