Volunteering at Christmas

New Year's photography, environment and Aurora hunting workshop
Reykjavik, Iceland       December 27, 2024 - January 5, 2025

Volunteer project: Celebrate the New Year in a vibrant city with new friends from around the world! Watch the large fireworks display illuminate the sky, celebrate around a bonfire and party into the night!

In this project, participants can learn about and share their love for photography and global and local environmental issues. If you are interested in topics such as climate change, waste management, animal protection and sustainability, and you also love taking photographs or want to develop your photography skills, then this project is for you!

While developing artistic and technical photography skills, you will be focusing on environmental and sustainability issues through non-formal activities such as workshops, discussions, presentations and visits facilitated by the project coordinators. One of our aims is to help create more environmentally aware consumers and travellers!

You will visit local projects focused on the environment and conservation. These may include hands-on activities or guided visits. Some examples include outdoor cleanup tasks, a geothermal power plant, a local fauna and/or flora exhibition or an outdoor Icelandic culture museum. Some of these activities are dependent on conditions such as weather, as well as availability or restrictions of our partners.

You will also have time to put the theory about photography into practice, walking around and exploring the city. At the end of the project, the best photographs from each participant are selected for an online exhibition. Participants should bring their own digital cameras, lenses, tripods and laptops if possible.

The program combines learning, sharing, hands-on activities, getting to know Iceland, its culture, having fun, exploring the city and its attractions, as well as some stunning natural sites in possible excursions. Participants should prepare to share environmental issues from their countries and should be ready to spend time outdoors walking medium distances during activities and sightseeing.
Please note that this project is a learning/sharing camp and not a standard workcamp. This project has a smaller volunteer work part and puts a bigger emphasis on the personal learning process than on the community impact.

In this project, we will organize a Night photography and Aurora hunting (Northern lights) workshop in the city or in the vicinity of Reykjavík. This will take place during late evening and possibly into the night. The Northern lights are a natural phenomenon depending on solar activity and meteorological conditions; we cannot guarantee you will see the Northern lights, but the night photography workshop will be organised anyway.

Language: English

Leisure time: Some excursions (e.g. to the Golden Circle, Hot River hike and/or South Shore) can be arranged at discount fares.

Accommodation: The group will stay in a house in Reykjavík. The facilities are basic with a kitchen, showers and a washing machine. Everyone is expected to show consideration for their companions. Participants will sleep in shared rooms or dormitories. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Please note, the food provided is vegetarian.

Location: Reykjavik is a dynamic, modern city which lives in harmony with nature, using renewable energy sources. The world’s northernmost capital bridges the Atlantic between Europe and North America. Reykjavík is spread across a peninsula with a panoramic view of the mountains and the Atlantic. It is an international city with a lively cosmopolitan cultural scene surrounded by beautiful nature.

Terminal: Closest international Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF). Bus station: Central Reykjavík (BSÍ).

Age range: 18 and over

Extra fee: 450 Euro
The fee includes transportation from the meeting point to the project site on the first day, the visits available and the Night photography workshop and Aurora hunting outing.
The extra fee is intended to support the local host of the project. It can either be transferred in advance via bank transfer, or paid in cash on arrival.

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