Project Location:Sólheimar, Iceland‘s first and only eco-village, is located in
southwest Iceland, 80 kilometers long (50 miles) east of
Reykjavík. Founded in 1930 by a young visionary named
Sesselja Sigmundsdóttir (1902-1974), the place has become
reputable for its innovation and its ecological concept,
attracting visitors and volunteers from all over the world.
It is a community where people with or without special
needs live and work together. Sólheimar is a pioneer of
practicing organic farming. In Sólheimar there is an
organically certified greenhouse, forestry, and arboretum.
Other environmental-friendly projects in Sólheimar include
geothermal energy and recycling.
About the Ecovillage:
The heart of the Sólheimar ideology is to give all individuals a
fair chance and to maximize their potential. By focusing on
individuals' possibility instead of their limitations, Sólheimar
aims to create the space for each resident to take every
opportunity that arises for each person to grow and develop.
Versatility is the strength of Sólheimar so people with special
needs that reside here will always be the center of the
community. This works through the idea of reverse
integration: those without special needs adapt to the
abilities of those who do, they can work together to make
their community one of an equal and sustainable one. The
foundation of the ideology of Sólheimar derives from the
visions and lifework of Sesselja herself.
Work:
The main work in this camp will be with the forestry called
Ölur and also in the greenhouses which are called Sunna.
Volunteers will be working in the greenhouses planting and
harvesting vegetables, doing weed control and sometimes
you will also be gardening. The work might involve work
around the property painting or fixing things. During the
winter volunteers will also have to help remove snow and
keep the walk paths clear for the residents.
Working hours are 09.00 to 16.00 with one hour break for
lunch and there are some coffee breaks as well.
Our work will depend on weather conditions, which is why we
must be flexible. You should be prepared for unfriendly
weather, as they say: if you don’t like the Icelandic weather,
just wait 5 minutes it might change.
Our work will depend on the needs of the local community
and the season. This is a perfect camp for people who like
outdoor work and physical challenges. Working hours are on
average 5-6 hours a day, 5 days a week.
Camp Leaders:
There are always one or more leaders for each camp,
depending on the size of the group. Leaders represent the
link between the hosting community, WF, and the group of
volunteers. They coordinate the work, organize leisurely
activities and plan excursions, shopping, and cooking
sessions.
Apart from these additional responsibilities, they are equal to
other volunteers. Most of our camp leaders are from other
countries, as we are very open-minded in hosting
international leaders from other organizations. All our
leaders start their program with one week of training.
During the Camp:
Depending on your work camp, the first morning usually is a
late one, as everybody is tired from the long travel. On the
first day, your Camp Leader will explain about:
➔ The House
➔ Community/area
➔ Waste Recycle
➔ Daily cleaning
➔ Work
➔ Leisure Activities
You will all participate in the elaboration of a Week Schedule,
dividing the tasks equally between all the volunteers and
camp leaders, which will include: Cooking, Cleaning, Work,
Free time. Breakfast is free, which means volunteers will cook
their own. For Lunch and Dinner usually, you will cook in
5
pairs, depending on the total amount as well for the cleaning
afterward.
Remember as you will be spending time with people from
different backgrounds/cultures sometimes it will be difficult
to adjust to different ways than yours. To prevent or resolve
conflicts that may occur in any social interaction, you should
maintain an attitude of respect for others, be open-minded
and willing to compromise, and know how to work together
calmly to resolve conflicts.
Understanding different cultures is not only critical, but it
also promotes ample coexistence.
You will have free time during the camp. We know
sometimes we all need time for ourselves. Weekends are
free, and it’s usually when we have the excursions. However,
when this is not possible the camp leader will still plan
activities with the group, it usually involves hiking, planning a
picnic, or even going for a swim.
Last Day:
Before you depart on the last day, all the camp will have a
general house cleaning. You will all make sure that you don’t
leave any rubbish behind. it is always nice to leave the house
cleaner than the way you found it!
We recommend packing lunch for your day trip. Make sure
you leave your room clean & tidy. Please remember to
change your bedsheets.
Please make sure you have completed your Evaluation Form.
Ask your camp leader for the link.
Make sure you have packed all of your belongings! You will
be picked up in the afternoon. Arrival in Reykjavik is around 18:00 hrs. Please
note that we will drop you off at City Hall or at the BSI bus
station.