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December 11, 2008
Support project for immigrants in Thingeyjar Districts receives grant from the Alcoa Foundation
A project aimed at helping immigrants in the Thingeyjar Districts become active participants in the community and economy has received a grant from the Alcoa Foundation of over ISK 3 million. The project, which is under the auspices of labour unions in the districts, in collaboration with Nordurthing Municipality, is named "Cooperation and Responsibility in Immigrant Affairs".
Since February 2007, the Office of the Thingeyjar District Labour Unions has been a centre for various services for immigrants in the area. Among other things, the office has provided foreign workers in the area with assistance in communicating with government agencies, finding jobs and residential housing, applying for residence permits, interpretation services, etc. Information meetings and courses in Icelandic and social studies have been offered in collaboration with the Thingeyjar District Knowledge Centre. The Alcoa Foundation is supporting the project with a grant this year of $15,000 and the same amount next year.
"Getting established in a new community poses various problems, and it is our duty to assist new residents as much as possible. Immigrants have a lot of contact with government agencies, which can be difficult even for people born in Iceland who speak the language and are familiar with the system. It is absolutely key that immigrants be able to obtain needed assistance in one place. The project has produced good results. More immigrants are now interested in settling here for a longer period, not least because we have succeeded in systematically helping them to adapt to the community. We are very pleased that the Alcoa Foundation has decided to support the project so handsomely," said Adalsteinn A. Baldursson, Chairman of the Framsyn Labour Union.
A survey conducted at the beginning of 2008 revealed that about half of the immigrants in the area have utilized the service, and more than 80% of them have declared their satisfaction with it. Interest in the project has been expressed all over Iceland, and, among other things, it received a grant from the Immigrant Affairs Development Fund in 2007. Nordurthing Municipality has also been involved in the project with an allocation of funds.
On 1 January 2008 it was estimated that about 185 foreigners had been domiciled in the Thingeyjar Districts; most of these by far were Poles. In addition, it can be estimated that about 200 foreigners have come to the area in the summer and fall months to work in seasonal jobs in the tourism and meat processing industries.
The Alcoa Foundation was founded in 1952 and is an independent institution, headquartered in the United States. The fund supports numerous good causes throughout the world; in 2007 its grants totalled US$ 28 million. Last year the fund's grants to Iceland were over $880,000.
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