Lanark County in Ontario became the first county to launch the Planet Youth model for substance-use prevention in youth in Canada. The launch took place on January 20 in Carleton Place.

The Planet Youth Lanark County (PYLC) is collaborating with the Catholic District  School Board of Eastern Ontario and the Upper Canada District School Board to conduct student surveys in the English language high schools. Survey reports, for each municipality, will allow communities to understand their own risk and protective factors. The surveys will be conducted among grade 10 students and it’s anticipated that those surveys will start to roll out in schools this March.

The answers in the surveys hold the key to developing a plan of action for each Lanark County community. Individual survey reports will be available for each municipality six to eight weeks after the survey completion.

The Carleton Place Municipal Drug Strategy Committee supported the efforts, as did Carleton Place council. To assist in preparing to receive these reports, Planet Youth experts Jon Sigfusson and Pall Melsted Rikhardsson conducted an in depth workshop on January 21 where community members, youth workers, municipal councillors, school board trustees, public health and other active partners were invited.

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