MindLand Launch Press Release

Young People to Practice Mindfulness Via a Gamified App

An Erasmus+ project aims to help youngsters reach mindfulness and self-awareness with games and exercises on their mobile

About 70% of young people heard about mindfulness but only 37% actually practiced it. These are the results of the survey within the MindLand project that started this spring simultaneously in Cyprus, Belgium, and Portugal. 

‘Mindfulness can help reduce stress and boost creativity. It is precious for teenagers and young people who are transitioning into a fast-paced world. However, training in this area is a luxury, as in most European countries it is not provided in public education. We want to change that’, says Anastasia Eleftheriou, Senior Researcher and Director at T.R.I Technologos Research and Innovation Services ltd from Larnaka, Cyprus.

The Cypriot association is not alone on this mission. It has united efforts with other associations from Cyprus and other countries: Mindfulness for Life Ltd from Nicosia in Cyprus with strong expertise in the subject matter; Welcome Home International from Brussels which has been helping refugees to restart their life in Europe; and My Madeira Island in Portugal that works with young people on the remote European island, and has recently started involving in their activities Ukrainian youngsters that fled the war.

The project aims at youngsters aged 13-30, and since they spend a lot of time online in their mobile phones, mindfulness and self-awareness training will be catered to them in the form they like and know well – a game app.

By going through missions and accomplishing exercises, young people will become more mindful of the beliefs that influence them and their automatic behaviors. They will improve their self-esteem and learn to make decisions that honour who they are.  Finally, they will be more aware of what influences them and how to work with difficult emotions. According to the survey run by the partners in their countries, young people are really interested in mindfulness and would like to know more about Empathy and Compassion, What makes us who we are, Attachments and Commitments, and Dealing with uncertainty.

The app will be available in the English, Greek, Arab and Ukrainian languages.

The MindLand project started in March 2022 and will last until the end of the year. It is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.