UNAREC - SEEDS

NEW CAMPS!
YOU ARE VERY LIKELY TO FIND PLACES ON SEEDS 24, 25, 26, 27 AND 28: BE FAST!

SEEDS, SEE beyonD borderS, Iceland was founded in the year 2005 and its main office is located in Reykjavík, the capital of

Iceland

. SEEDS, is an Icelandic non-governmental, non-for-profit organisation with international scope. Our main field of activities is related to the promotion of peace and cultural understanding through the work on nature-oriented, outdoors activities, cultural events, heritage work and environmental issues.

SEE beyonD borderS, SEEDS, aims at promoting respect for cultural diversity, mutual understanding and environment protection through activities which empower, promote and aid people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds. SEEDS provides them possibilities and opportunities to live, study, experience, exchange, research and work together.

Based on real projects as exchanges, international camps, research activities, on-field work, voluntary service, educational programmes, seminars, SEEDS, gives space, time and room to the participants in our activities to face challenging situations, which will enable them to broaden their perspectives, own opinions and positions about themselves, the environment we are living in and our active role in the future development of the world in terms of peace, tolerance, cross-cultural learning and environmental sustainability.

We want to empower people of all ages, cultures, and nationalities to protect the environment by effective citizen action. We involve both young people as adults in our activities to develop in them the values and skills for global citizen cooperation and earth protection.

Activities developed by SEEDS, SEE beyonD borderS, include:
-          International workcamps
-          European Voluntary Service
-          Exchanges
-          Seminars, training sessions
-          Leonardo da Vinci Programme
-          Practical and language training.

For more details and up to date information please visit us at:www.seedsiceland.org

SEEDS, SEE beyonD borderS, in

Iceland

works closely with local communities, their administration or authorities and with other Icelandic associations. Jointly we develop projects aimed at fulfil an identified need or to help in the development of particular actions that are already being undertaken.

We are members of the Icelandic National Youth Council and internationally, we are partners of the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations as of Service Civil International (SCI) and Youth Action for Peace (YAP).

SEEDS has just turned 2 years old and at the same time has successfully completed its second season of projects all around Iceland . The year 2007 was a very successful and fulfilling one for us; while the level of our activities increased significantly from the year before, roughly by twofold. During 2007, in total there were 24 different projects located in every corner of the Icelandic map, 335 International volunteers from 31 different countries took part in our projects, divided in groups of 7 up to 28 committed individuals.

Our projects made its way to every corner of the Icelandic map, from Sandgerði and Krísuvík to Kópasker and Raufarhöfn; from the Drangajökull and Hornstrandir areas to Þórsmörk and Sólheimar, from Reykjavík and Viðey to Þórshöfn and the Langanes Peninsula, including more locations as Akranes, the Bláfjöll mountain range, Dalvík, Hafnarfjörður, Patreksfjörður, Suðureyri and Tálknafjörður.

The types of the projects were mainly nature or environmental oriented, and volunteers performed different types of tasks, for instance ecological research, removing invasive growth, building of walking paths or hiking trails, cleaning up the coastline, reforestation and erosion control works, construction or renovation of a community building, monument or community centre, etc… In the cultural/festival related jobs, SEEDS came into action helping in the organization of the happenings and also taking part actively in the events.

This is part of SEEDS' work through short term voluntary service to preserve the environment, promote cultural activities in Iceland while fostering peace and mutual understanding at a global scale.

By developing a diverse array of projects and bringing together people from dissimilar backgrounds, creating more alternatives and opportunities; we continue pursuing our vision and building on our fundaments trying to promote intercultural understanding, respect for cultural diversity, encouraging peace and environment protection.

Our projects in Iceland are highly supported by the local hosts and the volunteers participating; additionally we received strong support for our long term projects from the Youth in Action and Leonardo da Vinci Programmes of the European Commission.

One of the basic pillars of responsible travelling is giving back, making a positive, personal or group contribution to the people and places we are visiting: Many of our participants wanted to visit Iceland and get to know the country from a different perspective, being able to interact with locals and at the same time dedicating some of their time to support particular projects and addressing specific needs of the hosts.

