Children in Iceland are materially comfortable and well cared for according to a study conducted by UNICEF. They are able to study in one of the best educational systems and then have the option of completing higher education free of cost. That is why most of the volunteer work available centres around conservation and the environment.
The volcanic eruption of 1996 caused major flooding and infrastructure damage. Researchers take teams of volunteers to ice caps of Iceland to help document previous glacial flooding and to understand their behaviour. This will help scientists to understand climate change and prepare for future events. This volunteer project provides a rare opportunity to visit one of most volcanically active areas. Volunteers stay in huts and eat a diet of fresh and tinned foods.
Another project is based in eastern fjords of Iceland. An area in vast contrast to the inland farmlands, surrounded with narrow fjords and jagged peaks providing stunning views. Numerous tiny fishing villages line the breathtaking coast. The area has rich sea and bird life with endless hiking paths. Volunteers spend several hours cleaning and making towns look pretty, cleaning the coasts, plant trees and building new hiking paths. A lot of the work will have to be carried out around the weather. Volunteers are housed in a community centre and will have sufficient free time to visit some of natural sites like lava forests, glaciers, waterfalls, Rhyolite Mountains and steam-vents in the area.
Many of the projects use English the main method of communication and usually last around two weeks.