Refugees and migrants
The Icelandic Red Cross emphasizes safety, wellbeing and access for all, so they are able to thrive in whatever they want to do.
Definitions
An individual who is seeking international protection. In countries with individualized procedures, an asylum-seeker is someone whose claim has not yet been finally decided on by the country in which the claim is submitted. Not every asylum-seeker will ultimately be recognized as a refugee, but every refugee was initially an asylum seeker.
Any person who is outside any country of such person’s nationality or, in the case of a person having no nationality, is outside any country in which such person last habitually resided, and who is unable or unwilling to return to, and is unable or unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of, that country because of persecution or a well founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
Resettlement refugees are usually people who are registered as refugees by the UNHCR, but who cannot be offered a permanent solution in the country they are currently in and who are therefore offered resettlement in a third country.
Guiding friend
In the Guiding friend project, Icelanders and newcomers get to know each other and become friends.
Most persons with international protection like to get to know locals to expand their network, to ask them questions, or simply because it is nice to have local friends or acquaintances. In the Guiding friend project, the Red Cross brings Icelanders and persons with international protection together.
You can be introduced to a Guiding friend if you have recently received international protection.
A Guiding friend is an Icelandic volunteer who gets to know a newcomer. The aim of the Guiding friend project is mutual social integration. Both participants gain a new friend or social contact, and both learn about each other´s culture and traditions. This will help to build bridges between people of different backgrounds. A Guiding friend can make a newcomer feel at home and the projects also provides the volunteer with a valuable and educational experience.
Guiding friends meet for a period of 6 months for 4 to 6 hours per month, every week or every other week. They decide together when and where they will meet. Participants have been meeting each other in places like the library, a café, or each other's homes.
Do you want to meet a guiding friend? Send an email to immigrantsupport@redcross.is or apply here.
Do you want to work with people with international protection?
We're looking for volunteers that are willing to support refugees with Icelandic lessons (18-20 years or older) and be a guiding friend (22 years or older)
Language training
In Tölum saman, Icelanders and newcomers get together to practice speaking Icelandic.
Most persons with international protection want to improve their Icelandic language skills because it can help to build strong and lasting connections with Icelanders, to better understand the Icelandic system, and to successfully enter the job market or the educational system.
You can get help with your Icelandic language by meeting a language buddy.
Language buddies are volunteers in the Tölum saman project. Together with an Icelandic language buddy you can practice conversational Icelandic or other relevant vocabulary. You can for example practice words that may be useful in your field of work or study. Or if you are a parent, then you can practice words that may help you communicate with your child´s teacher. A language buddy can also help with your homework if you are enrolled in Icelandic language classes.
Volunteers in Tölum saman are not teachers. They are normal Icelanders who simply want to be involved and share basic Icelandic vocabulary with you. You will meet each other in a library near you or at your home, for a period of six months. The meetings take place every week and are about one-hour long. You decide together when you meet.
Have you received international protection in Iceland in the last year? And do you want to improve your Icelandic language skills? Then the Tölum saman project is for you!
Do you want to meet a language buddy? Send an email to immigrantsupport@redcross.is or apply here.
Recreational fund
The purpose of the fund is to support refugee children, 17 years old and younger, who participate in recreational activity that is not eligible for grants elsewhere. Refugee children refers to unaccompanied minors, children of resettled refugees, children of refugees who are granted asylum following an
application in Iceland and children of refugees who are granted protection on humanitarian grounds.
Grants from the fund can be given to any kind of children's activity. The grants can be used for courses, music, sports, dance or other kind of leisure and trips related to them. They cannot be used for clothing or equipment.
Applications should be admitted to the Red Cross Branch in the municipality of residence.
Here you can find the application form in various languages and allocation rules in English.
For further information contact tracing@redcross.is
Practice makes perfect
The Red Cross welcomes everyone who wants to practice Icelandic and meet new people.
Volunteers and immigrants meet once a week and speak Icelandic. In each meeting there is a
certain topic focus, something considered useful in society. Examples are: transportation, banking, shopping, housing, hobbies, travel and healthcare. Participants are divided in two groups, beginners and advanced.
Occasionally we‘ll play cards, watch Icelandic movies, go to a cafe, eat together and other
fun things that can increase knowledge of both language and society. The goal is to practice speaking and increase vocabulary that can be used in everyday life. Practice makes perfect is also a nice way to meet new people and make friends.
Please note that some knowledge in Icelandic is required.