Hi!

We are delighted to share our January newsletter: https://sway.cloud.microsoft/IxXHuQLfD1nuAvjM?ref=Link&loc=mysways

In this newsletter:

• The Planet Youth Highland Community Fund is now open!
• Improving the Sleep Routines of Pupils - offer for Planet Youth Partner Schools
• Community Action Group Updates
• There is still time for your school to apply for the Substance Aware School Award 2026 (cash prizes!)
• Partners in Advocacy Vacancies
• Training and other resources
• Contact us

The Planet Youth Highland Community Funding application for Third Sector Organisations is now open!

This is a really exciting opportunity for the 13 Planet Youth partner communities and it will allow the NHS Highland Health Improvement Team to work closely with Third Sector Organisations across Highland to collaborate and work in partnership to develop and support the Planet Youth model at a local level.

This fund aims to:

Support the delivery of the Planet Youth model in the 13 Planet Youth Highland Partner School cluster communities across Highland.

Enable third sector organisations to employ or allocate a part-time worker (up to 0.2 WTE per school community) to support the function of local Planet Youth Community Action Groups. This is two year funding.

Strengthen community-led, data-informed action planning to improve outcomes for children, young people, and families.

Enhance collaboration between statutory services, third sector organisations, and communities.

Please ensure you have read the Planet Youth Community Funding application guidance that is attached - all information to ensure a successful application is included in that document including:

Who can apply

Role of the funded post and intended outcomes

The amount of funding available

Information on the application process

Application Requirements

Assessment Criteria

Pease be aware - applications will close at 5pm on Friday the 6th February.

To apply, please complete this form: Planet Youth Highland Community Fund Application Form

Please can we ask for your help in sharing this funding opportunity widely across the 13 Planet Youth Partner School Cluster areas.

If you have any questions or queries about the funding, please either contact your local Planet Youth Facilitator (contact details attached above) or Vicki Clark on victoria.clark5@nhs.scot.

In this newsletter:

• The last Highland Update of 2025
• How to give the gift of technology safely this Christmas
• Keeping young people safe from substances over the holidays
• NHS Highland Young people's sexual health needs survey
• Ash Scotland - Youth Vaping - Understanding illicit substance vaping
• Real Roads Don't Reset - Driving Campaign
• Resources, information and training

https://sway.cloud.microsoft/dnsAIirGWXRS4qVw?ref=Link&loc=mysways

As always our November newsletter is jam packed full of interesting articles and free learning sessions for parents, carers and professionals alike.

In this newsletter:

• Highland Update
• Planet Youth Survey data - how will this be shared?
• Following on from Anti-bullying week 2025
• The Substance Aware School Awards 2026 are now open to all schools across Highland
• Resources and learning opportunities
• Contact us

Have you had a look at the Parent and Carer Padlet yet?

It is chock full of support and advice around many issues that may be affecting your children.

Let us know what else you would like to see in there!

We are delighted to offer this free session for all parents and carers across Highland.

The session will be held online on Tuesday 9th September 2025 from 7pm to 8.15pm. Please register using this link: Parents Bespoke Workshop Booking.

When Planet Youth was first developed in Iceland, one of its core strengths was the active involvement of parents and carers. It’s widely recognised that parents and carers are the most influential figures in a young person’s life. But the real power emerged when they came together—not just as individuals, but as a parenting community. This collective approach helped build a shared understanding around boundaries and expectations, which in turn strengthened the protective factors that support young people as they grow into adulthood.

Just as importantly, it created a network of support for parents and carers themselves. Talking to others who are facing similar challenges can offer not only comfort, but also fresh perspectives and practical solutions. After all, parenting is easier—and more effective—when we do it together and support one another.

One of the most effective tools that helped parents and carers build a strong parenting community was the creation of Parental Agreements. Across each school year—from primary through to high school—parents came together to agree on shared boundaries and expectations. These agreements promoted a nurturing, safe environment for all children and families.

It might sound like a big undertaking, but like most meaningful change, it started with small steps.

The first step? Getting to know the other parents in your child’s class or peer group. Of course, that’s easier said than done with the pace of modern life—but we’d love to know: is this something you’d find helpful?

For a starting point you can look at the Parental Agreement that the first Planet Youth Highland Parent Group created in 2021.

