2006-ISL-8. Grænt Farfuglaheimili – Green Hostel

Description :

The basic aim of the project, Grænt Farfuglaheimili – Green Hostels, is to raise awareness about environmental issues, both within Icelanders and among the International guests of the Hostelling International Association in Iceland. Goals to reach:

1. Keep on working on the Environmental policy and guidelines of the hostel, as laid in the Environmental charter before.
2. Development of means to make employees and guests (individuals and groups) aware of practices to reduce and limit their impact on nature. Volunteer(s) will have to pass the environmental message to a wider audience.

   A range of ways will be explored to show and explain in practical works, speeches and printed material how environmental matters are tied in with methods of travelling, daily life and each person's actions.

   The scope of activities for the volunteers will change during their stay and can be chronologically clearly divided in five (5) different stages: On-arrival training and language orientation (stage 1), research for the work in the hostel (2), organising, compiling and producing information about environmental-friendly awareness and responsible travelling (3), developing a more environmental friendly atmosphere in the hostel (4) and evaluation and planning for next volunteers (5).

3. Introduction to the Hostel and getting to know the life in the hostel (0,5-0,75 months/2-3 weeks)

   During the first days of the volunteer’s stay in Iceland, the volunteer will have several introduction and training meetings with the Hostel’s staff as with her/his working team on her/his project, ways of working, agenda and planning, evaluation methods and possible results. Weekly meetings with the supervising and guiding staff member(s) will be scheduled in order to follow up closely the development of tasks and to reschedule the activities if needed.

   She/he will be given enough information and resources as knowledge on the association, its aims, philosophy and Environmental policy. Part of the orientation should be to live in the Hostel, talk to the guests from their side, take part in the activities that are in offer outside of the city and to the Hostel Team by doing some work with them and by doing so, getting to know the Hostel as the main work field.

   Getting the sufficient knowledge to understand how the hostel works, taking part in some of the regular work activities in the different areas and meeting both guests and staff members (e.g. in the offices, at the reception, in the kitchen, at the camp-site etc…).

4. Researching the attitude of the staff and guests towards environmental and responsible tourism aspects (0,5–0,75 months / 2-3 weeks)

   At this stage volunteers will gather information and acquire knowledge about the different perspectives towards the environmental issues and responsible travelling, surveys among guests and staff members will be undertaken. During this period it will be important to understand the different types of guests the youth hostel receives.

   Having organised and structured discussions with both guests and staff about their awareness but also their willingness to learn and change. The volunteer will make an overview of topics and discuss these with individuals or groups of both guests and staff members. She/he will summarise the results and base his coming work on this.

   Investigation about other methodologies used by other Icelandic hostels might be undertaken and perhaps some visits to their sites can be organised in order to visit them and hold talks with the responsible staff members around the country.

5. Organising, compiling and producing information about environmental-friendly awareness and responsible travelling. (2-2,5 months / 8-10 weeks)

   During this stage the volunteer will evaluate the information gathered and produce information compiling sets of best practices and actions to be undertaken by both staff members and guests in order to lower the impact we have on nature and environment in our daily life and while travelling. Materials to produce may be:

   • Handbooks, tool kits or leaflets to be distributed both to guests, staff and visitors of the Hostel.
   • Posters to be displayed in the premises of the Youth Hostel
   • Creation of a green board, to promote the environmental concerns shared by the association and a free space for individuals and groups to access information about the work develop by the hostel itself and the network in Iceland.
   • An environmental friendly guide for hostels in Iceland including f.i. addresses of biological/environmental friendly producers/farmers, evaluation of practices, etc...
   • Documents to be used for promotion of the Youth hostel and its environmental policy, like in the website, press releases, etc.
   • Documents are going to be produced in electronic format as well in order to make it easier to share and distribute among other Hostels, associations and interested individuals. A knowledge database will be created and documents will be updated or adjusted by upcoming volunteers.

6. Developing a more environmental friendly atmosphere in the hostel (2,5-3 months / 10-12 weeks).

   Volunteer’s tasks during this period aim at sharing and disseminating the knowledge and experience gained after gathering and evaluating the work done. The goal of the volunteer’s work will be distribute the habits and practices to:

   • The guests and staff: Informing and organising educational activities, using adequate means of communication, on topics of importance as recycling, efficient use of energy and its conservation, biological/organic agriculture, the importance of nutritional equilibrium to health, fair and social responsible trade and travelling/tourism.
   • Tasks like giving aid and advice, making information available, easy to find and understand, collecting addresses of producers and manufacturers, etc.
   • Bringing to guests, staff and interested individuals alike, activities and events related to environment, nature protection, responsible tourism and sustainable development. Apart from raising awareness, sharing of knowledge and teaching of easy-to-put-in-practice skills on particular issues, stimulate the inter- and cross-cultural side of the life in the hostel.
   • Developing activities such as study sessions, workshops, group discussions, role games, practical actions on the field, presentations, exhibitions, different exercises, etc.

7. Evaluation and planning stage for the upcoming volunteers. (0,5-1 months / 2-4 weeks)

   In the final period of the voluntary service, the volunteer will have the time to evaluate her/his whole experience and the results of the work. At the end of her/his stay in Iceland, there shall be also a set of recommendations and/or suggestions to continue with the tasks by a new volunteer. Advice and guidance concerning the stages and possible sources of information, contacts and gathered data.

   Volunteers will work 5 days a week (around 35 hours) and will have 2 days off per week. The schedule of activities will be decided jointly once the volunteer arrives during the first stage. Holidays are foreseen as 2 weeks during the whole 6 months. Working hours have to be flexible as many of the activities will take place out of regular working hours.

   For the future, volunteers might help implementing programmes oriented to make the hostel children and environmental friendly at the same time.

   To finalise with, the coordinating organisation –SEEDS, See beyond borders,- will organise an end-of-the-EVS seminar, where we will evaluate the experience as a whole for the volunteers in Iceland.

For more information, plus visit this website: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/program/sos/hei/hei_form_en.cfm?HEID=40000036801

More Information :