Origins

Planet Youth Iceland

The Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) is an evidence-based primary prevention model developed by a coalition of  stakeholders that included prevention practitioners, politicians and scientists. It was initially developed in 1998 in order to reduce substance use rates amongst young people. The Icelandic model is based on the collaboration of numerous parties, e.g. parents, teachers, community centres, sports clubs and more in the immediate vicinity of children and young people. The model uses a whole population approach and offers the opportunity to improve health and life outcomes for young people in many areas. It works by directly targeting the risk and protective factors that determine their substance use behaviours and enhancing the social environment they are growing up in. By reducing the known risk factors and strengthening the known protective factors the problems associated with adolescent substance use can be reduced or stopped before they arise. The IPM is currently being adapted for local implementation in many countries around the world.

The Planet Youth process is designed to strengthen protective factors, mitigate risk factors, and build healthy community environments for positive youth development by focusing on key domains in the local school community:

• Family factors
• Peer group
• Extracurricular activities and sports
• School wellbeing

Planet Youth is established on the following pillars of success:

• Evidence-based practice
• Community-based approach
• Creating and maintaining a dialogue among research, policy, and practice