Mid-Term-Volunteer Placement Description:
Placement in the field: Visual art – photographing and journalism / Group Management
Number of placements: 2
Location: The volunteers will lead camps in Reykjavik and in the East of Iceland.
Reykjavik is a city full of energy, just waiting for you to experience it. Powered by heat from the earth below, with ever-changing weather sweeping across the landscape, its natural features are matched by the energy of its residents. Think of the qualities of a great city - fun, culture, nature, clean air - and Reykjavik has them in spades. All the advantages of a modern, forward-looking society are complemented by the beautiful natural setting. In a country of only just over 300,000 people, the Reykjavik Capital Area has a population of about 200,000. However, since it’s the only major city in the country, Reykjavik has a lot of the amenities that you would only expect to find in a much larger center elsewhere in the world.
Reykjavik is the world’s northernmost capital city and is centered on the Seltjarnarnes Peninsula. Come at the right time of year, and infavorable conditions you will see the city’s skyline silhouetted against the glowing, shimmering curtain of the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. Reykjavik is framed by the majestic Mt. Esja and the blue waters of Faxafloi Bay to the north, while rugged lava-fields spread to the southeast. On a clear sunny day, the Snaefellsjökull glacier glitters on the western horizon like a crystal.
“Fjarðabyggð" is an association of villages in the Eastern fjords of Iceland. It includes the towns of Eskifjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Mjóifjörður, Neskaupstaður, Reyðarfjörður and Stöðvarfjörður, all tiny fishing villages with steep mountains towering just behind the houses. In this area you will see some of the features that make Iceland a unique place in the world: spectacular fjords with a rich sea life, a great variety of birdlife, and countless breathtaking hiking paths.
Short description of the project/projects: The Workcamp leader will work under the supervision of the project manager of the organization He/she will be involved in preparing, organizing, running and evaluating projects in Iceland related to visual arts, journalism and photographing. Those projects are organized with international volunteers and usually last for 2 weeks. In each group there are one or two leaders from the organization.
At the beginning of the stay here, she/he will receive qualified training from the organisation members. This training will capacitate her/him to perform the projects´ activities. At the same time he/she will receive guidance in how to plan, organize and lead the projects, including topics as group management, conflict resolution, bookkeeping, development, leader roles, intercultural cooperation, motivation, etc. She/he will also receive practical information about planning a project, spare time activities, first aid, etc.
Once the season to working on the field arrives, the work will consist in supervising and developing the projects, coordinating groups of 8 to 15 international participants staying two Weeks at a time. At the end of their stay in Iceland, The project coordinator will be expected to produce an evaluation of the projects and their results.
Activities: Our primary activity is organizing environmental-related projects where people coming from different countries perform voluntary work. In organizing them, much emphasis has been put on making sure the volunteers see that their work is important, they help a community in need, or they work for the protection of the environment. In the meantime, they themselves form a community and get in close contact with locals as well as with other participants of the project from different cultures and nationalities. They find out about each other's habits and ways of life, also getting an insight to the problems of the area and its inhabitants.
The volunteers will lead the following camps:
Photographing and Journalism in Reykjavik
Photographing and Journalism in East of Iceland
Other camps if needed
Profile of the organisation: Veraldarvinir, Worldwide Friends (WF), was founded in 2001 as a non-profit organisation promoting nature and peace oriented activities for volunteers wanting to spend some time in Iceland. We also send local volunteers intending to have similar experiences abroad. WF aims at promoting active participation of people and its mobility, intercultural learning and voluntary service, through non-formal educational activities. The main activities offered are workcamps, seminars, local events and exchange programmes suitable both for young people and adults. WF is a non-profit organisation with international scope.
Salary per month: No salaries or pocket money are paid
Starting dates: 01.10.2015, 20.01.2016, 01.04.2016 and 10.06.2016
Duration: Three to six Months
Further support from the organisation:
P rovides accommodation: Yes
Food is provided: Yes
Local travels: You will have the opportunity to travel around Iceland free of charge with the scheduled minibus trips organized by WF Iceland.
Int. travels: Not paid
Insurance: not provided. You have to get a health and accident insurance for your stay in Iceland.
Desired Profile: 22 years old +Course of studies: Education in the field of journalism, photographing or graphic design.
Linguistic skills: English spoken and written needed. Other languages are seen as an advantage.
Technical skills: Management of basic data processing packages as Microsoft Excel and Project Management, Word, Outlook and Explorer.
Skills and competencies: Our leaders have to be positive and highly motivated to participate in group activities. Ability to organize on her/his own initiative. Time-management skills and ability to work under time pressure during high peaks of the season.
Documents to be submitted: CV and motivation letter
WF MTV – 04
