Planet Youth is a primary prevention program for young people’s health and wellbeing that focuses on reducing risk factors and enhancing protective factors in young people’s lives. The mechanism by which it achieves these objectives are by improving the social environment and ensuring that young people have access to adequate resources and community based supports to lead fulfilling lives. The program aims to use evidence based practice and create partnerships within local communities to achieve its objectives.
The program combines people and skills from prevention practice, research and policy formation through a single umbrella program.
The program has a specific focus on reducing substance use (alcohol, tobacco and other drugs) in young people through primary prevention. Primary prevention is concerned with reducing the risk of a health event ever occurring.

The purpose of reducing or delaying the onset of substance use in adolescence is multifaceted. Adolescents whom use substances are more likely to develop substance dependence and significant mental and physical health problems compared to adults who use substances. Given that substance dependence is on average a long term condition, intervening at this critical stage of young people’s development is a best buy.