2025 November - 2027 April

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MindFit VR is an innovative Erasmus+ funded project dedicated to merging the benefits of traditional physical activity with cutting-edge Virtual Reality (VR) technology to proactively address rising mental health challenges and enhance emotional resilience among European youth.

 

The project provides a holistic approach that uses hybrid sports to foster mental well-being, promote social cohesion, and drive inclusion across communities.

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The Consortium

MindFit VR is a transnational collaboration coordinated by the Budapest Association for International Sports (BAIS) in Hungary. It partners with two core organizations:

1. Experiential Training Center Association (DeM) from Türkiye, which specializes in experiential learning and integrating VR technology into educational modules.

2. Panathlon International (PI) from Italy, which contributes a vast international network, promotes sports ethics, and leads dissemination efforts.

This blend of expertise in grassroots sports, digital innovation, and widespread dissemination ensures the project can effectively meet its objectives and transfer skills across borders.

 

Key Activities and Outputs

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The project is structured around three interconnected Work Packages focusing on preparation, training, and final dissemination:

1. Capacity Building and Training: The core activity involves training 12 selected coaches, athletes, and youth workers via a comprehensive 3-day transnational workshop in Istanbul. Through local follow-up training and piloting, the total number of professionals trained will be elevated to 30+.

2. Implementation and Piloting: Trained professionals implement Hybrid Resilience Days in their home countries. These events engage over 150 young participants and provide experiences that combine physical activity with mental health strategies. This phase also includes crucial pilot testing of the evolving toolkit.

3. The MindFit VR Toolkit: Feedback from the Resilience Days is incorporated to refine and finalize the MindFit VR Toolkit. This comprehensive, user-friendly digital resource features interactive modules, video tutorials, and best practices for integrating VR into sports to promote mental health.

 

Impact and Dissemination

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MindFit VR is designed to empower youth, enhance emotional resilience, and drive long-term improvements in mental well-being.

• Reach and Visibility: A robust dissemination campaign will be launched, including a storytelling initiative, social media outreach, and VR experience booths. This campaign aims to reach 5,000+ stakeholders and generate over 10,000 social media impressions.

• Inclusion: The project specifically targets marginalized groups—such as youth from low-income families and those with disabilities or limited access to conventional sports—by designing accessible hybrid sports events.

• Sustainability: The finalized MindFit VR Toolkit will be freely accessible online, serving as a scalable model for integrating mental health strategies into hybrid sports across Europe and beyond.

• Culmination: The project concludes with a final conference in Liguria to showcase achievements, share best practices, and discuss the future scalability of the hybrid sports methodology.​