What would need to be changed to make this relevant and of use to parents and carers in 2025? Please let us know. You can write your thoughts and ideas in the Ideas tab or just add to the comments box below 👇🏽

Growing up in Highland - Parental pledge

This pledge looks to bring parents together to make key decisions which affect their children’s wellbeing. There often isn’t a lot of guidance on these issues, a collective community agreement can be much stronger than trying to make all of these choices on your own. For example, when other parents decide to buy their child a mobile phone, this will likely influence when you buy your child a mobile phone.

Spend quality time with your child every day. Spending time with you child can be a protective factor against substance use. Those who spend more time with their parents throughout the week and during the weekend are less likely to use alcohol, tobacco and other drugs (substances).

Help out with schoolwork, take part in sports groups and show an interest in their hobbies. It is important that young people are encouraged to keep engaging in quality supervised, structured activities that interest them as they get older.

Encourage two or more activities per week. Young people who are busy and engaged in high quality activities are less likely to use substances and it is also beneficial for their overall physical and mental wellbeing.

Reduce the amount of time your child is out late, especially unsupervised Being out late is a risk factor for substance use. Knowing where your child is, is a protective factor. Local parents agree that 9pm is the latest time for S1 pupils to come in.

Sleep is essential. Follow guidance from Sleep Scotland S1 recommendation is between 9 to 11 hours. Great resources on sleep can be found at sleepscotland.org including advice for other ages. Planet Youth data highlights that many young people are not getting enough sleep.

Get to know your child’s friends and their parents Getting to know your child’s friends and their parents is a key protective factor and can help form a supportive community around them. This can allow for easier conversations between parents. It can also benefit children whose parents may not be as involved in the local community

Internet access. Use guidance and parental controls thinkuknow.co.uk is a great resource for parents and young people on internet safety. Evidence suggests that if a child spends a lot of time on screens during childhood it can affect many important aspects of their life. Things like sleep, healthy weight, behaviour, and learning can all be impacted.

Don’t buy alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes for young people under the age of 18 Sometimes parents think that buying a small amount of alcohol for your child will provide them with a ‘safe’ amount of alcohol. However, we know that young people often access more alcohol alongside what parents may supply. By providing even small amounts of alcohol, parents show their child they are more accepting of alcohol use and drunkenness. Local Planet Youth data shows that young people whose parents disapprove of alcohol use and drunkenness are less likely to use alcohol or get drunk. The same applies to smoking, vaping and drug use.

Keep a look out for bullying. See it, report it Young people often use substances for the same reasons as adults. We know that those who are bullied are more likely to use substances. Dealing with bullying as soon as it arises can help young people feel safe in their school and community, which is a protective factor. Build your child's confidence and self esteem Young people who are confident in making their own choices and feel good about themselves are more likely to make positive decisions around alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

Build your child's confidence and self esteem Young people who are confident in making their own choices and feel good about themselves are more likely to make positive decisions around alcohol, tobacco and other drugs

Following the initial pilot of Planet Youth in Highland from 2021-2024, we are now expanding across Highland.

At the start of 2025 we began to contact secondary schools across Highland to have conversations with them about the benefits of becoming a Planet Youth Partner School. Initially we had planned to add on 5 new schools for the next 2 year cycle, however we had 8 schools contact us and ask to become involved and we are delighted to now have 13 Planet Youth Partner Schools across Highland.

Over the next few months we will be contacting the primary schools within the associated schools groups around these new partner schools to start to build relationships as our focus is on early intervention and prevention. If you run a Parent Council for one of these schools or for one of their feeder primaries, we would love to hear from you.

The 13 Planet Youth Partner Schools are:

• Tain royal academy
• Golspie high school
• Dornoch academy
• Thurso high school
• Wick high school
• Lochaber high school
• Plockton high school
• Invergordon academy
• Alness academy
• Dingwall academy
• Inverness high school
• Culloden academy
• Nairn academy

From Charlene Hercher of the East Sutherland Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service:

Alcohol and drugs are being increasingly used by young people throughout Sutherland and the rest of Highland, trends reported currently are:

• Alcohol in the form of dragon soop, flavoured ciders, and alcopops.
• Drugs in the form of cannabis (grass, green, bud), cocaine (charlie, ching, snow, marching powder) ) and Ketamine (Ket, baby food).
• Confirmed drugs circulating Highland - illicit benzodiazepines and other sedating drugs that contain synthetic opioids.

See following links for further information and support options.

Please download the HOPE app on your phone.

• Highland Alcohol and Drugs Partnership
• Crew - Drugs information
• Confidential advice from FRANK
• Highland Substance Awareness Toolkit – Information source on the use of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes
• Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs - A Parent's Guide