About SEEDS Iceland Founded in 2005, SEEDS

About SEEDS Iceland Founded in 2005, SEEDS is an Icelandic non-governmental, non-profit volunteer organisation designed to promote social and cultural understanding, environmental protection and awareness through volunteer work on environmental, social and cultural projects in Iceland. We work closely with local communities and volunteers to develop and implement projects that are beneficial to all involved: the international volunteers, the local hosting communities, Iceland, and Europe as a whole. SEEDS' aims Our aims are to promote the values of solidarity, tolerance, equality, acceptance, justice, freedom and respect for human life and nature through volunteering. As well as to empower, inform and expand the horizons of people of all ages and backgrounds, to become better citizens of the world and take an active role in future social development. At SEEDS, solidarity stands for unity and mutual support of shared interests, objectives and standards to create community across gender, nationality, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. SEEDS' objectives are to: - Facilitate the access of young people to volunteering projects which affect positive societal, cultural and environmental changes; - Create accessible safe spaces and opportunities for intercultural exchange, international dialogue and cooperation; - Support the development and improvement of personal, educational, social, professional, cultural and creative-thinking skills; - Ensure diversity, inclusion and representation in the groups of volunteers we support, as well as in the organisations we cooperate with, and the themes and projects we focus on; - Ensure that we practice social inclusion and equity, especially in supporting young people with fewer opportunities; - Promote volunteerism as a powerful method of non-formal education, and civic development. SEEDS target group Our target group are motivated individuals who show an interest towards volunteering work, self- and community development, international cooperation, environmental issues & preservation practices, and cultural expression and creativity. We pay special attention to individuals with fewer opportunities, whether because of their socioeconomic and educational background, age, or geographical location. At any given point in times, SEEDS host groups of a maximum 8-12 ESC long-term volunteers and 2-4 ESC short-term volunteers. SEEDS activities can be broken down according to the season. During the summer period (May - September): - Nature & Conservation camps in locations around Iceland in partnership with local municipalities, local NGOs, forestry association, etc. - Photography and Environmental Awareness non-formal learning camps in the capital area; - Social and cultural projects in the capital area. During the winter (October - April) all SEEDS camps and activities take place in the capital area: - Photography and Environmental Awareness non-formal learning camps; - Social and cultural projects in the capital area; - Virtual non-formal learning camps on Environmental Awareness and Intercultural Exchange. Currently, SEEDS host the following individuals in our activities from the ESC programme: - long-term ESC volunteers (aged 18-30) for 5-12 months; - short-term ESC volunteers (aged 18-30) for a period of 2-8 weeks. Furthermore, SEEDS also host self-funding volunteers in the following roles: - camp participants (16-75y) from all over the world, for 2-4 weeks; - long-term volunteers (LTV), (18-70y) mostly from Europe and North America, for 3-12 months who self-fund their travelling, but receive food, accommodation, transport and pocket money from SEEDS.