The projects of sport science students at Reykjavik University are diverse. Earlier this autumn, first-year students conducted measurements on senior citizens participating in the so-called Virkni og vellíðan (Activity and Well-being) health promotion programme. This initiative aims to promote health among people aged 60 and older in Kópavogur and is a collaboration between the Municipality of Kópavogur, the sports clubs Breiðablik, Gerpla, and HK, Reykjavik University, and UMSK (the Sports Union of Kópavogur).

The programme began in the autumn of 2020 and has grown and developed every year since. The number of participants has steadily increased, and now more than 600 people are registered in the program.

Fríða Karen Gunnarsdóttir, project manager of Virkni og vellíðan, says the project started slowly due to COVID-19 but has since grown rapidly. She explains that the collaboration with RU has been extremely important for the programme’s development:

When Virkni og vellíðan was well established, we felt it was the right time to bring RU on board to assess whether what we were doing was achieving the results we expected. The collaboration with RU has been very valuable for the project’s development and has created new opportunities for measurement, knowledge, and progress. Through the assessments conducted by master’s and undergraduate students in sport science, we receive professional and reliable information about the impact of the training on participants’ fitness and well-being. This allows us to monitor progress over time and see whether participants maintain or improve their physical abilities. We are therefore very grateful for this partnership.

Fríða Karen describes the group’s atmosphere as joyful and says the participants are very satisfied.

There’s always such positive energy when the students are conducting measurements. They are so encouraging, and it creates a truly unique atmosphere — it’s rewarding for everyone, both the students and the older adults. Everyone learns from the experience, the participants enjoy taking part and can feel that the students’ interest in them is genuine.

Fríða Karen herself graduated with a BSc in Sport Science from Reykjavik University’s Department of Sport Science in 2018 and has completed part of an MSc degree in Sport Science and Coaching. She says her studies have proven invaluable in her work, and the collaboration with RU is especially meaningful to her:

My studies have proven extremely useful in my role as project manager of Virkni og vellíðan. I gained both theoretical knowledge related to health and health promotion and practical experience working closely with various community groups. During my studies, I had the opportunity to specialize in training older adults, and that’s when the idea for Virkni og vellíðan first began to take shape. I’m grateful to have found my passion during my studies and to be able to continue developing Virkni og vellíðan and see it come to life. Therefore, our collaboration with RU is something I hold very dear.