Member Spotlight March 2019

The European Network of Active Living for Mental Health (ENALMH) in a few lines?

The European Network of Active Living for Mental Health (ENALMH) is a newly established network which aims to promote the use of sports and physical exercise to improve mental health and well-being. The organisation is located in Brussels, Belgium and operates under the Belgian Law as an international not for profit Association (AISBL). To date, ENALMH has 18 members from 11 countries.

ENALMH as a European umbrella organisation does not provide direct services to beneficiaries or does not develop interventions at national level. It focuses instead on:

• Developing policies and tools which are related to Active Living for Mental Health (ALMH)
• Designing campaigns and other communications activities to promote the ALMH movement
• Supporting its membership in spreading core messages and implementing policies at national level

What are your main activities ?

ENALMH’s integrated plan for the next three years sets out the main objectives of the network as follows:

1. Production of a Joint Statement on the use of sports and physical exercise for the overall improvement of mental health (prevention, therapy, rehabilitation and anti-stigma) in cooperation with other European networks and stakeholders in the field of sports and mental health
2. Drafting of “Suggestions for specific EU Guidelines on Sports and Physical Activities for Mental Health”
3. Development of an EU Interactive Platform on Physical Exercise for Mental Health
4. Support in organising the 2^nd European Sport & Physical Exercise for mental health event
5. Promotion of related initiatives and best practices
6. Contribution to policy reforms in the area of education and any other relevant areas of interest to ENALMH network, including social inclusion

ENALMH receives the support of EU grants, which are the main resources of the network to implement its activities. ENALMH is currently working on two proposals, together with Mental Health Europe.

ENALMH is a partner to the Erasmus+ / Sport ASAL project (Advanced Skills for Active Living), coordinated by Greek member organisation KSDEO EDRA. The project aims at developing educational modules for sports professionals to improve mental health.

What are your main priorities?

ENALMH’s priorities are based on the Active Living for Mental Health (ALMH) movement:

• to get to know one’s body (as an important step to deal with various feelings and emotions)
• to seek for integrated (holistic) therapeutic approaches
• to promote the right to choose treatment
• to interact more with one’s natural environment
• to support the trends towards more cost-effective and efficient national health systems

Where can we find out more?

Visit ENALMH website here: 

www.enalmh.eu

And find below scientific and communications material about sports, physical exercise and mental health:

• ENALMH leaflet:  http://enalmh.eu/files/edra_enalmh_network_fylladio_A4_171003.pdf
• 12 policy papers:  https://mensproject.eu/policy-papers/ 
• “Back on track” A Documentary film on the 1^st European Sport and PE event for Mental Health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErPO-lJy7y0
• 1^st ESPEEMH photo album:  https://eventsproject.eu/images/events2018_foto_album_181106.pdf
• Conference presentations:  https://eventsproject.eu/index.php/en/conference/presentations-material