Hvammstangi & Reykjaskóli - Youth Arts Festival

WORK/PROJECT: SEEDS will work this year again with our volunteers in the district of HúnaÞing Vestra (Western Húnaþing). We will work in two different locations, for the first part of the project in the old boarding school of Reykjaskóli, where volunteers will undertake maintenance works in the public and green areas, as some renovation works in the buildings at the village. After the first week there, we will move to the town of Hvammstangi (few kilometres away from Reykjaskóli) and be part of the preparation and development of the programme for the local Youth Arts Festival “Unglist” - Unglistahátíðin ,,Eldur í Húnaþingi” or “Fire in Húnaþing”, which will be held between July 23rd and 27th, 2008. Volunteers with any kind of artistic skills are more than welcome and the organizers of the festival will try to involve them in the programme if wished; there will be time and venue for them to perform or present themselves, same-wise if the group of volunteers decides during the workcamp to organize something together, it can be presented at the festival. Additional works in the town may include, gardening jobs, planting trees and maintaining hiking trails in the area.

ACCOMMODATION: SEEDS volunteers will be hosted at the local boarding school in Reykjaskóli and in a local house in Hvammstangi. Volunteers will share rooms and sleep on mattresses on the floor; therefore bringing a warm sleeping bag is highly recommended. Food ingredients will be provided and a kitchen will be available, volunteers will share the duties of preparing and cooking meals.

LOCATION: Hvammstangi is the most densely populated area in the west Húnaþing County. It has a population of about 600 people and it is located around 250 Km north from Reykjavík.

Trading has taken place at Hvammstangi for over 50 years and the Trading Museum by the harbour displays this history. Hvammstangi has a good harbour and shrimps are the main fishing industry along with small fishing vessels, processing of agricultural products, tourism and various other commercial undertakings. The dairy’s main product is a medium mild cheese, which is probably the most popular one on the Icelandic market. The fish processing plant is one the most advanced in the country and so are the meat processing plant and its abattoir.

The largest knitting and sewing factory in the country was located in Hvammstangi. In Hvammstangi are many specialised small businesses e.g. cosmetics and cooling products production, a goldsmith, a plastic bag manufacturer, etc. Bardúsa, a crafts shop, offers very ambitious and equally beautiful handcrafted goods. The cultural life in Hvammstangi is also very diverse it offers choirs, a drama society, the Kormákur sports society, a youth centre, etc.

From Hvammstangi is only a short travel to Vatnsnes with a wealth of varied historical sites, beautiful scenery, great views of the mountains at Strandir and last but not least a seal habitat within easy walking distance. Seals can be spotted in many places in Vatnsnes. Hvítserkur is a 15 m tall rock formation standing in the sea under the steep cliffs of Ósar resembling a prehistoric monster hosting a multitude of seabirds.

The Húnaþing vestra district is divided into five main areas: Hrútafjörður, Miðfjörður, Vatnsnes and Víðidalur. The town Hvammstangi serves as the center of commerce and services. The beauty of the district is among other things conveyed in beautiful farms, three major salmon rivers, the shores of the Vatnsnes peninsula, big lakes, ravines and pillar rocks.

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

STUDY THEME: Environmental messenger in the project. S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to International volunteers and local hosts.

TERMINAL: As last years, SEEDS will organise the “minibus option”, a shared transport from Reykjavík to the workcamps and vice versa, which apart from being cheaper and more convenient, allows volunteers to meet fellow campers and have a relaxed trip to the project site, while stopping on the way for interesting and tourist sites. Closest international Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF.

SPECIAL REMARKS / EXTRAS: Participation fee EUR140. SEEDS volunteers will get passes to access free of charge the community’s swimming pools. Hikes and excursions will be organised.