Planet Youth Ireland

Planet Youth Ireland

Planet Youth Ireland is an initiative designed to promote wellbeing and improve outcomes for our young population. Supported by Planet Youth ehf in Reykjavik, it is based on the Icelandic Prevention Model and uses a “ground-up” evidence-based approach whereby a process is entered into with researchers, local governmental agencies, the education sector, and young people themselves.

Building on the work of colleagues in the Western Region (Galway, Mayo & Roscommon) who introduced Planet Youth to Ireland in 2018, other counties / regions in Ireland have implemented this model.  Working together, we have standardised the original Icelandic questionnaire to reflect the Irish context and to enable comparison of areas.

As of March 2025 these questionnaires have been completed with adolescents (post-Junior Cert) every 2 years in over 150 schools and Youthreach centres across Ireland (>15,000 adolescents).

The results of these surveys are then used to inform evidence-based interventions at local levels through collaborative and joined up working of agencies and sectors. this evidence is also being used to design and implement interventions to reduce substance-use and improve health outcomes among our youth.

These programmes have been initiated and developed with the support of partner agencies in the area. Local steering committees have been established for each of the sites and these consist of funders and strategic partners, all of whom are committed to the development of Planet Youth in the region.

as at the beginning of 2025 there are 12 counties operating Planet Youth around Ireland.