A REVOLUTIONARY Icelandic anti-drug program credited for a dramatic decline in teenage drug use will be trialed in Mount Gambier, with the city selected as one of just 10 Australian pilot locations.
Planet Youth, an evidence-based preventative program, will be rolled out across the Mount Gambier and Grant council areas for a two-year trial in an effort to wipe out youth drug and alcohol use in the region.
Predicated on professional practice and using a community-based approach, Planet Youth has transformed Iceland’s alcohol and drug use rates from some of the highest in Europe to among the lowest.
The trial follows the successful rollout of Climate Schools, a curriculum-based online drug education program, across five Limestone Coast education sites by the Substance Misuse Limestone Coast group.
Substance Misuse Limestone Coast project coordinator Sophie Bourchier said the Planet Youth rollout would involve a youth survey in Mount Gambier and Port MacDonnell, with data relayed back to community stakeholders.
The information is then used to guide social workers, community groups and politicians.
“It is a targeted program which identifies the issues in each individual location so targeted strategies can be developed and used,” she said.
“The issues in Mount Gambier are likely to be different to the issues in Port MacDonnell and likewise with the responses.”
Ms Bourchier said strategies used in the model abroad included increased parental engagement, more structured leisure time and access to a range of drug and alcohol free activities.
“The model focuses on changing the social environment for young people by reducing the amount of time they spend unsupervised and encouraging parents to spend more time with their children,” she said.
“It encourages changes in society because we know parents can be the biggest preventative factor in the lives of their children.”
While the trial will start in the lower Limestone Coast, Ms Bourchier said Planet Youth will be reviewed for sustainability and expansion with a view to implement the program across the entire region.
Substance Misuse Limestone Coast was praised by Alcohol and Drug Foundation chief executive Dr Erin Lalor, who said the group was selected for its strong, local partnerships and commitment to preventing alcohol and drug-related harms.
She said the trial provides a unique opportunity to apply international evidence to Australia in the drug and alcohol sphere.
“Preventative health works fiscally and socially,” she said.
“However, it can sometimes take years and even generations to precisely determine a program’s impact.
“Planet Youth shows that long-term investment in community-led prevention leads to significant reductions in alcohol and other drug use.”
