Sólheimar Internship Programme - Information document
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Sólheimar Internship
Programme
– Information document
-1-
1. Applicant Information
This information will give you details about Sólheimar internship programme. Read through the information before
applying please. If there are any questions about the internship programme please contact us.
In this document you will find information on:
Contents
1. APPLICANT INFORMATION ...................................................................................................................................... - 2 -
2. SÓLHEIMAR INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME - OVERVIEW AND MISSION STATEMENT .................................................. - 4 -
2.1 Programme Sessions and Deadlines ........................................................................................................................................- 5 -
2.2 The Sólheimar Community ......................................................................................................................................................- 5 -
3. SÓLHEIMAR INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME INFORMATION ......................................................................................... - 6 -
3.1 What We Look for in an Applicant and Our Expectations of Interns ........................................................................................- 6 -
3.1.1 Our Expectations............................................................................................................................................................... - 6 -
3.1.2 What We Look for in an Applicant ..................................................................................................................................... - 8 -
3.2 Internship opportunities: .........................................................................................................................................................- 9 -
3.2.1 Sesseljuhús– environmental internship ............................................................................................................................. - 9 -
3.2.2 Sunna - organic tree nursery – greenhouse and herb workshop ....................................................................................... - 11 -
3.2.3 Organic Food production – Organic Bakery internship – Nærandi .................................................................................... - 11 -
3.2.4 Service learning (grocery store and coffee shop) ............................................................................................................. - 12 -
3.2.5 Art workshop internship (candle-making, weaving, art, ceramics, woodwork, paper workshop)....................................... - 12 -
3.2.6 Carpentry – Village maintenance ..................................................................................................................................... - 13 -
4. WORK WEEK AND EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES .............................................................................. - 13 -
4.1 Typical Internship Programme Work Week ...........................................................................................................................- 13 -
4.2 Introduction to Icelandic language and culture......................................................................................................................- 14 -
4.3 Evaluation procedures and Group Intern Meetings ...............................................................................................................- 14 -
5. COMMUNITY LIFE .................................................................................................................................................. - 15 -
5.1 Housing – Hraunprýði (house for interns and volunteers) .....................................................................................................- 15 -
5.2 Lunch hall ..............................................................................................................................................................................- 16 -
-2-
5.3 Social activity’s ......................................................................................................................................................................- 16 -
6. TRAVEL .................................................................................................................................................................. - 16 -
6.1 Travel from and to Sólheimar ................................................................................................................................................- 16 -
6.1.1 Personal travel ................................................................................................................................................................ - 17 -
6.2 Travel in Iceland ....................................................................................................................................................................- 17 -
7. PRACTICAL THINGS ................................................................................................................................................ - 18 -
7.1 Regarding VISA - residence permit.........................................................................................................................................- 18 -
7.2 Criminal records ....................................................................................................................................................................- 19 -
7.3 Insurances, health and safety concerns in Sólheimar .............................................................................................................- 19 -
7.4 Cost .......................................................................................................................................................................................- 19 -
7.5 Personal expense and sponsoring ..........................................................................................................................................- 20 -
7.6 Various volunteers, programs and sponsoring .......................................................................................................................- 20 -
8. DIRECTIONS FOR APPLICATIONS............................................................................................................................ - 21 -
-3-
2. Sólheimar Internship Programme - Overview and Mission Statement
The main goal of the internship is to give people the opportunity to assist and take part in the
community of Sólheimar.
With on-going expansion of Sólheimar’s educational opportunities, an
internship programme is being offered for the first time in 2010. This
programme provides a professional opportunity for students to develop
personal and educational goals while gaining insight into environmental,
community sustainability and service under the mentorship of Sólheimar
staff. However Sólheimar have years of experience for hosting volunteers.
The intern programme in Sólheimar is committed to sustainability in a
small eco-village in southern Iceland. Sólheimar is a world-renowned
community for those with special needs, and the internship programme
provides insight into sustainable and compassionate community living with focus on individual student learning projects.
Sólheimar offer seven internship programmes which are:
1) Sesseljuhús – environmental sustainability internship,
2) Sunna Organic Horticulture, Forestry and herb workshop
3) Nærandi – Food production and Bakery,
4) Service learning (grocery store and coffee shop)
5) Art workshop (weaving, textiles, painting, ceramics, organic soap-
making, candle-making, woodwork)
6) Maintenance and Carpentry
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Au Sep Oct Nov Dec
Sesseljuhús 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Ölur - Forestry 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
Sunna - Greenhouse 1 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 1 1 1 1
Nærandi – Food
production (Bakery) 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
Vala - Coffeshop 1 1 1
Art workshop 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Carpentry 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Number of Interns 7 7 9 9 9 13 13 13 7 7 7 7
-4-
2.1 Programme Sessions and Deadlines
The applicants will get information regarding internships are offered during the following sessions.
