Over the past three years, six Dutch municipalities (Amersfoort, Hardenberg, the Kempen municipalities, Súdwest-Fryslân, Texel and Urk) have implemented the Icelandic prevention model in a learning programme, supported by the Trimbos Institute and the Netherlands Youth Institute. They are enthusiastic about the approach and also recommend that other Dutch municipalities work in this way.

Why the Icelandic prevention model in your municipality?

With the Icelandic prevention model, you work to reduce alcohol, drug and tobacco use among young people and to improve their well-being. This is achieved through an evidence-based, data-driven and demonstrably successful approach in which local partners and parents work together. The community philosophy of the Icelandic approach means that all parties involved in raising and supporting young people can, and ideally should, participate. These include, in any event, the municipality's own services and facilities in the social domain: care, welfare, education and healthcare. Parents, providers of leisure activities (sports and culture) and young people themselves will also play a role.

What is the municipality's role?

The municipality is the coordinator of the Icelandic approach. It ensures that the four steps of the Icelandic method are completed in a timely and cyclical manner, facilitates and supports the parties involved, and builds support and cooperation among them. This means that project management and communication are important tasks. The municipality also monitors coordination with other local prevention initiatives.

How can I implement the model?

The Trimbos Institute and the Netherlands Youth Institute offer Dutch municipalities an implementation programme. As part of this programme, they provide training, tools, process guidance, exchanges with other municipalities and coordination at national level. Support is provided at every step of the process, from data collection to policy development and the implementation of interventions. Your municipal health service (GGD) will receive support in carrying out the monitoring. In this way, your municipality will have access to all the knowledge, support and exchange needed to implement the Icelandic model successfully.

What does the municipality commit to?

You commit to the implementation programme for at least four years (January 2022 – December 2025). Because the interventions are aimed not only at young people themselves but also specifically at their environment (the protective and risk factors affecting young people), the effects of interventions often only become visible in the longer term. The Icelandic approach therefore requires a long-term commitment that will span several terms of office. This is another reason why broad (political) support within the municipal council is needed.

There are costs associated with using the methodology and receiving support from the Trimbos Institute and the Netherlands Youth Institute. In addition, a team with sufficient capacity (1.5–2.5 FTE, depending on the size of the municipality) must be made available within the municipal service for project management, communication, data collection, and the organisation and facilitation of meetings. The responsible alderman will also need to make the necessary commitment to mobilise and continue to engage the relevant parties. In addition, it is necessary to reserve an annual budget for setting up and carrying out prevention activities as part of this approach.

The Icelandic approach requires intensive (every two years) and specific data collection among young people. This data collection in schools can be carried out by the GGD, which has extensive experience in this area. For this purpose, a special, supplementary Iceland module for the questionnaire is being developed at national level, and a methodology is being established to enable more frequent and faster measurement in schools. Cooperation with the GGD is important for this data collection and also for coordination with other local health initiatives. The municipality plays an important role in involving the GGD in this data collection process.

Which ‘community’ are we talking about?

Young people spend their time at home, at school and wherever they pursue their leisure activities. Implementation of the approach has been shown to promote cooperation between the parties active in these settings. The scale of the area should therefore match the scope of this cooperation. Larger municipalities sometimes choose to start in a specific neighbourhood, village or district. Smaller municipalities sometimes choose to cooperate with other municipalities in the region. It is advisable to clearly define the area in which you will implement the approach.

Can the Icelandic prevention model be linked to other approaches or programmes?

It is certainly possible to link the Icelandic prevention model to existing approaches or programmes. The Icelandic method is particularly suited to improving cooperation between local parties and strengthening the integration of different programmes. For example, it is possible to implement the Icelandic model as part of a local prevention agreement. It is also possible to link the method to programmes such as Healthy School or JOGG. The six pilot municipalities have already had positive experiences with this.

When can you start?

A new four-year round for municipalities will start in January 2022. In the first year, you will begin by approaching the other participants, form a local coalition and prepare the data collection with the GGD, which will take place in autumn 2022. Throughout the programme, up to and including December 2025, dialogue, policy development and the implementation of interventions will take place. The second measurement will take place in autumn 2023.

All the conditions at a glance

  • Political and administrative support: we ask the executive board and the council for a commitment of at least four years, including funding and capacity.
  • Finances: a budget for support from the Trimbos Institute and the Netherlands Youth Institute (approximately EUR 15,000 per year), plus a budget for the biennial health monitor and annual preventive activities.
  • Capacity: at least 1.5 FTE, including a municipal project manager with at least 0.6 FTE and two other members of the core team (from the municipality and, for example, the GGD).
  • Involve the GGD in contributing ideas and carrying out the monitoring.

How do I register?

You can register your municipality until 4 October at 17:00 at the latest.

The Trimbos Institute and the Netherlands Youth Institute ask you to submit a short letter of motivation stating 1) your municipality's motivation for getting started with the Icelandic prevention model and 2) the current status of the conditions set for participation. You can upload this letter via the digital form where you register.

Is your municipality interested in registering, but did you miss the expression-of-interest survey? In that case, please contact us at [email protected]. You will then receive additional information about the programme and a link to register for the question-and-answer session organised by the Trimbos Institute and the Netherlands Youth Institute for interested municipalities.

You will be entering into a long-term partnership with the Trimbos Institute and the Netherlands Youth Institute. Following official registration, an initial meeting will therefore be held with you to discuss the conditions outlined above.