All parties involved in our projects benefited: The individual volunteers, the local hosting communities and Iceland as a whole! While working in teams tackling the needs and projects, SEEDS also addressed among them human, social and environmental concerns, promoting intercultural and common learning.

The rewards for the volunteers, communities and ecosystems were massive, while mingling with Icelanders, volunteers learned about the local culture and had the opportunity to build friendships; additionally, they developed new skills working under challenging and unfamiliar surroundings and SEEDS tried to pass Environmental messages to International and local participants in our projects.

1.     Participation Fees.
Participation fees are usually paid to take part in our workcamps and some of the reasons behind to charge the fees are:
-          Income to bear the administrative expenditures of the association: Rent, office bills (energy, phone, heating), personnel, external representation, mail, website, postage, equipments, supplies, banking costs, legal formalities, etc.
-          Lack of financial support and resources to develop some of our activities (eg. To pay food in some of the projects and the development of particular study sessions during the camps).
-          We also face a particular challenge as voluntary service is not very attractive to Icelanders yet; therefore the income generated by outgoing volunteers is still non-existent for SEEDS.

In the meantime SEEDS is also taking actions in order to send Icelanders overseas and to raise funds in different ways to expand the sources of income for the organization. The amount of the fees will be stated for each camp in their descriptions.

2. Insurance.
Volunteers are asked to obtain health and accident insurance for the whole duration of their travel, prior to the arrival to Iceland and bring with them all needed documents, contact numbers, etc. European volunteers are advised to take with them the European Health Insurance Card or the forms E-111 or E-104. SEEDS itself does not provide any type of insurance for international volunteers, therefore volunteers without insurance will not be allowed to participate in our projects.

3. Study part / Educational Content – Environmental Messengers**.
Please note that most of our workcamps will have an educational / awareness-raising approach on environmental, nature-protection and sustainable development topics. We will have, apart from the leader(s), a person fully dedicated to organize and develop activities for both the international volunteers and the local communities we work with. This person called the “Environmental messenger” (HEI 2006-ISL-2) will be in charge of activities aiming at raising awareness about environmental issues both within Icelanders, being hosts of SEEDS workcamps, and among the International volunteers taking part in them. Furthermore than the raising awareness content, Environmental messengers will be a source of knowledge on specific topics of significant relevance about environment, nature protection and sustainable development but also will encourage the actors in those projects to undertake simple but easy-to-implement actions which will affect the way we use our resources and we deal with the environment and the world we live in.

S/he will be in charge of delivering ecological and global education messages to both, International volunteers and local hosts. S/he will arrange and organise few activities as workshops, presentations, simulations, discussions, games on topics related to environment, nature protection and sustainability as use of resources, globalisation, millennium development goals, climate change, fair trade, recycling, consumption, etc.

4. Transport to Iceland .
Concerning the travel to

Iceland

and being conscious that it might be the most expensive item of the volunteer experience; we have done some research which might be helpful for our participants when arranging their transportation. There will be 5 main airlines flying to Keflavík International Airport :

Iceland

Air: www.icelandair.net

Iceland

Express: www.icelandexpress.com
British Airways: www.ba.com
Scandinavian Airlines: www.scandinavian.net
Lufthansa: www.lufthansa.de
Germanwings: www.germanwings.com

It is getting easier every day to get to Iceland and now there are these 4 airlines offering scheduled flights all year round to this beautiful country of ice and fire. If volunteers have plenty of time to spare, the Smyril Line operates a ferry service to the east of Iceland . This is a four to seven days sea adventure for travelers and stops off at the Faeroe Isles on the way! www.smyril-line.com

5. Arrival and Departure dates.
We suggest our participants to arrive to Iceland the latest one day before the workcamp starts, as travel to the project, if arranged by SEEDS (see point 6 below), will leave Reykjavík on the first day of the camp (arrivals day) in the morning. If volunteers choose to go by different means, they might need more than one day to reach the destination by public transportation services. In the same way, volunteers shall not book their return journey the day the camp ends, the earliest one day after the camp finishes. In this way volunteers ensure they will be able to join the camp for its full length.

6. Domestic transport – Minibus.
As last years, SEEDS will organise for all of the workcamps a shared transport to and from the workcamps. The meeting point will be in Reykjavík on the first day of the camp, in the morning. Apart from being more convenient and cheaper than public transportation services, this alternative allows volunteers to meet fellow campers and eventually the leaders earlier and have a relaxed trip to the camp site, while stopping on the way for interesting and tourist sites.

