Welcome to the website of MINDFIT!
An innovative CERV project focusing on enhancing children’s and young athletes’ mental fitness
Empowering Minds
Enhancing children's mental fitness- MINDFIT is a CERV project with a duration of 24 months, starting from May 2025 to April 2027
The ‘Empowering Minds: Enhancing Children’s Mental Fitness’ (MINDFIT) project aims to address the unique challenges faced by children and in particular young athletes in this critical area and provide recommendations for the formation of policies to safeguard mental health and resilience of children, protecting and promoting the rights of the children and in particular children athletes. This project is driven by a deep understanding of the significance of mental health in the holistic development of children athletes and the recognition of the necessity for early interventions to nurture mental fitness from a young age. The project recognizes that the challenges faced by young athletes are distinct and multifaceted. These challenges can include the pressure to perform at a high level, manage academic commitments, and cope with high expectations, all while navigating the unique stressors of a competitive sports environment.
Objectives
Specific Objectives of MINDFIT include:
SO1:
Consult experts on how to best support young athletes’ mental health.
SO2:
Exchange good mental health practices to support youth in sports.
SO3:
Strengthen mental health support in sports in line with EU priorities.
SO4:
Equip local and national bodies to better care for children’s mental well-being.
SO5:
Use social media and podcasts to spark conversations and change
Work Packages
The project has 5 Work Packages:
WP1:
Project management and coordination
WP2:
MINDFIT educational materials and tools development
WP3:
Application design, development & pilot
WP4:
Implementation, impact assessment & policy recommendations
WP5:
Communication, dissemination, and networking
Target groups
The MINDFIT project addresses a diverse yet interconnected range of target groups:
Primary target group:
Children, particularly young athletes aged 8 to 18 years old. Through MINDFIT, these young individuals gain access to age-appropriate tools and a dedicated application tailored to their needs, empowering them to navigate the mental challenges they encounter in sports and daily life.
Secondary target group:
Professionals who interact with children in various capacities. This includes instructors, educators, trainers, sports coaches, caregivers, and parents or legal guardians. These individuals will receive specialised training and resources to effectively support the young athletes in their care. Their involvement creates a robust, informed support system around the children.
Tertiary Target Group (Beneficiaries):
A broader network of stakeholders invested in children’s mental health and sports. This consists of organisations and experts in mental health equality, as well as schools, children’s sports clubs, associations, and sports federations. Local communities; academic and research communities, Higher Education Institutes (HEIs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and local public authorities, such as policymakers, ministries of education, youth, sports, and health, and commissioners of child rights, are also included. These entities benefit from increased engagement, access to project outcomes, and the opportunity to collaborate within a wider network.