The Youth in Iceland Model

The Youth in Iceland Model (YiIM, also known as ‘Planet Youth’) is a community-based approach aiming to prevent young people’s substance use through reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors. Rates of substance use amongst young people was a significant concern in Iceland, but since implementation of the YiIM, rates of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use have decreased dramatically. The key components of the model are parents, organised extracurricular/recreational activities, schools, and involvement of young people. Information about young people’s health and wellbeing, including substance use, is gathered through surveys distributed in schools. Protective factors are then developed by the community in response to the data and schools are encouraged to strengthen supportive networks between themselves, parents, and other community organisations.

The aim of this project was to review the scientific evidence, including that gained first-hand, for YiIM’s applicability to Dundee, gain an in-depth understanding of how the model could be implemented/adapted locally, and make recommendations.

Grant holders/project leads:

Dr Tessa Parkes (University of Stirling)
Dr Hannah Carver (University of Stirling)
Pat Tyrie (Dundee Drugs Commission)

Wider project team:

Dave Barrie (We Are With You); Lee Caldwell (lived experience substance use member); Millie Strachan (lived experience young person and comic artist); Laura Henderson (NHS Tayside); Simon Little (Alcohol & Drug Partnership); Audrey May (Education); Sarah Anderson (Education); Scott Menmuir (Police Scotland); Grant Small (Winning Scotland); Rick Orr (Winning Scotland); Jamie Kelly (Leisure & Culture Dundee); Laura Devlin (DC Thomson); Peter McCulloch (University of Stirling); Wendy Masterton (University of Stirling)