7. Accommodation.
Concerning accommodation in Reykjavík, SEEDS has made an agreement with the Hostelling International Association in

Iceland

and our volunteers will receive discount prices in the Reykjavík City Hostel. The hostel has already reserved a number of beds (or places in tents, if the Hostel is fully booked) for SEEDS’ groups. The price for a top quality dormitory including all facilities is of ISK 1800 (about EUR 18) a night and ISK 900 (around EUR 9) in tents with access to all facilities.

8. Language.
Icelandic knowledge is not needed in our projects, English is officially the language used by leaders and basic knowledge of English is therefore expected from participants, even tough it is not a requirement to fulfil.

9. Age.
At the moment we are able to receive volunteers aged 18 or over, but hopefully in the future we will receive also teenage participants in our projects. We do not have any upper age limit.

Code	Location	Dates	Type
SEEDS 09.	Suðureyri í Tálknafirði - Like in the old days!!	19/08 - 02/09	RENO/CONS
SEEDS 10.	Reykjavík International Film Festival - RIFF	23/09 - 06/10	FEST/ARTS

SEEDS 10. RIFF – Reykjavík* International Film Festival 23/09 - 06/10 FEST/ARTS

WORK/PROJECT: Volunteers will be part of the team organising the Reykjavík International Film Festival (RIFF). Volunteers will team up with the local Icelandic volunteers from the Film studies of the University of Iceland . They will share all types of tasks related to the festival and the group will be split according to the needs and to give everyone the chance to try out different assignments.

The input of volunteers will make a big difference in making the festival an impressive cultural event. Before starting the festival handing out leaflets, posters and brochures, receiving guests to the screenings, helping the International teams presenting their new releases, selling entrance tickets and festival passes, controlling at the entrances in the venues, helping during the screenings, guiding and assisting participants and spectators, setting up the venues before and after the movies and a wide variety of many different duties to be performed during the festival. Volunteers are an integral part of creating a special festival atmosphere in Reykjavík.

The tasks are very exciting for volunteers interested in films, since we try to give them insight into the working process for a film festival whilst also offering a chance to experience a fun job in a creative atmosphere.

ACCOMMODATION: Volunteers will be lodged in a youth accommodation building. There will be bunk beds, mattresses and all facilities needed. Food will be provided, so cooking and common tasks will be shared fairly among the participants. A warm sleeping bag is highly recommended.

LOCATION: Reykjavík*, the Icelandic capital, has been called Europe ’s hottest capital. Slick advertising campaigns have championed the city’s famed nightlife. But there is more to Reykjavik than pubs and clubs. Reykjavík held the prestigious title European City of Culture in the year 2000; a welcome recognition of the energetic and colourful cultural life of the capital. The world’s northernmost capital bridges the Atlantic, between Europe and North America, is framed by the majestic Mt. Esja and the blue waters of Faxaflói Bay . The population of the city is about 115,000 (40% of Iceland ’s population) in the metropolitan area and 180,000 (60% of

Iceland

’s inhabitants) including its suburbs. It is growing steadily and 45% is younger than 30 years old; 83,1% of men and women aged 16-74 are active on the labour market. Reykjavík is a dynamic, modern city in harmony with beautiful nature, using renewable energy sources, geothermal power and glacial rivers. It is an International city with a lively Cosmopolitan cultural scene.

Reykjavík International Film Festival, launched in 2004, holds in many respects a unique position among film festivals organized around the world. How often are festival-attendees given the chance to catch the cream of recent festival films, see dozens of amazing flicks from the world’s youngest and most talented directors, meet foreign film pioneers, see the shimmering Northern lights and attend informative seminars and symposiums?

The programme includes a mixture of movies from more than 30 countries and more; a special category dedicated to human rights in cooperation with UNIFEM and UNICEF in

Iceland

LANGUAGE: English will be the language in the camp, but 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 both, International volunteers and local hosts through organised activities. We intend to raise awareness and to encourage the participants to undertake simple but easy-to-implement actions which will affect the way we deal with the environment and the world we live in.

