There are approximately 4 million young people between 10 and 29 years living in Ontario, representing 25.6% of the overall population (Source: Statistics Canada, 2023). This demographic is at a critical juncture of adolescence and young adulthood where they are coping with different social, economic, environmental, and societal pressures. It is during this period that many young people will experiment with substance use whether through curiosity, peer pressure, or to cope with abuse and other forms of trauma. Understanding this context and engaging youth to discern what factors are at play for substance use and misuse can help to develop supportive interventions at the community level. These interventions can also help bring together sectors such as social services, education, and public health to implement coordinated policies and programs.

Planet Youth, a prevention approach gaining traction in Ontario, is working to achieve these outcomes. Also referred to as the Youth Substance Use Prevention Program, it is based on the Icelandic Prevention Model (IPM) which is recognized internationally for its collaborative approach to preventing substance use harms among youth. Developed by the Icelandic Centre for Social Research and Analysis (ICSRA), it applies a community-driven approach to influence the risk and protective factors associated with substance use.

In this session we will explore the collaborative approach taken by communities in Northeastern Ontario to launch Planet Youth. We will hear from public health, social services staff, and community safety and well-being practitioners to learn more about how this program takes an upstream approach to address substance use and misuse among youth, including fostering integration among health and social services, and providing key metrics to support data-driven community safety and wellbeing priorities.

Areas of Focus: Youth Intervention; Substance Use and Misuse; Integration; Data.