What’s the project?
This study looked at whether it’s possible to run online group fitness sessions for young adults who are using Early Intervention Services. Early intervention services are a service that assess and works with people between the ages of 18 to 35 who are currently experiences or are at risk of developing psychosis and their families. These services work to provide clinical care to people who are showing signs of a first or suspected first episode of psychosis and are in the first three years of untreated psychosis. Joseph Firth and his research team at the University of Manchester have looked at how many people joined the sessions, how many were referred, how many signed up, and how many took part.
The team also wanted to see if taking part in the sessions helped people get more physically active, healthier, had better sleep, or better in mental wellbeing. They checked for any problems or safety and technical issues during the study too.
Young people with serious mental health problems often have worse physical health too. Being active can help improve both their body and mind. But mental health services don’t always have the time or resources to offer exercise programs. Doing these sessions online could be a simple and helpful solution.
Find out more
The University of Manchester research team have trialled the online fitness sessions and collected all the data. The team would like to share what they’ve found so far—including results from the sessions and feedback from interviews. The team are inviting people to join a discussion to hear their thoughts on the findings, how they have been interpreted, how best to present them, and what should be the next priority for the team. The team want to hear how others understand our findings and help us make sense of the results. Your input will help us check that the research team’s interpretation feels accurate and that it truly reflects the experiences and needs of the people the study is meant to support.
The session will be a one-off online meeting, lasting about an hour. The research team are hoping to have a small group of around 6–8 people, and they will make sure it’s a relaxed and open space for discussion.
Must be based in the UK
- Aged 18-35
- A current or previous service user of Early Intervention Services (EIS) (defined as having a designated care coordinator within the service)
- Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, psychosis, Schizoaffective disorder
- Interested and willing to participant in an online PPI session via zoom
The team will cover internet costs with a £5 payment and reimburse people £25 for each hour of their time.
Participants will also receive clear information about what to expect during the session. If anyone becomes distressed or uncomfortable at any point, they will be supported by a trained facilitator, and the team will follow a clear safety protocol. This includes offering breaks, the option to leave the session at any time, and signposting to appropriate mental health support services if needed.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please email [email protected] with brief answers to the following questions:
- What is your name?
- What is your date of birth?
- Are you based in the UK?
- What mental health diagnosis do you have?
- Previous/current experience with Early intervention services?
- Why are you interested in this specific opportunity?
- Please give details of any relevant experience
- Sometimes after talking about topics like mental health, people feel they need a little extra support or someone to chat to. What support do you currently have in place (e.g. supportive friends, family, health professionals or mental health charities)? Is there anything that the university of Manchester could do to support you or make your involvement experience better?
- How did you hear about this opportunity?
You are welcome to send your responses in audio or video format if preferred. If you need any help completing your expression of interest, you can get in touch with Chelsea ([email protected])
9am on Monday 28th July 2025
Please note that the McPin Foundation regularly promotes opportunities on behalf of other institutions; we are not responsible for the continuation or contents of further correspondence with any project partners where we are not listed as the project main point of contact.