Winter Session: January 2nd - March 30th
Application Deadline: November 1st,
Spring Session: March 1th - June 1st
Application Deadline: January 2nd
Summer Session: June 1th – August 31st
Application Deadline: April 1st ,
Fall Session: September 3rd –November 30th, (or December 30th)
Application Deadline: July 23rd,
NOTE: Sólheimar are looking for long-term interns therefore people can apply and stay for more than one session.
However people living outside EU can only apply for one session (see chapter 5.5)
2.2 The Sólheimar Community
Sólheimar (the “home of the sun”) is located in Grímsnes in the
south of Iceland and was founded on July 5th 1930 by a
pioneering woman: Sesselja H. Sigmundsdóttir (1902-1974).
Today all activities in this small Eco-village are based on her
lifework and visions. Inspired by the theories of Rudolf Steiner,
Sesselja’s focus was the interaction between the individual and
the environment. Sesselja was a passionate advocate for
integrating children with and without disabilities, and it was
here in Sólheimar where this vision was brought to life. She
made a home for children in Sólheimar and focused her work on organic
horticulture (the first in Scandinavia), healthy food and artistic
expression. Many of these ideas sparked controversy with the
authorities because at the time, it was perceived that “healthy” children
should not play with those with special needs. It was also viewed that
the high-vegetable diet promoted by Sesselja was in fact not healthy for
the children. Such disagreements have since faded into history and the
Sólheimar community continues to support a healthy lifestyle for those
with and without special needs. Sesselja was a great environmentalist
and had great interest and knowledge in bio dynamics and organic
agriculture and gardening.
Today, Sólheimar is not a children’s home but a community where the goal is to give every individual an opportunity to
live in a sustainable society. Sólheimar provides home and work to 43 adult individuals with special needs and in total,
more than 100 people reside in Sólheimar. Today, Sólheimar is not as affected by the theories of Rudolf Steiner as it was
in Sesselja’s time but there are some influences from Sesselja era. Even though Sólheimar is a part of Global Eco-village
-5-network we are aware of our pros and cons regarding to sustainability. However, we are always improving our self
towards sustainability in all means.
Short and long-term volunteers have also worked in Sólheimar for much
of its history and their input into the community continues to promote
sustainability. Study-abroad programmes and internship vacancies also
draw people to Sólheimar and with 30,000-35,000 guests visiting
Sólheimar every year; it has become a popular tourist destination year-
round.
The aim of Sólheimar is to maximize the potential of each individual. This
community is internationally renowned for its artistic and ecological
atmosphere and prides itself on its varied cultural, social, and sporting
activities.
The activity in Sólheimar is versatile. In the village, there are organic
greenhouses for vegetable cultivation and an organic forestry, the only
one to exist in Iceland. There is also a shop/gallery, a café, a bakery,
guesthouses and many art exhibitions throughout the year. There are a
total of six workshops in the village; a candle workshop, ceramics,
weaving, carpentry, fine art atelier and a herbal workshop that makes
soaps, creams, paper etc.
You will also find a church, sculpture garden, arboretum, sports hall, gym
and a swimming pool, music garden and an art gallery. During summer and winter, cultural festivals are held which
involve music, fine art and theatre which bring the Sólheimar community together. The eco-centre Sesseljuhús opened
in 2002 where most conferences, meetings and other gatherings are held both for the village and visitors.
3. Sólheimar Internship Programme Information
Below you will find specific information about the work and educational components of the internship programme, our
expectations of interns and guidelines for application.
3.1 What We Look for in an Applicant and Our Expectations of Interns
3.1.1 Our Expectations
The intern programme is open to current students (college
undergraduate or graduate level) and non-students (18 and older), but
preference is given to those who demonstrate initiative, enthusiasm,
personal motivation and educational/training background with a focus on
community sustainability, artistic skills/training, environmental studies,
and/or specific research focused on Sólheimar’ s needs.
-6-The main goal of the internship is to give people the opportunity to assist and take part in the
community of Sólheimar.
Main goal of the internship in non-formal learning: Is to take part in the community of Sólheimar, learn to learn, about
communication, about new cultures and inform other people about your own culture, personal growth, be independent
and learn the ability to work with other people and to be broadminded.
Program is formed by:
Work
Culture
Community
Nature
Social activity’s
The specific goals of the internship programme are:
To introduce students to one of the world’s oldest and most unique eco-villages and to the everyday realities of
the organisation’s work
To develop an understanding of how sustainability is achieved through community
To craft individual learning objectives for the experience
To provide work experience and help to clarify the career path of the student by providing a real life opportunity
in his/her field
To develop relationships with persons in his/her field and supply future job opportunities
To provide an understanding of community, sustainability, and the environment
To enhance the student’s knowledge of Icelandic culture, language, and history
To foster a sense of individuality, independence, and personal growth
These goals are achieved through the intern programme’s mentorship and structure. The primary mentor of the intern
programme is project are the staff members of Sesseljuhús. However, each internship programme has its own individual
mentor.
