European Prevention Prize

Youth Innovation in Drug Prevention

The Pompidou Group believes that meaningful youth participation improves the chances of successful drug prevention for reducing drug-related harm and creating healthier citizens and communities across Europe. Since its launch in 2004, the European Drug Prevention Prize has been awarded every two years to innovative projects led by young people for young people. The Prize seeks to recognise outstanding drug prevention projects that involve young people in the development, implementation and decision-making processes.

European Drug Prevention Prize 2021

In 2021, the award ceremony took place in Paris at the Pompidou Centre on 28 October, using the occasion of the Pompidou Group's 50th anniversary celebration.

53 applications from 28 countries were received by the deadline of 15 January 2021. The next step involved evaluation of the entries by the jury consisting of seven young people, who selected those projects which, in their opinion, have been most successful at involving young people in quality drug prevention. The projects awarded in 2021 are S.A.M.E.N. (Together) project in Belgium, TripApp in Poland and Operation Snowball in Lithuania.

 Read related news article

 Watch video introduction of the 2021 jury

 

For the latest developments on the Prize, follow the public discussion groups on Facebook and LinkedIn that are open to anyone interested in drug prevention for and by young people. You can find out more about the campaign by using the official hashtags:
#GroundbreakingGood #EDPP #PompidouGroup.

practical information

 

 The application process

To be considered for the Prize, projects must be innovative, focused on quality drug prevention and fully involve young people (aged under 25). They should be currently running or recently finished.

Projects from all 47 Council of Europe member states, as well as other member states of the Pompidou Group and members of the Group's Mediterranean network for co-operation on drugs and addictions (MedNET), are eligible for submission. Applications should be sent to the secretariat by e-mail in English or French.

Details of the application process, including eligibility and award criteria, can be found in the Concept, rules and procedures document. For any questions, please consult the FAQ section or contact the secretariat: pompidou.preventionprize[at]coe.int.


  The Jury

Following a widely publicised call for applications, entries are evaluated by a jury of seven young people aged between 16 and 21 from Pompidou Group member states. The jurors are selected by the Pompidou Group based on their experience of youth participation in drug prevention. They set the rules and procedures for the Prize and sift through the submitted projects, selecting the ones which, in their view, have been most successful at involving young people in quality drug prevention.


 The Award

Every year, up to three projects are presented with the Prize at the award ceremony. Each prize-winner receives a trophy, a diploma and €5,000 in prize money. Previous winners say that the Prize has brought greater recognition for their work and has been invaluable in helping them to secure funding.