About Planet Youth Cavan Monaghan

The Planet Youth model has been introduced to Cavan and Monaghan through an interagency committee, made up of representatives from a number of Statutory and Community based organisations, who have a remit for children and young people. Together, the Planet Youth Implementation group has initiated the projects needs led, bottom-up approach that will see data collated directly from young people, providing us with information on the lives and lifestyle of our young people. Co -funded by 10 local partners, our Memorandum of Understanding for implementation of the Model was for 5 years 2021 to 2026 inclusive. The Icelandic Centre of Research and Social Studies (ICRSA) of the University of Reykjavik collated our local data and forwarded it to our research partners in the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.

It is planned to continue working from 2026 onwards with our partners to collect, analyse and use data in this model to plan and implement interventions and programs to enhance the wellbeing of our young people in the ways told to us by them.

While public bodies and non-profit organisations are already working together to improve outcomes for young people, evidenced-based prevention needs greater priority. Planet Youth provides an opportunity for all stakeholders to change the way they think about prevention and their role in it. Agencies and organisations – big and small – must consider what they can do within their remit, either directly or indirectly. This includes reassessing their activities with a view to minimising risk factors and maximising protective factors. While stakeholders will approach Planet Youth in different ways, ultimately the shared objective is to achieve better outcomes for young people.

Prevention activities are more likely to succeed when they are systematic, evidence-based and collaborative. While the need for prevention is increasingly recognised, it often occurs in an ad hoc manner. Planet Youth urges all stakeholders – from national and local government to public bodies, schools and community-based organisations – to play their part in prioritising prevention in an integrated and holistic way.