You should be curious in the philosophy of Sólheimar. We expect interns to have a willingness to learn through
understanding and to also work hard to be involved in preserving a strong community. You as an intern need to be
reliable, interested, patient and flexible within our community. We expect commitment in both the daily work session
and insist that each intern gives their full effort and determination in providing something for the community.
All successful interns work a full eight-hour day from Monday to Friday and are expected to partake throughout the
whole of the internship. All tasks play an important part in the process of Sólheimar therefore they need to be finished
efficiently and to a high standard in order to guarantee the successful development of the village.
Sólheimar is a community with people that are always willing to help. We expect interns to selflessly participate in our
community in a positive, enthusiastic way. We ask everyone to do their best to make Sólheimar a pleasant place to live
and work.
-7-3.1.2 What We Look for in an Applicant
We want every applicant to offer exciting and different experiences into the
group thus creating a diverse range of people with various interests from a
variety of different backgrounds. We are also looking for applicants that have
theoretical knowledge related to their particular work field in Sólheimar or
people that are seeking practical experience. Therefore, acceptance to our
programme is dependent on the variety of qualities we feel a candidate can add
to our community and sustainable growth.
You must be interested in working with people with disabilities.
You must be responsible and motivated to work.
You should be ready to learn Icelandic.
You should have ability to adjust to the prevailing situations at the project site.
You should be aware of long, cold and dark winter days and nights in Iceland, and also of the bright summer
nights when the sun hardly sets down.
You should be open-minded, flexible, enthusiastic, independent, and responsible and be interested in working
with people.
Here at Sólheimar we work hard, but we also like to have a good social life so
being able to balance work and ‘play’ is essential. We are looking for a person
that is extremely adaptable, has an optimistic approach towards life and can
enjoy their time here in this unique community.
Sólheimar interns will gain practical knowledge and understanding during their
time here in the community. You must be realistic about the goals you set
yourself while working in Sólheimar: immediate fulfilment is not realistic. As an
intern, you must be willing to take direction and instructions from others and to
be committed to the structure of the work day in order to remain in a
constructed environment. There will be possibilities to study new expertise and
work together with other people who can often offer a rich amount of
knowledge making the work you do very rewarding.
-8-3.2 Internship opportunities:
Sólheimar offers seven internship programmes which are:
1) Sesseljuhús – environmental internship,
2) Forestry
3) Organic Horticulture,
4) Nærandi – Food production and Bakery,
5) Service learning (grocery store and coffee shop)
6) Art workshop (weaving, textiles, painting, ceramics, organic soap-making, candle-making, woodworking,
7) Carpentry
3.2.1 Sesseljuhús– environmental internship
Sesseljuhús is a sustainable building and an
educational centre focusing on environmental issues.
Educational events take place in a variety of ways
throughout the year, such as Study Abroad
Programmes for foreign students, educational
meetings for the general public and exhibitions.
Sesseljuhús is the main supervision for internships in
Sólheimar and also for the Sólheimar guesthouse.
We are looking for people that are dedicated to working on environmental issues.
The main focus:
Summer:
A. Over the summertime we are looking for a person that has great interest in eco-tourism and guesthouses. This
task is a great opportunity for a person that has great interest in eco –tourism and is willing to run a guesthouse
or a hotel in the future. The main tasks would be develop eco – tourism in Sólheimar, welcoming guests, have
guided tour, cleaning and maintenance of rooms and guesthouse, receptionist , serving the guests, answering
the phone to guesthouse-related queries etc. That mean that the intern need to be sometime on shift on
evenings and over weekends
Winter/Spring:
B. In the summertime Sesseljuhús make an educational eco-
exhibition for general public in the Sesseljuhús. The main goal of
the exhibitions is to education people about environmental
issues and sustainability. Therefor we are looking for a person
that is willing to develop and make environmental educational
exhibition. This is a great opportunity for a person that have a
great interest or a background in sustainability studies, art,
design, architecture, environmental studies etc. Selected person
need to be present on the opening of the exhibitions in the
beginning of June each year.
-9-Winter, fall:
C. Take part in developing sustainable tourism in Sólheimar for long term educational groups. Invite and promote
“study abroad programmes”, yoga programmes, and educational workshops to host their programme in
Sólheimar. Develop Sólheimar educational workshops both sponsored by EU educational funds and for people
that came privately.
D. Make a research how to generate electricity out of Sólheimar hot water. Sólheimar have its own hot water drill
hole and we want to make electricity with that. Therefore we are looking for a person that have a good
knowledge regarding to this issues and is willing to do a research about this matter.
E. Development of waste management for Sólheimar. In Sólheimar there is a structural wetland with natural
cleaning of sewage and wastewater treatment. We are willing to improve the wetland with the concept of
“living machine”. Also we would like to do a research regarding methanol from the sewage treatment. Therefore
we are looking of an individual that have good knowledge and interest regarding these matter.
