Program
Erasmus +
Description
This particular initiative aims to provide evidence-based documentation and to develop strong institutional procedures for the specific contribution of Sports and Physical Exercise to the prevention of mental illness and the therapy as well as the rehabilitation of users of Mental Health services at a European level.
Due to three key reasons these procedures are currently in nil to low:
The lack of expansive documentation on the importance and the effects of Sports and Physical Exercise in the prevention of mental illness and the therapy as well as the rehabilitation of users of Mental Health services at a European level.
The lack of expertise among the professionals who are working on the Health Field regarding the integration of Sports and Physical Exercise in the current treatment concepts
The obvious absence of specific cross-sectoral policies to encourage the integration of Sports and Physical Exercise in the rehabilitation process of users of Mental Health Services.
Targets
The role of Sports and Physical Exercise in both healing and socialization / rehabilitation process for people with mobility problems or intellectual disabilities has already been studied and defined within the framework of "Sports for all" EU strategy.
Goals
The development of a comprehensive approach on the role of Sport and Physical Exercise in the prevention and the treatment of mental illness (12 Policy papers).
The establishment of a European Network of Sport and Physical Exercise for Mental Health.
The public awareness on the necessity of a new specific approach on the conjunction of Sport with Mental Health within a EU wide Awareness Campaign.
Outputs
"Life is a bike" campaign
A link that aims to establish the five-month European Campaign “Life is like a bike” (February-June 2018) and will be held in parallel in 12 European countries, as the main goal of the MENS Project, the European project, which is co-funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus + program. MENS project is implemented with the involvement of 17 organizations, from 12 EU Member States, active in the field of mental health and/or sports and physical exercise. You find the promotional campaign here.
Merseyside Expanding Horizons had the honor and privilege of raising awareness of "The Life is Like a Bike" at the Birmingham and Midlands Institute. We addressed a large network of mental health and sports professionals to promote MENS project and encourage partnership networking and provide delegates with enough information to join our Network.
Sway with Ray
Partners
17 Organizations from 12 EU Member States acting in Mental Health and/or Sports & Physical Exercise fields.
For more info:
More information can be found https://mensproject.eu, including the Policy Papers. The Final conferences minutes can be found here.