Beautifying towns and coastline areas in the Eastfjords of Iceland

  Iceland

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: June 1 - June 15

Description: Neskaupstaður is a medium sized town by Icelandic standards, has the largest population (1402 inh.) of any of the towns in the East Fjords, is almost completely self-sufficient and has grown and prospered since the early 1900's, thanks to the fishing industry. Its remoteness has led to a necessary self-sufficiency, including the town having its own bakery, dairy, supermarkets, banks, post office, school, sports hall, swimming pool, church, hospital, harbour, airstrip, hotel, jazz club, rescue centre, etc. In fact, it seems to have all the services you would expect in a larger town except an optician! To the east of the town, facing the ocean, there is a nature reserve and recreational area. The lower section of it, called Hagi, is the location of the renowned Páskahellir (Easter Cave), which is essentially a rock vault over the shore. Holes left by thick, 10-12-million-year-old tree trunks may be seen inside the vault and, as is typical in Iceland, there are various folk tales associated with the cave. Neskaupstaður is only reachable after driving through a one-way tunnel.

"Fjarðabyggð" is an association of different communities in the Eastfjords of Iceland. It includes the towns of Eskifjörður, Fáskrúðsfjörður, Mjóifjörður, Neskaupstaður, Reyðarfjörður and Stöðvarfjörður. The towns have a lot of things in common: They are all small fishing villages with steep mountains just behind the houses. In this area you will find most of the things that make Iceland a unique place on a global scale. The fjords are magnificent and the sea is full of life, the birdlife is very rich and you can find a great variety of hiking paths. You will get to know the area during your stay in the east and it depends on the tasks and the situation in Fjarðabyggð where you will be working during the project.

Project dates:
June 1 - June 15, 2008
June 25 - July 9, 2008

Most of the work will be cleaning and beautifying the towns and the surrounding area. We will also clean the coastline, plant some trees and even make hiking paths. The work available will depend on the weather conditions and that's why we have to be a bit flexible.

Leisure time: Free access to the local swimming pool, guided hikes with locals. Excursions will be organized by the hosting partner.

Cost in US$: $290 US

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Motivated to work voluntarily within an international team, tolerant, open-minded and cooperative person with adventurous spirit.

Age Range: 18 and over

This Program is open to American and Canadian Participants.

Participants Travel to Iceland Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups

CADIP - Canadian Alliance for Development Initiatives and Projects's Mission Statement: CADIP promotes peace, cooperation, tolerance and understanding in international, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural surroundings. The organization also promotes patterns and examples of civil activities focused on serving others, on building social ties and strengthening communities, on supporting civil society development. Aims and general objectives: * To promote volunteering as an expression of civic contribution * To strengthen the international contacts among young people * To build tolerance and understanding in multicultural and multi-ethnic surroundings *To promote multiunderstanding among youth all over the world * To facilitate the individual growth of the volunteers through the acquisition of work, life and learning skills * To work for the recognition and promotion of non-formal learning * To support the community initiatives and assist in community development.