F. Energy Park. The idea behind the Energy Park -“Clean energy – a better world “project is to create an
educational – and amusement show/park regarding renewable energy for tourists and educational groups. We
are making an interesting educational material for children that we need the intern to take part in. In the
outdoor exhibition, it will be possible to view and study the following energy resources: solar energy, wind
power, hydropower, geothermal heat and bioenergy. The main goal is to connect all those energy production
units with educational – and information materials to create a clear and modern form of “Clean energy – a
better world” show/park.
G. Regarding the geothermal area we need to design the area as a botanical garden or a nice outdoor area.
Therefore we are looking for an intern that has a landscape architecture background (or similar) or carpentry or
similar background and would like to take part in creative and challenging project. This is a great opportunity for
an intern to get a practical knowledge in the field of urban planning, gardening, landscape architecture or
carpentry.
H. Developing an ecological building database and case-study of Sesseljuhús (This may interest environmental
engineering and architecture students. Research traditional Icelandic design and sustainable-building design
with development of blueprints for future Sólheimar construction projects and database development for
sustainable building resources in Iceland).
I. All year around: Everyone in Sesseljuhús take part in: Due to Sesseljuhús being the main supervision for
Sólheimar Guesthouse, we are also looking for someone willing to take the time to assist as a guesthouse
receptionist at various points throughout their internship. They will be expected to help with reservations,
serving the guests, answering the phone to guesthouse-related queries etc. as part of their time here. That
mean that the intern need to be sometime on shift on evenings and over weekends.
- 10 -3.2.2 Sunna - organic tree nursery – greenhouse and herb workshop
With an annual production of 18 tons of organic vegetables, Sunna is one of the
largest producers in Iceland. Among other things, Sólheimar’s local greenhouse
grows tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, salad greens, and mini cucumbers.
It’s the only organic forestry in Iceland producing over 400,000 trees every
year.
Using traditional recipes and even experimenting with a wide range of organic
herbs, the soap-making workshop is the most anthroposophical of all the
workshops. In addition to making soap, this workshop also produces shampoos,
face creams and hand wax.
Sunna is looking for an intern that has some background or great interest in working in a successful greenhouse, forestry
and herb workshop and someone who is dedicated to take organic horticulture to a higher level. If you are hardworking,
polite and like to work with a wide range of characters in a unique atmosphere, this is the job for you.
Main projects of the tree nursery are: 1. General maintenance of the tree nursery i.e. weeding, sorting, potting, watering
etc. 2. Propagation of various species of trees/shrubs/herbs. 3. Leading and managing volunteer groups with various
planting projects. 4. Learning methods of practise for organic forestry/horticulture.
Main tasks of the greenhouses are: Picking, sorting and packaging vegetables, Groom the plants and the ground,
Planting, Watering, weeding and placing pest controls, Washing, cutting and bagging, loads of vegetables for the bakery
or dining hall.
Main tasks of herb workshop: Picking herbs, drying, preparing, assisting in soap making, packing and labelling.
3.2.3 Organic Food production – Community kitchen - Organic Bakery internship – Nærandi
Bread, cakes and buns are baked daily in the bakery and not only sold locally in
Vala and Græna Kannan but also have successful sales in Reykjavík. In the
kitchen breakfast is prepared for guests of the guesthouses, lunch is made for
the community and dinner. The future product line will consist of bread, cakes,
bunds and other delicates from the bakery and chutney, jam, ketchup, mustard
and other organic sauces from the food production. The plan as well is to pack
organic raw food materials for the consumer market. Nærandi is looking for an
intern that has some background or great interest in food production, like to
make vegetarian food and someone who is willing to learn and take directions.
If you feel you could bring creativity, initiative and a jolly character to the food
production sector of Sólheimar, then you would enjoy being a part of this here in the village.
Main Tasks are:
Pack products
Layer and arrange baked goods
Keep the work place clean,
Prepare ingredients for all the recipes and even at times
- 11 - Collect rhubarb from Sólheimar’s local rhubarb patch
“Frosti was fantastic to work with and always offered a helping hand when I seemed to struggle. Working with food is actually a
tricky business as products need to be made to perfection in order to sell successfully, so I learnt lots of skills in accuracy and just
making sure I completed the job to my full potential.”
Heather Thompson Intern 2010
3.2.4 Service learning (grocery store and coffee shop)
Vala is the town store that provides a wide range of amenities for the residents
and visitors. Organic produce, much of it grown at Sunna, is sold along with
other organic and traditional products as well as imported goods to suit the
residents’ needs. The Sólheimar Gallery, which sells products made in the
workshops, is in the same building as Vala.
Sólheimar coffee house, Græna Kannan, is completely organic. Once a former
greenhouse, the café has long opening hours all summer and during the advent
season. Many small concerts and social occasions are held here year round.
