SWPH supports community partnership to prevent youth substance use

Southwestern Public Health has partnered with local school boards, elected officials, and community agencies to adopt an internationally-recognized model for youth substance use prevention in Elgin-St. Thomas and in Oxford County. Called Planet Youth, the two new local coalitions will implement the Icelandic Prevention Model adapted to reflect local data and community needs.

Planet Youth is a global initiative that helps communities prevent youth substance use through data-driven, community-wide strategies. Icelandic researchers developed a survey in the 1990s to understand which factors influence youth substance use to inform communities on where to focus efforts to effectively lower substance use rates. Since then, communities around the world have adopted the model, with Oxford County, and Elgin-St. Thomas, now joining the movement.  

“We are eager to see an initiative like this in our region. Local health status data is clear: reported use of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, and other substances among youth is higher here than in Ontario,” says Peter Heywood, Director of Healthy Communities at Southwestern Public Health.

From November 24 to December 5, local high school students are invited to participate in a survey to help identify risks related to substance use. These insights will guide local actions across four key influences: family, school, peer group, and leisure time. School boards distributed consent forms to families of Grade 9 and 10 students to encourage participation in the upcoming survey.

“Quality local data that captures youth voices and experiences is essential for planning impactful initiatives that will improve well-being and reduce substance use,” says Jessica Austin, Chair at Planet Youth Elgin-St. Thomas. “Planet Youth is not just a program – it’s a movement rooted in hope, possibility, and the belief that small actions taken as a community can lead to lasting change.”

Partners from sectors including health, education, recreation, the faith community, law enforcement, youth-serving agencies and clubs, as well as elected officials, all contribute to the Planet Youth approach locally with a shared common goal. To learn more about Planet Youth in the region, visit Planet Youth Oxford and Planet Youth Elgin-St. Thomas. 

Quotes from Community Partners:

• Barry Fellinger, Director Community Health Services, West Elgin Community Health Centre: “Working on this Planet Youth initiative with our partners has been exciting, and even more so is anticipating the overall positive impact these efforts will have on our rural community of West Elgin over time.”
  
  
• Dr. Kellie Scott, Family Physician: “Addressing substance abuse and its consequences will not be successful if we only focus on treatment. This evidence-based model builds strong community supports for youth and families to prevent substance use and abuse.”
  
  
• Myles Proulx, Chair of Community Action for Children and Youth Elgin: "The Planet Youth model is about possibility and hope. It offers the opportunity to utilize current data to better understand youth surroundings and create environments that promote health. It presents a platform that offers communities the ability to build a future where youth and community thrive. By building today, we can change tomorrow.”
  
  
• Aiden Haldenby, volunteer coalition member: “During my youth, I witnessed firsthand the impact substance use had on some of my close friends, steering them away from their potential and altering the course of their lives. A program like Planet Youth offers a guiding light, demonstrating how community-based strategies can create healthy environments where youth thrive without the influence of substance use."
  
  
• Louise Wardrop, Oxford Community Foundation: “When we come together around a shared vision for our youth, small actions add up to big change. At Oxford Community Foundation, collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, and that’s why Planet Youth fits so well with our mission. By taking part in collecting student data, we’re helping our whole community see what young people need to thrive. The future we want for them starts with the choices we make—together—today.”