Top out! Climbing as therapeutic tool for mental health and education

Climbing is increasingly recognised not only as a sport that promotes physical health, but also as a valuable tool for supporting mental well-being, personal development and social inclusion. Through a combination of physical movement, problem-solving and overcoming challenges, climbing offers opportunities to develop self-confidence, emotional resilience and social skills. Its potential in therapeutic and educational settings creates new possibilities for promoting mental health and encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle.

Top Out! aims to explore and strengthen the use of climbing as a therapeutic and educational tool by bringing together professionals from the fields of mental health, climbing, outdoor education and social inclusion. Through research, exchanges of good practices, practitioner training and pilot programmes, the project seeks to develop practical methodologies and resources that support the integration of climbing into therapeutic and educational interventions. It also aims to strengthen cooperation between different professional sectors and raise awareness of the benefits of climbing for mental well-being.

The specific objectives of the project are:

  • To generate new knowledge about the benefits of climbing for mental health, personal development and social well-being, while identifying existing good practices, needs and barriers;
  • To develop an innovative methodology and practical guidelines for integrating climbing into therapeutic and educational settings;
  • To strengthen the knowledge, skills and capacities of mental health professionals, youth workers, social workers, climbing instructors and outdoor educators through international exchanges and practical training;
  • To test and evaluate therapeutic and educational climbing programmes, developing tools to assess their effectiveness and impact;
  • To raise awareness of climbing as a tool for mental well-being, education and social inclusion, while encouraging cooperation between professionals and organisations across Europe.

The project runs from December 2025 to November 2027.

It is implemented by 5 partner organisations from 5 European countries: Lernlabor (coordinator – Germany), Experientia (Spain), Boldog Gellért (Hungary), Via Col Vento Experience (Italy) and Minte Forte (Romania).

The project is funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Sport Programme.

Project number: 101243856

Deliverables:

Project Links:

Top Out! – International Therapeutic Climbing Network

As part of the Top Out! project, we are developing an international network of professionals, organisations and researchers who use, or are interested in using, climbing as a therapeutic, educational and psychosocial tool. The network aims to connect practitioners from different professional backgrounds, encourage knowledge exchange, share good practices and research, and strengthen cooperation across the fields of mental health, climbing, outdoor education and social inclusion. By joining the network, members can connect with other professionals, contribute to mapping the growing field of therapeutic climbing, and receive updates on project results, educational resources, research and upcoming events. The network is open to interested professionals, organisations and researchers across Europe and beyond. Registration is free and does not involve any participation commitment.
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