We are looking for a person that wants to gain valuable experience in service-work in a diverse community. If you work
hard, are polite, have fantastic customer service skills and willing to learn new ways of serving the community, this
internship could appeal to you.
3.2.5 Art workshop internship (candle-making, weaving, art, ceramics, woodwork, paper workshop)
Beeswax and paraffin candles for indoor and outdoor use are produced in the
candle-making workshop. Wax sculptures are also produced here and festive
candles to celebrate Christmas and Easter are very popular amongst the
community. It works in cooperation with a national petrol station chain and the
Reykjavík waste authority, which collect candle waste from all over Iceland on
behalf of Sólheimar. (Ten percent of the candles are made from biodynamic bees
wax).
The textile studio produces rugs, tablecloths, bags and other hand-woven
products and is operated almost entirely on donated and recycled materials by
shops, companies and the general public, as well as left over wool from woollen
mills. From old hotel linens to scrap yarn to disused jeans - there is nothing that
can’t be used to make some sort of table cloth, scarf, or other textile!
A wide range of beautiful and unique products are made in the art workshop.
The focus here is painting and the creation of art, for example from paper
maché, made from recycled paper, wool and silk. From felted apples to recycled
paper bowls, the work here focuses on creativity and letting everyone express
their own individual ideas.
- 12 -The ceramics workshop produces both functional items and art pieces. It is known for its bright colours and cheery work
environment. Currently, the most popular sculpture of a distinctive character was created by a member of the
community and a large amount of these are sold on a regular basis.
The craft of woodworking is a patient one. High quality instruments, toys, and decorations are made here. There is the
freedom to create new wooden crafts that can be sold in Vala and with a wide range of tools, the possibilities are
endless.
We are looking for an intern that has a background or great interest in any of the workshops mentioned above. The
intern should be willing to learn and take directions from those around them but also to be independent and have many
ideas of their own.
It’s very important to have in mind that interns are working with disable people; therefore the pace in the workshop is
rather slow.
> Sustainability of the Workshops <
In the workshops, emphasis is placed on using natural, raw, and organic materials. Recycling is also an important factor
and is essential to the operation of the weavery, the art workshop, and the soap-making workshop.
3.2.6 Carpentry – Village maintenance
In Sólheimar there is always a need for maintenance and the village is constantly undergoing renovation. Sólheimar is
looking for a skilful person that is willing to work an important role in the community. Applicants must have experience
of working in carpentry with such skills including making wood platforms, small walking bridges, windows etc. It is also
desirable that potential interns have had experience as a plumber, electrician etc.
“Working alongside the carpenters in Solheimar I learned valuable skills in roofing, window and siding repair and
construction. We worked with hand tools such as hammers, chisels and drills, as well as power equipment in the machine
shop such as planers, table saws and grinders.” Brennan Long 2010.
4. Work week and Educational and Cultural Activities
4.1 Typical Internship Programme Work Week
The Internship Programme is based on a 35 hour work-week; approximately 34 hours are devoted to work and 1-2 hours
are devoted to an educational component of the programme when Icelandic lesson is offered.
Interns’ days start at 7:00, 8:00 or 9:00 (depending on the workstation) followed by a morning meeting at 9:00 with the
whole community to discuss plans for the day and to make announcements. Coffee breaks are two times twenty
minutes. Lunch is served at 12.00 for one hour and work resumes at 13.00 for the afternoon and the working day
finishing at 15:00, 16:00 or 17:00 (depending on the workstation).
The following is a typical weekly schedule for an intern participating in the session to give applicants an idea of how
work and the complementary educational activities are interspersed throughout the week. There will be free time
during the evenings and weekends but sometimes activities are arranged within the community which an intern should
be willing to take part in.
- 13 -Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
8:00 – Nærandi Nærandi Nærandi Nærandi Nærandi
9:00 work work work work work
9:00 – Morning Morning Morning Morning Morning Free time Free time
9:15 meeting meeting meeting meeting meeting
9:15 – Icelandic Work Work Work Work Free time Free time
10:30 lesson
10:30 – Icelandic Work Work Work Work Free time Free time
12:00 lesson
12:00- Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Free time Free time
13:00
13:00 - Work Work Work Work Work Free time Free time
17:00
(16:00)
17:00 – Basketball Soup and
18:00 bread
4.2 Introduction to Icelandic language and culture
Interns will spend a portion of the working week participating in various
planned educational activities that will enhance their experience of living and
working in Sólheimar. These activities will be interspersed throughout the week
and include Icelandic language lessons, educational presentations (often
presented by students) and a field trip.
About one and a half hour Icelandic lesson will be held once a week for three
months depending on the time we have. Lessons can be from five – ten times.
