The “Swim to Live 5” Project: Training Materials for Young People with ADHD

Aims of the tool

"Swim to Live 5" is an Erasmus+ Sport project designed to support adolescents and young adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) through a combined approach of swimming, mindfulness, and time-management strategies.
Implemented by a partnership of four organizations from Slovenia, Italy, Romania, and Greece, the project aimed to create innovative tools that help trainers, teachers, and youth workers foster focus, emotional regulation, and well-being through sport.

Why Swimming and Mindfulness?
ADHD can significantly impact attention, impulse control, emotional balance, and motivation. Scientific research shows that physical activity, particularly aerobic activity such as swimming, helps regulate dopamine levels and improve executive functioning.
At the same time, mindfulness practices enhance attention, body awareness, and emotional self-regulation.
By combining these two evidence-based approaches, Swim to Live 5 offers a holistic method to help young people manage symptoms and develop confidence, both in and out of the pool.

The main goals of the project were to:
• Increase awareness and understanding of ADHD among coaches, educators, and youth organisations
• Develop innovative, inclusive training tools integrating swimming and mindfulness
• Provide young people with practical strategies to improve focus, energy regulation, and balance
• Strengthen the capacity of sport organisations to work with neurodiverse youth
• Promote inclusion through sport at local, national, and European levels.

Description of the tool

As part of the project, numerous resources and materials have been produced to help young participants strengthen concentration, social skills, and emotional balance.
On the project website (https://swimtolive.org/) and YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@swimtolive7965), it is possible to find:

• A Pilot Programme: a 24-week lesson programme including various activities, methods, and techniques to help and develop the skills of adolescents with ADHD through sports, especially swimming workouts, and different mindfulness practices. Adolescents with ADHD participated in regular swimming lessons enriched with mindfulness practices such as breathing awareness, body scan exercises, mindful floating, kinesthetic awareness in water.

• 4 online workshops to explore various topics related to the project, in particular: A workshop about ADHD by Dr. Jerneja Maček; The Psychosocial Characteristics of Adolescents with ADHD by Dr. Maja Smrdu; ADHD and time management by Petra Vrhovnik; Teaching swimming to Non-Neurotypical Adolescents by João Pedro Ferreira.

• The Guidebook on the Benefits of Swimming and Mindfulness for Adolescents and Young Adults with ADHD designed for coaches, educators, and youth workers, combining scientific knowledge with practical training tools to improve focus, self-regulation, and overall well-being. It also includes practical sections and videos featuring time management strategies, daily routines, and mindfulness-based swimming exercises aimed at developing consistency, balance, and self-confidence. The Guidebook is available in English, Italian, Greek, Slovenian, and Romanian.

"Swim to Live 5" successfully demonstrated how swimming and mindfulness can be combined to support young people with ADHD in meaningful ways. Through its Guidebook, training videos, and research outcomes, the project leaves behind a model that is practical, inclusive, and adaptable across Europe.