SPECIAL REMARKS / EXTRAS: Participation fee EUR 150,-. Volunteers will have free passes and access to all the screenings of the festival including receptions, while they are having their free time.

* The name Reykjavík means “smoky bay”: Given by the first settlers that arrived to the area due to the high geothermal activity and the constant rise of steam out of the hot springs around.

WORK/PROJECT: The City of Reykjavík* will be our host for the third year in-a-row; this time SEEDS volunteers will be performing different tasks related to the environment and the outdoors public areas of the city. We will be working with the Public areas department of the city, in charge of environmental affairs and green areas; working hand-in-hand with the local teams of Icelandic youngsters in charge of the public spaces in the city, its surroundings and responsible for the environmental affairs, green public and municipal areas.

The work with the teams of local youngsters will give SEEDS volunteers a great opportunity to mingle with Icelanders and to enjoy its capital from the locals’ side.

ACCOMMODATION: Volunteers will be staying in a modern sports centre in the city in shared rooms and will have access to the facilities of the centre; bringing a sleeping bag is needed. Lunch will be given by the city of Reykjavík within the weekdays, while for breakfast and dinner, food ingredients will be provided and volunteers will share the duties of preparing and cooking meals.

LOCATION: Reykjavík*, the Icelandic capital, has been called Europe ’s hottest capital. Slick advertising campaigns have championed the city’s famed nightlife. But there is more to Reykjavik than pubs and clubs. Reykjavík held the prestigious title European City of Culture in the year 2000; a welcome recognition of the energetic and colourful cultural life of the capital.

The population of the city is about 120,000 (40% of Iceland ’s population) in the metropolitan area and about 200,000 (60% of Iceland ’s inhabitants) including its suburbs. It is growing steadily and 45% is younger than 30 years old; 83,1% of men and women aged 16-74 are active on the labour market. Reykjavík is a dynamic, modern city in harmony with beautiful nature, using renewable energy sources, geothermal power and glacial rivers. It is an International city with a lively Cosmopolitan cultural scene.

Visitors to Reykjavik experience easily the pure energy at the heart of Iceland's capital city - whether from the boiling thermal energy underground, the natural green energy within the city and around it, or the lively culture and fun-filled nightlife.

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

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

Energy has been a human concern ever since early humans learned to use fire and exploit the energy of animals. Energy utilization in the modern sense, however, only began with the industrial revolution as in so many other areas; Icelanders were latecomers to the scene. During the past century, Iceland was transformed from poverty to plenty. The harnessing of energy resources and availability of energy for industrial and public consumption played a major role in this development, and was in fact a precondition for it. Use of energy in Iceland differs from other countries, with the higher per capita use than in any other country in the world and the ratio of sustainable energy sources is also higher. Geothermal energy and hydropower play an important rule in the energy supply and the country is very rich in renewable energy resources; its hydro and geothermal power could provide electricity for a nation of six million. More than 50% of the primary energy consumption in Iceland is derived from geothermal sources. Iceland ’s renewable energy resources are used in a sustainable way and in harmony with the environment.

TERMINAL: Closest international Airport: Keflavík (Reykjavík), KEF. Closest bus station in town.

EXTRAS: Participation fee EUR150. Volunteers will get passes to access free of charge the city’s seven geothermal swimming pools and beach, bus passes to ride on the transport network (including Hydrogen powered buses) of the city and surroundings. Visits to geothermal active areas and power plants utilising this and hydraulic renewable resources will be organised for the volunteers during their free time.

* The name Reykjavík means “smoky bay”: Given by the first settlers that arrived to the area due to the high geothermal activity and the constant rise of steam out of the hot springs around.

WORK/PROJECT: The town of Reykjanesbær and the communities surrounding it, will receive SEEDS volunteers again this year; there we will be performing different tasks related to the environment and the outdoors public areas in the towns and also within the premises of the former NATO base located in the Reykjanes peninsula, which was closed on 8 September 2006; the former military base is being turned into a dynamic knowledge and academic community.

We will work in different sites all around the area and our tasks will be varied including cleaning up the public spaces within the former base, collecting and hand-picking sea-waste at the shores and coastline outside, helping with gardening tasks, maintaining tree-beds; clearing up former barbwire fences and the area around the fences and in general works making the area a more friendly one.

