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About Planet Youth
Developed in Iceland and now used in more than 30 countries, Planet Youth reshapes communities to reduce youth substance use, improve mental wellbeing, and enhance school engagement
Planet Youth is a model designed to improve young people’s health, wellbeing and relationships.
It’s based on the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) - a data-driven approach to preventing substance use. At its heart is community collaboration, involving:
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schools
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parents and carers
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local services
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businesses
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and young people themselves
The model was developed by Planet Youth, a research consultancy in Iceland, and is now being adapted in communities around the world.
Bringing Planet Youth to Scotland
In 2019, five local partnerships across Scotland joined forces with Winning Scotland to test how the model could work here.
Following this early work, the Scottish Government awarded £1.5 million to fund a two-year national pilot, which ran until March 2025. In April 2025, the Scottish Government committed a further £750,000 to extend Planet Youth for another year.
The pilot aims to explore how Planet Youth can support:
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long-term prevention
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positive system change
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and better outcomes for all young people in Scotland
Who's Involved Now
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Six local partnerships across Scotland have taken part in Planet Youth.
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A central team within Winning Scotland is leading delivery.
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The programme is being independently evaluated to assess its long-term impact.
We are proud to be working with the following partners across the country:
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Visit Argyll & Bute Alcohol and Drug Partnership and Argyll & Bute Education - Contact here
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Visit Clackmannanshire Council - Contact here
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Dundee City Council - Contact here
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Visit Parent Hub Highland Alcohol and Drug Partnership and Highland Health and Social Care Partnership
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West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership - Contact here
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Angus Council & Tayside NHS - Contact here
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The Planet Youth in Scotland journey
The graphic below shows the journey involved with Planet Youth Scotland.
The Planet Youth team provide their support every step of the way, and are on hand to provide guidance the partner teams, which include parents and carers, and schools who are committed to their journey to strengthening the ambition of our young people through positive activities and mindset.
Theory of Change
The Planet Youth in Scotland Theory of Change shows:
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The problem
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What we aim to do to fix it
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What we hope will happen as a result
Click on the image to to view the full version.
Planet Youth Principles
This visual captures the key principles: upstream prevention, data-driven collaboration, and the power of local communities coming together.
Planet Youth’s key principles are:
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Change the social environment, not just individual behaviour.
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Build protective factors across schools, families, peer groups, and leisure time.
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Engage young people directly, amplifying their voices and lived experience.
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Ground all actions in detailed, local, and regularly collected data.
At its heart, Planet Youth focuses on tackling root causes, building strong networks, and supporting young people to feel safe, connected and empowered.
It’s not just a programme - it’s a new way of thinking, acting and investing in healthier futures.
This visual summary was funded by the NIHR ARC North Thames via the MH-ALL programme.
This visual summary was created by Sandra Howgate using insights on Planet Youth in Scotland presented by Zahra Hedges, CEO of Winning Scotland.
Planet Youth in Scotland progress
Change takes time, commitment and dedication. We currently have six regional partners who have dedicated themselves to being a part of the change that aims to transform Scotland to enable new opportunities for young people, and make the wider community feel happier and more content.
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