Project summary

SPHERE addresses social inclusion and equal opportunities in sport, since it is a project aimed at fostering sport and physical activity in the psychiatric rehabilitation programs through the definition and sharing of a sport scientific protocol improved by psychiatrists and academic researchers.

The protocol will allow to identify the most suitable sport for psychiatric patients with different diagnoses and backgrounds in order to improve their psychophysical well-being.

The project is based on the collaboration between sports, mental health and education sectors in order to foster physical activity in the rehabilitation programs of psychiatric patients, since they are almost exclusively treated with pharmacological therapies which in the long run – as a consequence of the side effects associated with drugs intake – may cause other psychophysical problems.

Starting from a general investigation of the best practices and entities in the European Union regarding sport and mental health, the project aims to establish a scientific committee that will define the general guidelines on which the pilot projects will be carried out.

The project is addressed to all people with mental health problems in order to improve their quality of life and protect their rights, dignity and inclusion through the creation of therapeutic paths able to combine the typical sports training sessions together with psychiatric rehabilitation.