George draws inspiration from Iceland in his efforts to minimize youth substance abuse.
The Icelandic Prevention Model has been effective at decreasing substance abuse.
47% of 13- and 14-year-olds at a high school in George have consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime, and 26% have smoked marijuana.
A partnership of activist organizations, government departments, and the police will direct the project, which will focus on improving family and community relationships.
George, a municipality of approximately 200,000 people in the Western Cape, is drawing inspiration from Iceland in an effort to curb youth substance abuse.
Community and activist organizations, schools, the George Municipality, police, and provincial government departments have created an unexpected combination.
Additionally, the dam is full while the taps in Komani are dry.
In 1998, Iceland had a substance abuse problem, with 42% of 15- and 16-year-olds reporting that they had consumed alcohol within the previous month. By 2016, the country had reduced its unemployment rate to 5%. During the same era, cannabis consumption decreased from 17% to 7%, and cigarette smoking decreased from 23% to 3%.
Teenage substance abuse is prevalent in South Africa nowadays. Communities around the nation struggle to address the damage created by substance abuse.
In 2021, intentional injuries, which are frequently associated with alcohol and other substances, were the leading cause of early mortality among men in the Western Cape, with the exception of Covid.
Western Cape Government graphic
The “Icelandic Prevention Model” focuses on data gathering, coalitions, and community engagement to enhance the social environment for children in order to lower the likelihood of substance abuse.
The ICELAND PREVENTION MODEL HAS SUCCESSFULLY REDUCE DRUG USE.
Planet Youth, an Icelandic organization, exports the preventative approach to countries throughout the world. Mexico, Chile, Ireland, Belgium, and Australia are among the 15 nations that have accepted the Planet Youth program.
Now, the George community is bringing Planet Youth to South Africa.
Earlier this month, Gustav Appels, a native of George, spoke at the opening of Planet Youth.
“It hurts me to see what society does to us,” Gustav Appels, a resident of George, said guests during the official opening of Planet Youth on 3 February.
Appels graduated from high school in 2021 and is involved in multiple community projects, including a soup kitchen.
“I would want to inform Planet Youth that you have a responsibility to travel to our diverse communities and serve them. Not just our youth, but also our parents, should know that we care and adore them, stated Appels.
The process of Planet Youth begins with surveys that reveal the prevalence of substance abuse and the societal factors that influence a child’s likelihood of substance abuse.
The information is then used to plan and implement community-based programs aimed at enhancing family bonds and encouraging youngsters to participate in sports and cultural activities.
A pilot poll conducted in November 2022 at a single high school in George revealed that 47% of 13- and 14-year-olds had consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime and 26% had done so during the previous 30 days.
A PILOT SURVEY
More over half of the attendees had used hookah, and one-fourth had used marijuana.
The poll also revealed that substance abuse is more prevalent among youngsters who do not spend time with their parents on the weekends or whose parents or guardians are unaware of their whereabouts in the nights.
Substance usage was less prevalent among adolescents whose parents strongly disapproved of drug use.
Those who spent time outside after 10 p.m. were more likely to become intoxicated, smoke hookah pipes, or use marijuana, according to the report.
George’s Planet Youth initiative is still in its infancy. In the following months, all George 8th and 9th graders will participate in anonymous surveys.
The results will then be shared with schools, parents, and community leaders, who will select which programs to adopt. This is done in conjunction with Planet Youth’s Icelandic representatives.
The efforts will primarily target elementary school students, although eighth and ninth graders will be assessed every two years to gauge their development. Increased access to sports and cultural activities may be among the initiatives implemented.
In addition, parents will participate in workshops, and access to mental health care and rehabilitation programs may be enhanced.
“This will be a major event. This has never been done before,” stated Lynn de Grange, the district’s Head of Learner Support. She stated that the “whole of society” approach of the Planet Youth program will aid the Education Department in enhancing the well-being of students.
WILL THIS OPERATE?
George’s unemployment rate is 20%, but the jobless rate in Iceland is merely 4%. Iceland has significantly less income inequality than George.
68 homicides are reported annually on average in George, compared to five throughout Iceland.
Iceland’s success was supported by the government’s capacity to conduct extensive measures fast and effectively. A national curfew stipulates that adolescents must be inside by 10 p.m.
Additionally, the Eastern Cape hospital operates without a backup generator.
It was made illegal to advertise alcoholic beverages, and governmental support for sports and arts organizations was expanded. Families received $420 per child per year in vouchers.
Pall Rkhardsson, the chief executive officer of Planet Youth, emphasizes that the project is not a program but a process. Rkhardsson stated, “What works in Iceland may not necessarily work in South Africa.” Each country in which Planet Youth operates, from Mexico to Belgium, has a unique socioeconomic environment requiring individualized responses. Rkhardsson stated, however, that the guiding concepts are universally relevant.
“In every community we operate in, the natural dynamics are the same,” said Rkhardsson. “Parents love their children and want the best for them. We are committed to harnessing this force.”
The launch of Planet Youth in the George Town Hall was attended by a large crowd.
It remains to be seen whether community projects in George will receive the required financing and support to have a meaningful influence on substance abuse. The success of Planet Youth in George will also depend on parental support and the coalitional strength of organizations and government agencies.
It is premature to determine whether Planet Youth has been successful in other nations, as the majority of nations only began applying the model after 2020.
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However, what George has already accomplished is astounding. SAHARA, a harm reduction and rehabilitation activist organization, has advocated for the implementation of Planet Youth for over five years.
Hermann Reuter, director of SAHARA, stated, “We cannot afford to deal with the effects of substance abuse.” The damage created by substance abuse affects every aspect of society, and the repercussions are costly. Reuter stated that all government departments will profit from prevention.
IMPLICATIONS OF SUBSTANCE USE
We cannot afford to address the effects of substance abuse.
Early participants included the Western Cape Department of Health, followed by the departments of Education, Culture, Arts and Sport, and Social Development. The University of Cape Town is a funding partner. The South African Police Service (SAPS) is another member of the coalition.
YearBeyond, which trains and hires young people to service their communities with funding from the national Jobs Fund and the government of the Western Cape, has assigned fifty “YeBoneers” to work at schools in George to support SAHARA and the Planet Youth initiative.
The successful launch in the town hall was attended by coalition partner representatives, community leaders, and youth. It was a depiction of a community united around a shared problem and an aspirational vision to address it.
CORRECTION ON 2023-02-09 07:28
The statistic for deliberate male deaths in 2021 has been updated, and the CEO’s name has been changed from Rickhardsson to Rikhardsson.
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