Authors: Dinys Luciano, Kreena Govender, Wendy Alba and Jenedith Montenegro
Integrativa online DVCN, BOLD Global Alliance, COSALUME and FUNDEPRE
From Scientific Evidence to Community Action
A growing body of scientific evidence demonstrates that physical activity and sport are powerful tools for promoting the mental health and emotional well-being of adolescents, extending far beyond their well-established benefits for physical health. Systematic reviews consistently show that regular participation in physical activity is associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression, improved self-esteem, stronger emotional regulation, enhanced social skills, and a greater sense of belonging (Lubans et al., 2016; Rodriguez-Ayllon et al., 2019; Li et al., 2024).
These benefits are particularly evident when activities are delivered in safe, inclusive environments that encourage positive peer interaction, foster supportive relationships and create opportunities for meaningful participation (Li et al., 2024).
Against this backdrop, Girls in Movement and Well-Being (NIMOBI) was developed as a community-based pilot programme that is currently being implemented in Bolivia and the Dominican Republic. The initiative aims to strengthen the emotional well-being of adolescent girls aged 13 to 17 years through a structured combination of physical activity, group reflection, life-skills development and peer support.
Figure 1. Conceptual Model of NIMOBI for Promoting the Emotional Well-Being of Adolescent Girls through Physical Activity, Sport and Community Participation
The NIMOBI conceptual model positions adolescent girls’ emotional well-being at the centre of the intervention. It recognises that sustainable improvements in well-being require more than increasing participation in physical activity. Rather, they depend on an integrated approach that combines supportive relationships, life-skills development, family engagement, community participation and continuous learning.
The model is built around six interrelated components:
- Physical activity and sport
- Life-skills development
- Family and caregiver engagement
- Community collaboration
- Community ownership and visibility
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning to support continuous improvement and future scale-up
An Integrated Model for Adolescents and Their Families
The NIMOBI model combines two complementary components that recognise the critical role of both adolescent girls and their families in promoting emotional well-being.
The first component is designed for adolescent girls and consists of eight structured group sessions delivered over eight weeks. Each session combines recreational physical activity, non-competitive sport, guided reflection and the development of social and emotional skills. Topics include self-esteem, body confidence, emotional regulation, stress management, communication, healthy relationships, leadership and goal setting.
This integrated approach is grounded in growing evidence that community- and school-based interventions combining physical activity, positive social interaction and safe spaces for dialogue produce consistent improvements in adolescent mental health, emotional well-being and positive youth development (Rodriguez-Ayllon et al., 2019; Li et al., 2024).
The second component focuses on mothers, fathers, caregivers and other family support networks through a parallel psychoeducational programme. Its purpose is to strengthen the family’s ability to support adolescent girls and reinforce, within the home, the knowledge and skills developed during the group sessions.
Research consistently shows that family engagement increases programme participation, supports sustained physical activity and strengthens the emotional well-being of children and adolescents (Rastogi et al., 2023; Foster et al., 2019).
Communication to Transform Social Norms and Increase Participation
Communication is an integral part of the NIMOBI intervention, not simply a dissemination activity.
Through social media campaigns, short videos, community outreach and positive messages delivered by female role models in sport, the programme seeks to increase awareness of adolescent emotional well-being, reduce stigma surrounding mental health, and promote positive narratives that highlight girls’ strengths, leadership and potential.
Communication also plays a critical role in challenging harmful gender norms that discourage girls’ participation in physical activity and sport.
Evidence from social and behaviour change communication demonstrates that interventions featuring relatable role models, promoting positive social norms and strengthening a sense of belonging can increase participation and contribute to sustained improvements in health-related behaviours (Robinson et al., 2014; Abroms & Maibach, 2008).
Generating Evidence to Learn, Improve and Scale
A defining feature of NIMOBI is its commitment to learning.
The pilot incorporates a practical Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) framework designed for implementation by community organisations, schools and local institutions operating in resource-constrained settings.
The framework includes:
- Baseline and endline assessments
- Attendance and participation records
- Participant satisfaction surveys
- Facilitator observations
- Monitoring of referrals and follow-up where required
This approach will enable partners to assess not only whether the intervention improves emotional well-being, self-esteem, social connectedness and life skills, but also whether it can be implemented effectively across different contexts using local resources and trained community facilitators.
The framework draws on the principles of implementation science, recognising that successful programmes should be evaluated not only for outcomes, but also for acceptability, feasibility, quality of implementation and potential for scale (Proctor et al., 2011; Glasgow et al., 2019).
The pilot programmes in Bolivia and the Dominican Republic aim to demonstrate that evidence-informed, community-based interventions can improve adolescent girls’ emotional well-being while remaining affordable, adaptable, locally owned and sustainable.
Design Principles of the NIMOBI Model
The NIMOBI model is guided by five core principles that underpin its design, implementation and future expansion.
- Evidence-Informed Practice: Programme design and implementation are grounded in the best available scientific evidence while generating new knowledge through continuous monitoring, evaluation and learning. Evidence informs decision-making at every stage of implementation, ensuring that the model remains responsive, effective and adaptable.
- Community-Based and Decentralised Implementation: NIMOBI recognises that communities are best placed to understand their own realities. Rather than applying a standardised approach, the model strengthens local capacity and adapts implementation to the needs, priorities, resources and actors within each community.
- Community Ownership and Shared Responsibility: The emotional well-being of adolescent girls is a shared responsibility. NIMOBI actively engages adolescent girls, families, schools, community organisations and local governments as equal partners in programme design, implementation and learning. This collaborative approach strengthens local ownership and contributes to programme sustainability.
- Feasible and Sustainable Delivery: The model has been designed to operate in low-resource settings. It prioritises practical, low-cost interventions delivered by trained community facilitators rather than highly specialised personnel. This approach enables communities and local institutions to sustain implementation while making efficient use of available resources.
- Continuous Learning, Improvement and Scale: Monitoring, evaluation and learning are integral components of the programme rather than stand-alone activities. Continuous feedback supports quality improvement, informs adaptation to different contexts and generates evidence to support future expansion and scale.
Suggested Citation:Luciano, D., Govender, K., Alba, W., & Montenegro, J. (July 2026). NIMOBI: An Evidence-Based Community Model to Promote the Emotional Well-Being of Adolescent Girls. Perspectivas Integrativas. Integrativa Online DVCN. https://integrativa-online.com/blog/
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