Some of the working sites are located in different towns (Garður, Grindavík, Hafnir, Keflavík, Njarðvík & Sandgerði) and communities in the area as this camp is part of a bigger scale project run by SEEDS in cooperation with several parties in the region; therefore the jobs performed and the sites will mostly depend on the advance of the work at the different locations.

ACCOMMODATION: We will stay at 2 equipped apartments within the former base, in shared rooms, sleeping on mattresses on the floor; therefore bringing a sleeping bag is needed. Food ingredients will be provided and volunteers will share the duties of preparing and cooking meals.

LOCATION: Reykjanes, peninsula at the south–western end of Iceland is located near the capital and most travellers to Iceland land in the area: As the Reykjanes coastline draws closer and the plane prepares to land at Keflavík Airport , the peninsula is marked by active volcanism under its surface, and large lava fields allow little vegetation. There are numerous hot springs and sulphur springs in the southern half of the peninsula, around the Kleifarvatn Lake and the Krýsuvík geothermal area where hot springs spewing water and mud dominate the landscape. The Peninsula is envied for its long & short hiking trails that zigzag through the region where colorful landscapes and their contrasts delight the visitor. Amazing ocean cliffs, (up to 70 m high) are nested by numerous bird species, often a wonderful spot for bird and whale watching.

There is also a geothermal power station at Svartsengi, where a swimming pool has been installed using the hot and mineralized water coming down from the station; it is known as the "Blue Lagoon" (Bláa Lónið). The Leif the Lucky Bridge or Miðlína bridge spans the Álfagjá rift valley (60 feet wide and 20 feet deep) near Grindavík that marks the boundary of the Eurasian and North American continental tectonic plates, named after Icelandic explorer Leif Eriksson who travelled from Europe to America 500 years before Columbus . The peninsula is also known for its buzzing cultural life. Musical talent is abundant and Keflavík is known as the birthplace of rock and roll in the country.

Reykjanes has a long history of seafaring, and some of the oldest lighthouses in Iceland dot the coastline to guide sailors home. Some fishing towns, such as Grindavík, where is located the Salt fish Museum of Iceland (telling the story of its production and importance to the Icelandic economy) and Njarðvík are situated on the peninsula as well as the town Keflavík, the site of the International Airport, the Leifur Eriksson Air Terminal and the former military base, which hosts now Keilir (Atlantic Centre of Excellence), Innovation Center Iceland (NMI), the University of Iceland (UI), the Keflavík Airport Development Corporation (KADECO) and the Eldey Entrepreneurial and Energy Centre.

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.

EXTRAS: Participation fee EUR140. Visits to geothermal active areas and power plants in the area, hikes and excursion will be organised for the volunteers during their free time. Pick-up from the Keflavík (Reykjavík) International Airport for those landing on the first day of the camp and transport from the apartments to the airport on departure is included.

LOCATION: Reykjanes, peninsula at the south–western end of Iceland is located near the capital and most travellers to Iceland land in the area: As the Reykjanes coastline draws closer and the plane prepares to land at Keflavík Airport, the peninsula is marked by active volcanism under its surface, and large lava fields allow little vegetation. There are numerous hot springs and sulphur springs in the southern half of the peninsula, around the Kleifarvatn Lake and the Krýsuvík geothermal area where hot springs spewing water and mud dominate the landscape. The Peninsula is envied for its long & short hiking trails that zigzag through the region where colorful landscapes and their contrasts delight the visitor. Amazing ocean cliffs, (up to 70 m high) are nested by numerous bird species, often a wonderful spot for bird and whale watching.

There is also a geothermal power station at Svartsengi, where a swimming pool has been installed using the hot and mineralized water coming down from the station; it is known as the "Blue Lagoon" (Bláa Lónið). The Leif the Lucky Bridge or Miðlína bridge spans the Álfagjá rift valley (60 feet wide and 20 feet deep) near Grindavík that marks the boundary of the Eurasian and North American continental tectonic plates, named after Icelandic explorer Leif Eriksson who travelled from Europe to America 500 years before Columbus. The peninsula is also known for its buzzing cultural life. Musical talent is abundant and Keflavík is known as the birthplace of rock and roll in the country.

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.

ISLANDE 2008