Programme of activities

The six activity blocks below will all be run during our two-day weekend programme. The timings of the days will vary depending on which weekend course you are booked onto. All activities will take place in each programme. Accommodation will be on a full-board basis at the Loughborough University Elite Athlete Hotel. Lunches and dinner will be in the hotel restaurant. Refreshments will be available throughout the days. All meals are included and are free of charge to participants. Mealtimes will provide additional time for you to connect with other participants and to continue to build relationships as a group.

There will be a pre-course Microsoft Teams meeting to answer any questions or concerns you may have about the programme, logistics, what to expect etc.

Each of the courses will begin with an introduction, contract setting and pre-evaluation measures.

• Introduction:  The introduction will provide you with the opportunity to get to know other participants and the programme leads, by sharing as much as you are comfortable with about your motivations for attending the programme.
• Contract setting: Through contract setting you will set your individual and collective aims for the programme helping to establish a positive and inclusive learning environment.
• Pre-evaluation measures: You will be invited to complete a health and well-being questionnaire, which will be used to track your progress through the course.

1. Sleep

Sleep is a critical element of mental health and wellbeing. Getting enough sleep of the right quality is crucial to improving your mental health and wellbeing. This section of the programme will provide practical insights into how sleep affects your mental health and tips on how to enhance your sleep.

2. Mindfulness

Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment, without judging or reacting. It can help us enjoy life more, understand ourselves better and cope with stress and anxiety. In this session you will learn how to be more mindful in daily life.

3. Finding it Tough (FiT)

Everyone struggles with life from time to time. This section will help you to see things differently and learn practical steps to overcome some of your biggest challenges – or those experienced by the people you care about – helping you and others to take the first steps to get back on your feet and take control of your life.

4. Social Resilience

Good social resilience is important to enable people to engage and maintain positive relationships. This session will focus on the groups (family, friends, work, hobbies and sport) that you belong to, and how they relate to enhancing your resilience. You will reflect on your current group memberships and how positive and important they are to you, how supportive they are, and how compatible they are with each other.

 At the end of the programme, you will have created an action plan to maintain positive groups and to enhance your social resilience. In addition, you will be encouraged to establish social connections with other participants that will hopefully continue beyond the length of the programme.

5. Healthy eating

Healthy eating, including what you eat and drink, plays an important role in promoting mental health and wellbeing. It can help fuel physical activity and provide you with sustained energy, which are both key to your mental health and wellbeing.

6. Wheelchair basketball

There is a strong link between your physical and mental health. As such, regular physical activity has been shown to be beneficial to mental health. This introduction to Wheelchair Basketball will use low to moderate physical activities, inclusive of age and ability, to help to promote an active lifestyle.

Reflections there will be opportunities throughout the programme to reflect on your experiences and feedback on them.

After your departure from campus, it is not the end of your engagement with the programme or your fellow attendees. Yoi will be invited to an end of programme check-in via Microsoft Teams approximately three months after the end of the course.