New projects that empower young people in vulnerable situations
The Minister for Education and Children decided this spring to provide financial support to local authorities planning to expand leisure activities for children and young people in vulnerable situations this summer, due to the effects of the pandemic. Hafnarfjörður was allocated the equivalent of 11.7 million króna, and the sum will be used for twelve exciting projects in the summer of 2022.
Funding to enhance the activity, well-being and social skills of children in vulnerable situations this summer
The Minister for Education and Children decided this spring to provide financial support to local authorities planning to expand leisure activities for children and young people in vulnerable situations this summer, due to the effects of the pandemic. Hafnarfjörður was allocated the equivalent of 11.7 million króna, and the sum will be used for twelve exciting projects in the summer of 2022.
Notice on the website of the Association of Icelandic Municipalities
Twelve new projects for the City of Hafnarfjörður in summer 2022
Staff at Hafnarfjörður are launching twelve new activity projects in the summer of 2022, thanks to the government's recovery measures following the pandemic. The projects are diverse and designed to promote participation for 12-16-year-olds in social activities, socialising, entertainment, education and work. The City of Hafnarfjörður's projects are as follows:
- Support and additional assistance for children and young people in child protection
- Strengthening the peer support of disabled young people who have been in isolation during Covid
- Summer opening at queer meet-ups
- Subculture group activity in collaboration with Músík og mótor
- Summer opening hours at the youth clubs
- Increased availability of leisure activities for 12-year-old earth groups
- Recruitment and support for 13-16 year-olds related to participation in a work school
- Special group work and follow-up at the Hafnarfjörður Work School
- Improvisation course
- Children on the run and group work in a work club.
- Interdisciplinary studies
- An addition to organised group activities for disabled young people aged 12-16
The pandemic has had a great impact
It is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives of most children and families in this country, but certain groups of children have been affected more than others. Providing increased support for children in vulnerable situations is a crucial part of the recovery from lockdown restrictions, thereby specifically addressing their circumstances. A decision was made to provide financial support to local authorities to enhance leisure activities for children in vulnerable situations. This is a continuation of previous measures, when a similar grant was provided to local authorities in the summers of 2020 and 2021. The total budget for the project in the summer of 2022 is 130 million króna, and the funding is distributed among municipalities based on available information from Statistics Iceland on the number of children aged 12 to 16 in each municipality in January 2022.
Additional projects aimed at engaging 12-16 year-olds through a variety of methods.
As in 2020 and 2021, local authorities are encouraged to give particular consideration to additional projects aimed at engaging the 12 to 16-year-old age group through a variety of resources, with an emphasis on reaching those groups who are least likely to attend traditional freactivities. The 12-16 age group is likely to be the least active during the summer and is at an increased risk of, for example, risky behaviour and anxiety.