Xuxi Zhang

workshops on healthy eating, healthy physical activity, healthy relationships and healthy life with chronic conditions. The number of participants per training will be no more than 30. Over the workshops, participants will learn to foster greater awareness of present moment experience to help them better manage life’s ups and downs, support a healthy lifestyle and enhance the quality of daily life. Figure 1 The SEFAC intervention In parallel to the mindfulness training, participants are invited to enroll in the social engagement programme of the SEFAC project which is based on the Newquay Pathfinder Programme. 7 The precise role of the volunteers may differ depending on the geographical, cultural and social context of the four study sites. At least, volunteers help citizens identify ways to build self ‐ confidence and self ‐ reliance through guided conversations. 7 In addition, they may support to the mindfulness training and provide practical help in adopting major lifestyle changes and in getting better connected to their community. Finally, participants will be invited to download the free SEFAC app on their mobile phone and use it as ICT support for six months, starting from the first workshop. The SEFAC app is a multi ‐ modular tool that has been developed for the android operating system. The app aims to support change of lifestyle behaviors among people with and without chronic diseases, according to the stage of change the individual is in at a particular point in time. Participants are encouraged to engage in the practices, lessons, tips and reflections offered through the app (see Supplementary Figure 1). Study design, setting and procedures A prospective cohort study with a 6 ‐ month pre ‐ post design will be conducted. 18 Six ‐ month follow ‐ up data of participants will be compared with the same participants’ baseline data. The study protocol has been reviewed by the Ethical Review Boards at the study sites in Rijeka, Treviso, and Rotterdam; at the study site in Camborne, the decision tool of the NHS Health Research Authority was applied in accordance with the applicable regulations in the Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Workshop 2.5h 6 months Social engagement programme Workshops led by trained mindfulness professionals Workshop 2.5h Workshop 2.5h Workshop 2.5h Workshop 2.5h Workshop 2.5h Workshop 2.5h ICT support (SEFAC app) Mindfulness Timeline 8 209 A mindfulness-based intervention among adults with chronic conditons