n 1997, a group of social scientists, policy makers and people working with children and young people in the field came together and sought to formulate policies and work, based on research, that could reverse the trend. The aim of this collaboration was to map the social factors that influence young people’s drug use and to design measures that could be applied in prevention work. The result was a prevention model, the Icelandic model, which is based on the collaboration of a number of stakeholders, for example parents, teachers, community centers, sports clubs and other parties in the immediate vicinity of children and young people.
When working on the development of the Icelandic model, it was based on both international research and the work of researchers based on local findings. The result was a community-based approach where the emphasis was on reaching and mobilizing the parties involved in the immediate vicinity of children. This means that the local community is mobilized and seeks to increase the likelihood that young people will use their time in a positive, constructive way. This is for example done by strengthening the support role of parents and schools and increasing the opportunities for young people to engage in organized leisure activities. The model is based on working with each region, municipality, district or even school.
Level of Education: School, Initial vocational education and training
Lead Organisation: Planet Youth
