Reykjavík - Engagement & Support

WORK/PROJECT: This project gives SEEDS volunteers an opportunity to use and develop different skills as it is partly environmental and partly social.

It takes place in an old charming house which serves as a day-centre for mentally challenged people. The guests come there to get support, counselling and to spend the day in company of others, some of them are in a difficult state in their life and often nowhere else to go. Their mental state has led some of them into isolation and has made many of them incapable of seeing their own skills, qualities and possibilities in life.

The centre aims to look into the personal possibilities (rather than focusing on the disabilities) to work towards rehabilitation and engagement in society again. The centre has no tolerance for alcohol or drug use in-house. On average there are 50-70 people who visit the centre every day.

Around the house is a beautiful garden which needs to be taken care of by mowing the grass, collecting dead plants and scrubs, planting new ones, taking care of the flower garden, etc. The house itself also needs some maintenance: Scraping up old paint from the window frames, sandpaper them and paint them again is among the tasks for us.

Part of the project is also to activate the guests of the house, involve them in gardening, art workshop or in other activities they might be interested in. Volunteers are expected to interact with the guests of the house; in discussions and with encouragement to participate in different tasks and activities. There is a piano in the living room and library and volunteers with musical skills are welcome to play with and for the people in the house.

ACCOMMODATION: Volunteers will live in the house of the project, located right in the heart of Reykjavík. Volunteers have access to the living room and other facilities such as a computer room, billiard table, small library and art work shop. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Volunteers will receive all meals in the house and share their responsibilities of cooking and cleaning.

LOCATION: Reykjavík is the capital of Iceland, often called “the nightlife capital of the north”. But there is more to Reykjavík than pubs and clubs. Reykjavík also gathers the most interesting of Icelandic culture. It is an incubator of new ideas and styles which often indicates new global trends. It is an International city with a lively Cosmopolitan cultural scene.

The world’s northernmost capital bridges the Atlantic, between Europe and North America. Reykjavík is spread across a peninsula with a panoramic view of the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean on almost all sides.

The population of the city is over 200,000 including the metropolitan area, so two thirds of Iceland’s inhabitants live here. Reykjavík is a dynamic, modern city which lives in harmony with beautiful nature, using renewable energy sources - geothermal power and glacial rivers.

Iceland was badly hit with the current financial crisis, which did affect the life for foreign visitors in a positive way, making Iceland a much cheaper country to visit, the local currency greatly lost value – many goods and services cost (in EUR) just a half comparing to the year 2007.

LANGUAGE: English will be the official language in the camp; high proficiency is not a requirement.

TERMINAL: Closest International Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF.

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 100. Volunteers applying for this project should have a motivation for doing manual work as well as working with mentally challenged people.

SEEDS will provide volunteers with passes to access free of charge the city’s seven geothermal swimming pools and thermal-water beach. Tours and excursions will be arranged for SEEDS volunteers at discount fares.

AGE: 18 +