Action plan for the stay of applicants for international protection in Reykjanesbær

The programme consists of 16 activities, including various recreational activities for people of all ages and the opening of an activity center called Club.

The Centre will be located in the building that used to house the Officera Club in Ásbrú and will offer courses, workshops and a diverse programme. At the same time, the Directorate of Labour will try to reduce the stay of applicants for international protection in Reykjanesbær as much as possible.

On 9 January, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the labour market, the Directorate of Labour and Reykjanesbær signed a declaration of intent to analyze the challenges that Reykjanesbær faces with regards to the increase in the number of applicants for international protection who stay in the municipality on behalf of the state. It was decided that the parties to the declaration would work together on solutions and the action plan is the result of that work.

The program is made because of the special circumstances in Reykjanesbær due to the large number of applicants for international protection who stay there compared to other municipalities.

The main objective is to reduce the number of applicants staying in the town in the long term and to increase the activity and well-being of people waiting for their application to be processed by the Directorate of Immigration. The plan was prepared jointly by Reykjanesbær and the Directorate of Labour.

Well-attended leisure courses

Actions have already begun under the program and the children of applicants for international protection have attended leisure courses, among other things, this summer, which the Directorate of Labour set up at Ásbrú. The courses have been well received and participation has been extremely good, but daily between 60-70 children have participated.

The basketball team in Keflavík has provided the younger group, children 6-10 years old, with basketball, games, and many other activities. The basketball team in Keflavík has provided the older kids, 11-16 years old, with football, volleyball and many other activities outdoors.

Another action in the plan, which has already begun, is related to transportation and is intended to meet the increased pressure on public transportation from Ásbrú downtown Reykjanesbær.

Peace, volunteering and ideas

Actions to be launched in the near future include setting up a development school in the Club under the name Peace, increasing services to refugees and applicants for international protection through the involvement of local volunteers, and taking part in a collection of ideas among applicants on what people want to do and how they recommend an activity.

The service and reception team of the Reykjanesbær International Team will be on Ásbrú two mornings a week with information on the services the town provides and guide people on useful things.

Reduction of applicants in Reykjanesbær

The Directorate of Labour took over the role that the Directorate of Immigration had previously regarding services to applicants for international protection last summer. The Directorate of Immigration is still responsible for processing applications and their procedures.

As before, the Directorate of Labour will reduce the number of applicants for international protection staying in Reykjanesbær as much as possible. If there is room for manoeuvre in the institution’s residence arrangements or in municipalities with which the institution has agreements, efforts will be made to reduce the number of applicants staying in Reykjanesbær.

The Directorate is currently working with the City of Reykjavík to find a suitable location for a housing unit for applicants for international protection. At the same time, efforts are being made to increase the number of municipalities that host applicants. Recent municipalities that have joined as such reception municipalities are Bláskógabyggð, Grindavík, Kópavogur and the Westman Islands. In parallel, the Executive Directorate/State property is looking for housing units across the country.

Emphasis will continue to be placed on the Directorate of Labour’s connection to other municipalities with which co-ordinated reception of refugees has been agreed.