Dundee Alcohol and Drug Prevention Framework 

In Dundee it is recognised there needs to be a greater effort to shift our thinking and resources toward primary prevention and early intervention. This is to stop people from experiencing issues or harm from alcohol and drugs in the first place, or minimise harm as early as possible.  

The Framework is designed for the workforce to support development and action-planning. The core of the content is a series of Evidence Briefings across the lifespan, each providing a summary of current evidence of best practice.  The evidence briefings are underpinned by 11 key themes that should be utilised and considered along side the evidence briefings when monitoring or planning any services, interventions or prevention activity.  

Overtime this should result is a prevention focused system and less individuals experiences issues with drug and alcohol use.  

If you would like to know more click HERE 

Planet youth Scotland 

The Youth in Iceland Model (YiIM, also known as ‘Planet Youth’) is a community-based approach aiming to delay young people’s substance use through reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors. The key components 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 model has been implemented in more than 30 countries worldwide, with adaptations to suit locally specific conditions.  

Why is this project important?

In Scotland, substance use amongst young people is a significant public health concern, with many young people reporting alcohol, tobacco, and/or drug use. Iceland had similar concerns regarding young people and substance use, but since implementation of the YiIM rates of alcohol, tobacco, and drug use have decreased dramatically. 

The approach is about more than just substance use prevention, but also about engaging with activities, families, and education. Crucially, young people and parents/family members are central to the process making it more ‘bottom-up’ than ‘top-down’, something that can be missed in health policy and practice. 

Working in partnership with Winning Scotland, a national charity which acts as a catalyst for change, Dundee Children and Families Service and the Alcohol and Drug Partnership are part of the Scottish Planet Youth pilot programme. The Pilot involves several areas in Scotland, including a total of thirteen secondary schools, two of which are in Dundee. The commitment in the Dundee Alcohol and Drug Partnership Strategic Framework is to roll out the Planet Youth approach in all Dundee schools. Work is ongoing to support this. The next Planet Youth data gathering exercise is planned for term two of the 2023/24 academic year. These data gathering, planning and implementation of interventions is a cyclical process on an ongoing basis.