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SEEDS 037. Environmental Awareness & Action - Rvk

REYKJAVIK, Iceland

Notes

English will be the language in the camp; basic conversational skills are needed.

In partnership with

The Environmentally Aware & Action project is part of a series of camps organised by SEEDS in cooperation with different partners. SEEDS collaborates with the Icelandic Ministry for Environment and Natural Resources, the City of Reykjavík, and several local stakeholders on a project to clean up the Icelandic coastline. Partners include the Blue Army, an organisation dedicated to the cause of coastal cleaning, SORPA, the waste collection & management entity in the capital area, and Whales of Iceland, an exhibit showcasing life-size models of whales and porpoises to educate the public about their lives and the impact of human activity on their existence.


Description of the Work

This camp allows volunteers to learn about global and local environmental issues through non-formal activities such as workshops, discussions, presentations and visits, as well as to contribute directly to environment protection by joining outdoor cleanup tasks.
These cleanup tasks may be arranged in partnership with the above mentioned organisations or run solely by SEEDS. We also aim to involve the local community, so some of our events may be open to the public. We hope participants will learn how to plan and carry out their own trash cleaning projects back at home. This project is based on similar activities around the world, where outstanding results have been achieved with volunteers. Volunteers can choose one of the two options below, included as hands-on volunteering activity in the camp:
A day trip combining a visit to the Hellisheiði geothermal power plant, a trash collection in the area, and the Hot River Hike, a hike up a valley filled with hot springs where one can bathe.
A day trip to the Reykjanes Peninsula, combined with a coastal cleanup in the area.
Please note that all activities are subject to weather conditions and the availability of our partners.
This camp combines learning, sharing, hands-on work and fun. No previous experience is needed. Volunteers should prepare to share environmental issues from their countries and be ready to spend time outdoors, walking medium to long distances during the cleanups, and during other activities such as sightseeing. Since a part of the project happens outdoors, volunteers should be ready to adapt and be flexible with the work and free-time schedule. Depending on the weather, we may not be able to perform some of the activities as planned.


Accommodation & Food

SEEDS volunteers stay in a house in Reykjavík. The facilities are basic with an equipped kitchen, dining and living room, bathrooms, showers and a washing machine. Everyone is expected to show consideration for their companions. Accommodation is in shared rooms, with up to 6 people per room. Please bring your own towel.
Volunteers will receive food supplies and will be in charge of cooking and cleaning. Please note the food SEEDS provides will be vegetarian. Do not forget to bring some traditional/typical food, drinks, recipes, music, games or movies from your country for the intercultural evening. Please be aware some items or ingredients may be expensive in Iceland and you will need to buy them yourselves or bring them from your country.


Location & Leisure

Reykjavík is a dynamic, modern city which lives in harmony with nature, using renewable energy sources. The world’s northernmost capital bridges the Atlantic, situated between Europe and North America. Reykjavík is spread across a peninsula with a panoramic view of the mountains and the Atlantic. It is an international city with a lively cosmopolitan cultural scene surrounded by beautiful nature.


Requirements

Participation fee EUR 400 (Euros). The fee can either be transferred in advance via bank transfer, or paid in cash on arrival. It includes food, accommodation, transport from the meeting point to the camp (on the first day), activities, and one trip combined with the trash collection (Hot River or Reykjanes).


Appointment

Meeting time will be 18:00 (6:00 pm) on June 14 at the SEEDS office. Participants that cannot arrive on time (later flights) will receive instructions on how to reach the camp location. Those arriving earlier the same day are welcome from 10:00 am in the office to drop their bags/luggage and wait for the meeting time.


Host Organization

About SEEDS SEEDS Iceland was founded in 2005 as a non-governmental, non-profit volunteer organisation with international scope. Our main activities relate to the promotion of environmental protection and awareness, intercultural understanding and peace, through voluntary work on social, cultural and environmental projects in Iceland. We aim to empower, inform and expand the horizons of people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds, to inform and share with them about the world in which we live and to take an active role in its future development. SEEDS provides opportunities to live, learn, understand and experience, while sharing and cooperating with others from different cultures and backgrounds. SEEDS Projects & Activities SEEDS works closely with local communities, local authorities and other Icelandic associations both to develop projects in partnership, aimed at fulfilling an identified need, and to give vital assistance to established initiatives. Projects are designed to be mutually beneficial to all involved: the volunteers and participants, the local hosting communities and Iceland as a whole. By having a diverse array of projects and bringing together people from different backgrounds, creating more opportunities; we try to fulfil our vision and build on our founding ideas. Activities developed by SEEDS include: Voluntary service, International learning camps and exchanges, Internships and lifelong learning programmes, Awareness-raising initiatives and campaigns, Seminars and training sessions Cultural, artistic and educational exhibitions Our projects in Iceland are funded and supported by: Contributions from volunteers and participants in the projects The Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission Engagement of our long-term volunteers and interns Additional non-financial contributions in kind from the local hosts of the projects We are members of the Icelandic National Youth Council (LÆF), the Icelandic Environment Association (LANDVERND), the Senior European Volunteers Exchange Network (SEVEN) and work actively as partner organisation of the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organisations (The Alliance) and Service Civil International (SCI). During 2025 we organised 82 different projects located in every corner of Iceland; we hosted around 1000 International volunteers from more than 40 different countries! Volunteers performed different types of tasks. For instance, ecological research, removing invasive plant growth, building hiking trails, cleaning up the coastline, reforestation and erosion control work as well as construction or renovation of buildings, monuments and artistic heritage. In cultural, festival and sports related projects, SEEDS came into action by helping in the organisation of the events and also by taking an active part in them. SEEDS also works to promote sustainable tourism in local communities, supporting the local economy and helping to keep small and remote towns alive. SEEDS’ Philosophy We bring together volunteers and hosts from different nationalities and backgrounds, aiming at building up intercultural understanding and encouraging peace, while working for an identified need within a community. We enable our participants and volunteers to get to know Iceland from a different perspective, to meet the locals and have an insight into Icelandic culture, learn new skills, gain intercultural understanding, make new friends all over the world, and give something back to the environment. Through our Environmentally Aware programme, SEEDS shares environmental messages with the international and local participants in our projects. The rewards for the volunteers, participants, communities and ecosystems are massive, while interacting with local and foreign individuals, they learn about various cultures, have the opportunity to build friendships and develop new skills working in challenging and unfamiliar surroundings.