All interns participate in this class no matter what their level of proficiency. The
class is geared mostly towards beginners’ conversation/grammar and enables interns to communicate in Icelandic more
effectively both at work and while travelling. Icelandic homework will be assigned on a weekly basis. Please be aware
that if you have already studied Icelandic or lived in Iceland, this class will most likely be repetitive but we believe you
will continue to benefit from being refreshed with such skills.
Interns will also go on planned field trips every once in a while thug out the year. Trips are made to areas of cultural and
educational interest such as historical sites, national parks, museums, organic production facilities etc. One exciting trip
will be at the beginning of your internship which takes you to the Golden Circle (Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss).
NOTE: Because of different circumstances there is a possibility that an intern will not be offered a trip or Icelandic
lesson.
4.3 Evaluation procedures and Group Intern Meetings
Once a week, in connection of Icelandic lesson, interns are also required to give
a presentation of the work they are taking part in. We expect a short
presentation (10-20 minutes) on a subject of his/her interest regarding
- 14 -Sólheimar, Icelandic culture, wildlife, sustainability, their project, their work, the environment, or anything else that has
to do with an individual Sólheimar experience.
The meeting will also offer the chance to discuss any ideas or concerns that come up during the week so we are here to
listen to any queries an intern may have during your time here.
When the Icelandic lessons are finished the meetings are not as frequent.
In an effort to improve the development of the internship programme in Sólheimar, we will ask interns to inform us of
their goals and what they aim to achieve from our programme when they first arrive. When a particular internship
draws to an end, we will ask interns to evaluate their experience and ask for recommendations in order to continue to
successfully develop our internship programme.
5. Community Life
5.1 Housing – Hraunprýði (house for interns and volunteers)
Hraunprýði is a 16 room dorm. Most of the interns have an ensuite single
room with shared kitchen and living room. There is the possibility that
you will share your room at some point if more interns, volunteers or
visitors come later in the year. There is a laundry room in Hraunprýði
which you can use free of charge with a washer, dryer and a wet room
for clothes to hang. There is also wireless internet provided and one
desktop computer, but it is advised to bring your own laptop if possible
for work and leisure purposes. Please read and follow the house rules at
all times as it is very important that you keep
the house and your room clean and
presentable. If you are ever unhappy with
your housing conditions or have any
problems regarding Hraunprýði, please do
not hesitate to let us know.
Most of the interns and volunteers in
Hraunprýði are long term volunteers (3
months or longer). However short term
volunteers such as worldwide friends only
stay for few weeks therefore it is sometimes for some volunteers and interns difficult to get to know new people and
don’t like the rotation in the House. It’s important that you are flexible, ready to fallow house rules, ready to live with
different people, ready to share space such as kitchen and living room.
Many accessories are also available in Hraunprýði to help reduce the amount that interns need to bring with them to the
village. Bed linen, towels, toilet paper, laundry products and cleaning materials are all accessible within the house.
There is a one desk computer in Hraunprýði so it’s good that Interns and volunteers bring their own laptop for personal
and professional use.
- 15 -In addition we ask for insurance accommodation fee. The fee is ISKR 5000 which interns get back when the hand in the
key of their room, clean room and “Programme evaluation letter”.
5.2 Lunch hall
Lunch is provided Monday to Friday in Vigdísarhús where the community all come together to enjoy their break. Both
vegetarian and non-vegetarian food is served in Vigdísarhús.
Interns will cook breakfast and dinner for themselves during the week and all day Saturday and on Sunday in
Hraunprýði.
5.3 Social activity’s
Balance work and play is essential in the community of Sólheimar. It’s important that intern take part in the social life of
the community and also come up with an ideas
Do you play an instrument or sing?
– Set up a band
– Talk to the music teacher
– Would you like to have a concert?
Would like to schedule some gathering sport activity, card night, game night?
We are looking for a person that is extremely adaptable, has an optimistic approach towards life and can enjoy their
time here in this unique community.
6. Travel
6.1 Travel from and to Sólheimar
Transportation from Reykjavík (the capital) to Sólheimar is not frequent. The intern/ volunteer will be responsible for
arranging his/her fares to the village. Sólheimar is approximately 100 km from Reykjavík.
When you book a flight to Iceland, try to book the cheapest flight. There
is some flexibility for your arrival date but please do your best to arrive
when expected. www.wowair.is and www.icelandair.is are the main
flight companies and there is also the option to take a ferry:
http://www.smyrilline.com/.
NOTE: When you book a flight you need to get early enough that you can
take the last bus (rout 71 or 72) to Minni-Borg (town 9 km away from
Sólheimar). (see www.straeto.is)
To travel from Keflavik airport to Reykjavik bus terminal (BSÍ): You can
take the Fly bus from the Keflavik airport to Reykjavik bus terminal and
you buy tickets at the airport. The Fly Bus leaves 30-40 minutes after
each flight arrival.
http://www.re.is/Flybus/Flugrutan/
- 16 - NOTE: When you book a flight you need to get early enough that you can take the last bus (rout 71 or 72) to
Minni-Borg (town 9 km away from Sólheimar). (see www.straeto.is) Sometimes there is only one bus from
Selfoss town to Minni-Borg.
