An important platform for children and young people

Happy Youth Centre and Youth Club Week 2023

The 2023 Youth Club and Youth Centre Week is being celebrated from 16th to 20th October. The week is an annual event, held across the country, organised by Samfés, the association of youth clubs and youth centres in Iceland. The week aims to highlight the importance and value of this platform for children and young people. Parents, guardians, siblings and others are encouraged to find out about the activities of the youth clubs and youth centres in Hafnarfjörður and to encourage their children and young people to take an active part. Numerous youth clubs will be holding open houses, waffle cafés, and inviting visits this week.

Participation in organised leisure activities is an important preventative measure.

It has been shown that participation in organised sports and leisure activities is very important for the future of children and young people; it has been considered one of the greatest protective factors in their lives. Young people who take part in organised activities are less likely than other children to use alcohol, tobacco and drugs. It does not matter whether it is sports, dance, music, scouting or youth club activities.

Leisure activities that take into account age and development

The role of youth centres is to offer children and young people aged 10-16 an after-school activity programme that has preventative, educational and developmental value, and is tailored to their age and maturity. It is important to provide a facility for leisure activities and socialising with peers in a safe environment. The emphasis is on engaging children and young people in active participation and involvement in the activities. The work of the youth clubs is varied, and the programme is created with the young people themselves. The youth clubs also organise larger events such as a primary school festival, a singing competition, a school skate, Hafnarfjarðarstíl, and the quiz competition 'Veistu svarið', to name but a few. They also take part in larger national events such as the Samfés Song Contest, Samfestin and Rímnaflæði. The staff of the youth clubs try to encourage children and young people to listen to, find and develop their strengths and interests, as there is a greater chance of an individual flourishing when they find a hobby and a passion that suits them. One of the things that youth clubs take great pride in is the participation of young people, and they are, as far as possible, included in decision-making and encouraged to participate democratically.

Youth centres in all neighbourhoods, serving all primary schools.

A youth club operates in all neighbourhoods, alongside all nine of the municipality's primary schools. HHH – Queer Get-togethers in Hafnarfjörður is the latest addition, with events held every Thursday at the youth club at Víðistaðaskóli. The after-school clubs Kletturinn and Vinaskjól, at Húsið, 14 Suðurgata, offer a wide range of leisure activities for children and young people with disabilities. In Hafnarfjörður, there are also two youth centres: Hamarinn on Suðurgata, with activities for 16- to 25-year-olds, and Músík og Mótor in Dalshraun, with activities for 13- to 25-year-olds.

• Information about the primary schools' youth clubs
• An overview of the youth clubs in the primary schools
• Hamarri Youth Centre
• Music and Motor Specialised Youth Club 
• HHH – The Queer Youth Centre

The youth centres also carry out search operations.

Youth centres also carry out outreach work, which aims to find and work with children and young people who are considered to be at risk for some reason or who need assistance. Thus, staff carry out targeted group work with individuals who need it, and research shows that well-organised and professionally conducted group work yields significant results in the well-being of children and young people. In Hafnarfjörður, there is an outreach unit that works in collaboration with youth clubs and parents' associations, called Götuvitinn.

HHH - Queer meet-ups in Hafnarfjörður

HHH is open every Thursday from 19:30-22 for pupils in Years 8-10, and every other Thursday from 17:00-19:00 for pupils in Years 5-7. The aim of the club is for the young people to feel safe and welcome, and to have the opportunity to flourish. The programme is largely based on peer education, and the young people are tasked with, among other things, raising awareness of issues affecting LGBTQ+ youth and celebrating the diversity of Hafnarfjörður. To mark the week, there will be an open house for parents, guardians, siblings, relatives, and anyone who would like to come and find out about the work we do. The open house will be held from 17:30 to 20:30 on Thursday, 19th October.

The youth centres provide social activities for older young people.

When young people in Hafnarfjörður reach secondary school age, they move on to the youth centre Hamarinn, located at Suðurgata 14, which is open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. every weekday. There, young people in Hafnarfjörður have a safe space where they run projects and the programme in consultation with the staff. At Hamarinn, there are facilities for studying, having fun, playing pool or getting advice from Bergið Headspace and Samtökin 78. Organised activities include role-playing games, arts and crafts, outdoor activities and more. Every other Tuesday is Queer Hammer, where young people who identify as queer meet for a friendly evening together. You can find Hammer on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with their activities and everything they have to offer.

Músik og mótor is a specialised community centre located in the old liquorice factory at Dalshrauni 10. Rooms are available for use for all kinds of artistic creation, such as for bands to rehearse, artists to create, or anything that requires space. There is also a large garage where you can find tools and equipment to take apart motorbikes, cars, and in fact, anything, and put them back together again. Músik og mótor is open every weekday from 3 pm to 10 pm. Músik og mótor is also on Facebook and Instagram.

Find out about the work of the youth centres.

Hafnarfjörður is proud of the vibrant work taking place in the town's youth clubs and youth centres! Parents and carers are encouraged to find out about the work of the youth clubs, and for children and young people to make use of the service.