The project was set up last week by Tayside Police in partnership with the local Drug and Alcohol Action Team, Perth and Kinross Council and young people's support service the Web Project. It will incorporate diversionary activities.
Under Operation Applecart, which is aimed at 13- to 18-year-olds, the police will work with the Drug and Alcohol Action Team to refer teenagers to the Scottish Children's Panel and the Web Project for further help.
Lesley Cook, senior project worker at the Web Project, said: "We have two young trainee workers who are developing a basic peer education programme on alcohol and harm reduction for young people referred to us. There has been an overall increase in risky behaviour with young people."
Seventeen per cent of Scottish 13-year-olds drink alcohol once a week, while 38 per cent of 15-year-olds drink on a regular basis, according to the Scottish Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use survey of 2002.
Community safety sergeant Fergus Storrier said: "Young people say they drink because there is nothing to do, but the Scottish Executive provides 27,000 every summer for projects in the area to provide diversionary activities."
The Perth and District YMCA is one such youth project. Chief executive Ian Marr said: "We run football projects and dance classes on Thursday and Friday nights and we will be linking young people with students from the US to play volleyball on the beaches."