If your flight arrives in the afternoon we recommend that people book a hostel overnight in Reykjavik and take
the bus day after.
To travel from BSÍ (via Selfoss) to Minni-Borg - Sólheimar: You need to take a bus from BSÍ. Buy tickets for bus
line 51 and 52 to Selfoss and then 71 and 72 on www.straeto.is that goes to Minni-Borg via Selfoss. If you are
unable to catch the bus to Minni-Borg, then arriving at Selfoss will also be sufficient. There are no buses from
Minni-Borg to Sólheimar so you need to get a lift from there. Hitchhiking is possible over the summer time
(June- August) however it’s a long walk for people (9 km) if they don’t get a lift.
NOTE: We only give people a lift from Minni-Borg to Sólheimar if needed, so please be in touch when you know
exactly when you are arriving (contact numbers are found at the end of this information document).
6.1.1 Personal travel
The intern is totally responsible for his travel to and from Sólheimar on weekdays and on weekends. If the intern needs
to travel for example to Reykjavik or Selfoss, he or she needs to organise the trip by him or herself. The staff members of
Sólheimar are not responsible for the interns travel before, during and after the stay here in Sólheimar. As point out
above Sólheimar is a remote place and there are no public transports to Sólheimar, therefore the intern need to
organise your travel in good advance. However the staff members such as workshop leaders, coordinators and mentors
can assist the intern to travel.
6.2 Travel in Iceland
Interns can travel at the weekend and are allowed to take long weekends
throughout the session for more extensive travel using their vacation days. Days
off should not be taken the first and last week of the programme. Travelling is
the best way to learn about Iceland, its nature, culture, language and its people.
It can be inexpensive but food and travel can be more costly in Iceland than the
rest of the world. It is recommended to be prepared and always have some form
of cash on you for travel. Most facilities take debit and credit cards’ so carrying money in Iceland is more convenient.
The intern/volunteer will be responsible for arranging their fares out of the village if one wishes to travel during
weekends and days off. Hitchhiking is definitely a viable option in Iceland and is a lot safer to do than in other countries.
The people who live in Sólheimar often go into the city and are willing to give the interns/volunteer a ride. If you wish
you go to popular tourist destinations, this is also possible to do by hitchhiking
alone but make sure to keep yourself safe and give yourself lots of time to reach
your destination.
Travel in Iceland such as highland and glacier trips can be very tricky and
dangerous; the weather in Iceland can change in seconds. Be very prepared
during trips around Iceland as it is extremely easy to be taken off course:
http://www.safetravel.is
- 17 -“We were also able to travel around together and we had the privilege of travelling to Reykjavík numerous times, hike through
Eyjafjallajökull, drive through the Central Highlands and spend a weekend in the West Fjords.” Heather Thompson Intern 2010
7. Practical things
7.1 Regarding VISA - residence permit
Please read carefully about VISA and residential permit!
Are you going to stay in Iceland for three months?
Interns/ volunteers that live outside EEA and Schengen need a VISA that they apply for in their home country to stay in
Iceland for three months, so-called Travel VISA .
http://utl.is/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16&Itemid=17&lang=en
Interns / volunteers that live outside EEA and Schengen that live in fallowing countries and don’t need a Visa to stay in
Iceland for three months;
http://utl.is/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=57&lang=en
Interns / volunteers that live inside EEA and Schengen and Nordic countries don’t need a Visa to travel to Iceland for
three months.
Are you going to stay in Iceland for six months?
Interns / volunteer that live outside EEA and Schengen need to apply for permit to stay in Iceland for longer than three
months However to get a permit as a Volunteer, you need to come to Iceland via Volunteer Organization from your
home country. To do that contact your local Volunteer organization, register and request them to contact us.
http://utl.is/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=127&lang=en
Interns / volunteers that live inside EEA and Nordic countries don’t need a permit but need to register to the National
Registry (Þjóðskrá) when they arrive.
Are you going to stay in Iceland longer than six months.
Interns / volunteers that live outside EEA and Schengen need to apply for permit to stay in Iceland for longer than three
months. However to get a permit as a Volunteer, you need to come to Iceland via Volunteer Organization from your
home country. To do that contact your local Volunteer organization, register and request them to contact us.
http://utl.is/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=127&lang=en
Interns /volunteers that live inside EEA and Nordic countries don’t need a permit but need to register to the National
Registry (Þjóðskrá) when they arrive.
http://utl.is/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=127&lang=en
- 18 -Nordic countries need to register to the National Registry (Þjóðskrá ) when they arrive.
Please read carefully what document you need to send in when you register to the National Registry (Þjóðskrá) when
you arrive.
http://www.fmr.is/lisalib/getfile.aspx?itemid=5853
7.2 Criminal records
Interns that work in Sólheimar need to provide a criminal record as soon as possible or 2 weeks before they arrive via e-
mail.
