Sports grants for under 16s

Today, representatives of Hafnarfjörður sports clubs received grants for the clubs' under-16 athletes from Rio Tinto Alcan in Iceland Ltd and the City of Hafnarfjörður, at a ceremony in Straumsvík.

 Since 2001, an agreement has been in force between Rio Tinto Alcan, ÍBH and the City of Hafnarfjörður to support the sports activities of athletes aged 16 and under from ÍBH's member clubs.

From 2014, the total funding amount was 18 million per year, with a contribution of 9 million krónur per year from each party.

There are two allocations a year.

In the spring allocation, the 60% amount is distributed among the clubs based on the number of their members aged 16 and under, and this year, for the first time, an equality incentive award is being made in accordance with the current agreement, i.e.e. those clubs that have the greatest increase, both percentage-wise and in terms of the number of members, in the gender that was under-represented the previous year receive special recognition. The second disbursement takes place in December, when 40% of the amount is paid to the clubs based on the curricula and qualification level of their coaches.

 The demands on sports clubs for a high level of service to children, young people and guardians are high. The quality of work in sports clubs can be improved with financial support in the form of sports grants, and the costs for members and their families can be reduced.         

Today, a total of 10.8 million krónur was allocated, which, in accordance with the terms of the agreement, will be distributed among the 11 sports clubs that applied for support for their children's and junior's work.

The following sports clubs received a grant:

Knattspyrnufélagið Haukar total kr. 2,592,385, Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar (FH) total kr. 2,492,224, Fimleikafélagið Björk total kr. 2,305,651, Hafnarfjörður Swimming Club (SH) total kr. 795,391, Hafnarfjörður Badminton Club (BH) total kr. 369,218, Keilir Golf Club total kr. 361,363, Sörli Riding Club total kr. 288,697,  Dance Sport Club of Hafnarfjörður (DÍH) total kr. 278,878, Sailing Club Þytur total kr. 182,645, The sports club Fjörður in total kr. 74,629 and the Hafnarfjörður Boxing Club in total kr. 58,918.

The Gender Equality Incentive Award was received by the football club Haukar for the largest increase in participants of the gender with the shortfall of over kr. 500,000, and by the sports club Fjörður for the largest percentage increase of the gender with the shortfall of over kr. 500,000.

 The children's and youth work of the sports clubs is constantly being reviewed and developed. The well-being of everyone involved in the sporting activities is a prerequisite. Care must be taken when selecting coaches, as they are now required to undertake educational, preventative and sporting roles, which can often be quite challenging. It is often difficult to find people who possess both professional sporting knowledge and good personal qualities, so that the work is generally well-received and achieves results. The work in sport should be based on healthy societal values, shaping the individuals who take part for life and laying the foundation for a healthy lifestyle.

Numerous studies have shown that organised sports produce more valuable individuals for society. High-quality sports cannot take place without the support of private and public bodies. The collaboration between Rio Tinto Alcan in Iceland and the City of Hafnarfjörður on financial support for the children's and junior work of Hafnarfjörður's sports clubs is both important and valuable. The sports movement in Hafnarfjörður thanks the City of Hafnarfjörður and Rio Tinto Alcan in Iceland Ltd for their support and successful collaboration over the years.