Founded in 2005, SEEDS Iceland is an Icelandic non-governmental, non-profit  volunteer organisation designed to promote intercultural understanding, environmental protection and awareness through work on environmental, social and cultural projects within Iceland.

SEEDS works closely with local communities, local authorities, individuals and other Icelandic associations both to develop projects in partnership, aimed at fulfilling an identified need, and to give vital assistance to established initiatives. Projects are designed to be mutually beneficial to all involved: the volunteers, the local hosting communities and Iceland as a whole.

Our projects in Iceland are supported by the local hosts and the volunteers participating in the project themselves; additionally we receive strong support for our long-term projects from the Youth in Action and Life Long Learning programmes of the European Commission.

Since 2005 SEEDS  has hosted nearly 8000 international and local volunteers in our projects all around Iceland. In this time we increased our work with various environmental and conservation projects, we raised the number of projects related to culture, cultural activities, festivals & sports gatherings, and experimented with a number of new project concepts, including language and environmental education projects.

During 2015 we organised about 140 projects located in every corner of Iceland; we hosted over 1200 international volunteers from 50 different countries, performing over 75.000 hours of valuable volunteer work. Since 2010 SEEDS has also sent sent over 100 Icelanders to projects around the world.

SEEDS - Volunteering for Iceland - Sjálfboðaliðar umhverfis landið

History

During the year 2005, an International group of ex-volunteers, experienced individuals in the field and newly interested involved members decided to create an alternative for Icelanders to join voluntary service projects around the globe, but also for foreigners to take part in such activities in Iceland.

The organization was founded by Colombians Oscar-Mauricio Uscategui and Héctor Angarita and Icelander Víktor Þórisson, the result of this common initiative was registered under Icelandic law on November 7th, 2005, as SEEDS!

SEEDS has since evolved to become one of the leading non-governmental organisations in the field in Iceland and one of the largest volunteer hosting organisations in Europe.

SEEDS recent awards & nominations:

- 2011 Nordic Council Nature & Environment Award.

  SEEDS nominated within 20 organisations from Åland, Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway & Sweden

 - 2010 & 2011 Kuðungurinn - Awards from the Icelandic Ministry for the environment

  SEEDS nominated in 2010 & 2011 for its outstanding contribution to the Icelandic environment & nature.

  Award given to SEEDS Green Messengers during the European Youth Week in 2011.

SEEDS - Volunteering for Iceland - Sjálfboðaliðar umhverfis landið

Board of managers

SEEDS' governing body, the board of managers, is elected democratically during the General Assembly.

The Board of Managers of SEEDS is composed by 5 full members: Chairperson, secretary, treasurer and 2 additional members.

Our Board of Managers sets basic policy and is responsible to the members and stakeholders, governs the organization, being responsible for setting strategic directions, objectives, hiring and evaluating the staff. The management of the association is divided between the Board of Managers, which meets on a regular basis, and the General Assembly.