You cannot commence work in Sólheimar if you haven’t sent us your criminal record.
Interns needs to have a non-criminal background.
Be sure that you get the document from the highest police institution of your country. Your local police station can
maybe provide it, but it has to come from your state or providence police institution.
7.3 Insurances, health and safety concerns in Sólheimar
Your health and safety is a main concern for us here in Sólheimar. Some interns
working in Ölur, Sunna and carpentry engage in a fair amount of manual work.
Do not do anything that you feel uncomfortable with and please be aware of
your physical limits at all times. Sólheimar will not be liable if an accident is to
occur so you must be prepared with health insurance if you feel you will be at
risk.
If you have any health problems such as asthma, diabetes, allergies or anything
of your concern, please let us know. In case you have any kind of health problem
that requires easy access to health facilities, the nearest hospital is in Laugarás
about 20 km away from Sólheimar,
You as an intern must submit proof of health and medical insurance that cover all hospital visits in Iceland while you are
in Sólheimar. For those who reside in Europe, a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers this accessibility for you.
For those outside of Europe, please check with your medical centre or refer to the link below.
Please read the information on Icelandic health insurance webpage: http://www.sjukra.is/english/
The European Union:
http://www.europeanbenefits.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86%3Aservice-volontaire-
europeen&catid=20%3Acommission-europeenne&Itemid=231&lang=en
7.4 Administration fee/cost
The cost of the program is different depending on the project you are taking part in and agreement that are made.
Sólheimar are taking part in many different projects with organisations and universities and therefore the cost
agreements are very different.
- 19 -There is an ISK 25.000 administration fee for those that apply privately. The fee is solely administration cost. The fee
does NOT include such as trips, Icelandic lessons, golden circle trip and other things that CAN BE offered free by the
community
7.5 Personal expense and sponsoring
The personal expense various regarding how much you are willing to spend.
Item Description/Additional Range of Costs in ISKR
Information
Food Food cost in Iceland 15.000 – 30.000 per month
Airfare (non-Europe to Varies greatly on season and from 30.000
Iceland) departure city
Airfare (in Europe to Iceland) from 15.000
Internship fee Fee 25.000
Room key insurance That you will get back 5000
NOTE: For people that apply privately, Sólheimar only sponsor housing, lunch and food money up to 25.000 ISKR as a
credit in Vala grocery store if the inter apply for that. All other expense is in the responsibility of the Intern.
We don’t expect people that get external sponsoring like Leonardo / Erasmus /University program grant (see chapter
5.10) apply for sponsor from Sólheimar
7.6 Various volunteers, programs and sponsoring
Sólheimar are in a corporation with voluntary organisations such as World Wide friends, and volunteers that
work for Sólheimar and come via WWF get housing, lunch and pocket money for breakfast and dinner.
Some of the interns come via programme such as Erasmus and Leonardo and they have therefore applied for
funds via these programmes before they come to Sólheimar.
Sólheimar is also a Host organisation for European voluntary service (EVS) http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-
action-programme/european-voluntary-service_en.htm and therefor long-term volunteers come to Sólheimar
sponsored by the European Union.
Others also get sponsoring from their University, school funds etc. (see chapter 4.4)
- 20 -8. Directions for Applications
If you are interested in applying to the Sesseljuhús Internship Programme after a thorough review of the information we
have provided, please fill out an application form shown on the website and return it to us by e-mail at
sesseljuhus@solheimar.is. We receive many applications so we ask that you take the time to provide detailed responses
to the questions we have asked. Please give honest, in-depth and truthful answers that will allow us to understand why
you are interested in the Internship Programme and what qualities you feel you can contribute to our community here
at Sólheimar. Your participation in this programme affects other interns, work staff and the community: honest answers
are very important!
We also ask for three letters of reference along with your application: two professional (study or work related) and one
character reference. You, or your reference, can download the reference form directly from our website and they can
send it directly to us via email to sesseljuhus@solheimar.is . All three letters are required by the application deadline
else we are unable to consider you as a potential candidate.
We will review your application once the application deadline has passed and we may contact you with any additional
questions if necessary. We will notify you via email if we are either able or unable to accept you onto the Sólheimar
Intern Programme.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sesseljuhús staff at sesseljuhus@solheimar.is
Mailing Address:
Sesseljuhús +354 4226080 phone
Sólheimar
801 Selfoss sesseljuhus@solheimar.is
Iceland www.solheimar.is
Further information can also be found by typing ‘Solheimar Eco village’ into Google Maps where there are a variety of
pictures and business information. There is also some information on Wikipedia so we hope you find these useful to gain
a better understanding of the village.
On behalf of the community of Sólheimar, we wish you the best of luck on your application as an intern.
- 21 -You can also read
