Description

The project participants will be working in the restoration and renovation works at one of the most remote light houses in the Icelandic western fjords. The work will be done at the light house and its surrounding area. The volunteers will be working on fixing and face-lifting the lighthouse and its closest surroundings: doing painting work, clearing and taking down some old fences, starting the reparation of the sheep pen, tearing down an old stable and laying the foundations for a new one. Part of the stable will not be torn down and needs to be covered for time being.

Volunteers will also work on maintaining and building walking paths. The renovation works inside the lighthouse may include repairing walls, painting, changing some of the glass windows and work in the staircase to the tower.

This volunteer project has an educational/awareness-raising approach to environmental, nature-protection and sustainable development topics. Apart from the group leader, we will have an environmental messenger, a person dedicated to organising and developing fun, interactive and educational activities within the project.

Highlights

Outdoor activities such as hikes in the area will be arranged free of charge for the volunteers.

The lighthouse is located in the West Fjords, one of the most breathtaking and beautiful areas in the country, which is at the same time the least visited and most remote area of Iceland.

The place cannot be reached by car and there are no roads connecting the location; it can be reached only by boat or by foot. It is a paradise for nature enthusiasts. The region accounts for 10% of the country's surface but only about 7200 people live there, so it is one of the least populated areas of Europe. The Westfjords are very mountainous; the coastline is made by dozens of fjords surrounded by steep hills.

The region is bounded by Breidfjordur in the south, with Gilsfjordur cutting into the land from the west and Bitrufjordur from the east, the two almost severing the ragged peninsula from the main mass of Iceland. The West Fjords are made up of Isafjardar-, Bardastrandar-, and Strandir Counties.

In the Westfjords you will be able to explore the whole range of Icelandic flora from the shore and meadows, through birch to mossy moors. On the shore, one can see birds and seals and then an occasional arctic fox around the sheep.
Fishing is traditionally the main industry in the region but tourism started to be more and more important as local and foreign visitors are discovering this region in rising numbers.

Qualifications

Volunteers participating in this project should not be afraid of the sea as transport by boat will be regular; previous experience is an asset but not a requirement.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

USD 290

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• Registration fees
• Written materials pre-departure

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

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

This Program is open to

American and Canadian Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

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.