As part of the MINDFIT project, pilot activities were carried out to investigate how children and young people understand emotions, cope with challenges and develop mental wellbeing skills in educational and sporting contexts.
The pilot session in Italy focused on a key aspect of young athletes’ experiences: how we react to failure, mistakes and unexpected challenges. Through interactive activities, participants reflected on the experiences of international athletes who have faced difficult moments at the height of their careers and learnt how resilience, motivation and self-awareness can influence their ability to overcome obstacles. A video-based activity presented real-life examples from the world of sport, showing how athletes react immediately after a mistake and how their perspective can change when given the opportunity to try again.
The stories encouraged participants to reflect on the difference between focusing solely on the final result and valuing the personal journey, commitment, dedication and continuous improvement that went into every achievement.
Through visual aids and group discussions, the participants explored how thoughts, actions and emotions are interconnected. Using posters and Post-it notes, they identified whether different reactions were linked to the ‘mind’ (thoughts and reflections), the ‘hands’ (actions and behaviours) or the ‘heart’ (emotions and feelings).
The activity highlighted varying levels of emotional awareness amongst the participants. Whilst some initially found it difficult to identify and express their emotions, others – particularly those with a stronger connection to sport – were able to relate their own personal experiences to the athletes’ stories and actively contribute reflections on perseverance, training and personal improvement.
The pilot activities demonstrated the importance of creating safe spaces for exploring emotions, recognising challenges as part of the learning process, and developing strategies to build resilience, whilst linking mental wellbeing to everyday experiences in sport and education.
The feedback gathered from participants, educators and professionals will contribute to the further development of MINDFIT’s tools and resources, ensuring they meet the real needs of young people and those who support them.
