February NUI Galway launches Mind, Body, Boost

Well-being programme takes place over six weeks in higher education institutions across Europe 

Initiative aims to study physical and mental health benefits for students and young people

NUI Galway has launched a new well-being programme - Mind, Body, Boost - to support students’ physical and mental health and research its impact.

The initiative is taking place in partnership with higher education institutions in six European countries and aims to address social isolation, poor lifestyle balance, mental health difficulties and low levels of physical activity of young people.

Mind, Body, Boost also involves research to assess the impact and benefit of a six-week health and wellbeing programme on physical and mental health.

Professor Michelle Millar, Dean of Students, NUI Galway, said: “We know from our students that the issues of anxiety and stress are real. Mind, Body, Boost provides us with a new opportunity to help our students improve their overall well-being, to prevent isolation and open the door to physical activity. Most of all, it is a huge opportunity to learn the impacts of this approach.”

Mind, Body, Boost is designed to be accessible and welcoming for third level students with low levels of physical activity and mental health struggles and who have had limited opportunities to participate in physical activity, for whatever reason, through personal difficulties or other obstacles. 

It is running in seven institutions across Europe. The programme recruits students via student sign-up and seeks referrals from student service, health professionals and educators. 

An APP has been developed for participating students who will receive encouragement and motivation to achieve their goals each week.

Today, Tuesday 8 February 2022, marked the introductory session for NUI Galway students, and sessions continue on campus on the same day each week for the next six weeks. 

The sessions run for 25 minutes and 45 minutes and include a mix of low-moderate intensity physical activity, relaxation, and resilience sessions. 

The project is co-funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus + Sport programme. 

The partners include - Trinity College Dublin; University of Stirling, Scotland; University of Limerick; University of Lisbon, Portugal; Technical University of Munich, Germany; Vilnius University, Lithuania; and It’s Great Out There Coalition, Brussels.

To find out more information visit www.mindbodyboost.eu

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