Advice and assistance services
Numerous types of services are offered in Iceland for those who have difficulty adapting to or understanding Icelandic society. Such services include interpretation, translation, legal advice, social counselling and educational counselling.
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Advice and assistance services
Lögfræðiaðstoð Orators, félags laganema
(Legal assistance from the Orator society of law students)
Tel.: (+354) 551-1012
Free legal assistance is offered every Thursday from 19:30 to 22:00.
Lögmannavaktin (Legal counselling)
Tel.: (+354) 568-5620
Legal counselling is offered to the public for free, on every Tuesday afternoon. People living outside the area of the capital can receive advice by telephone, while those in the Reykjavík area need to make an appointment. Forms for filling out are available in Danish, English, French, Icelandic, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Polish, Thai and German, although legal advice is not given in every one of these languages. Lawyers can be found on the group’s website to advise foreigners and give explanations in English, Danish, French, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish and German.
Alþjóðahúsið (Intercultural Centre)
Hverfisgata 18
101 Reykjavík
Tel.: (+354) 530-9300
With its extensive array of services for foreigners, the centre offers advice and assistance concerning various matters. Legal counsel is available and is offered free for foreigners. Social workers and a pastor grant personal assistance. Various Icelandic language courses are offered; indeed, this is a major centre of education. There is also an interpreting and translation service. The website is presented in a variety of languages.
Alþjóðastofan Rósenborg (Akureyri Intercultural Centre)
Skólastígur 2, 2nd floor
600 Akureyri
Tel.: (+354) 460-1234
Email: astofan@akureyri.is
The Rósenborg centre offers information and advice about the community and society, people's responsibilities, and services that are on offer. These aspects might include educational opportunities, tax responsibilities, social services, and so on. The centre also has an interpreter and translation service and has held courses on multicultural matters, Icelandic society and Icelandic as a second language, to name only a few examples. The website displays a variety of languages.
Fjölmenningarsetur (Multicultural and Information Centre)
Árnagata 2-4
400 Ísafjörður
Tel.: (+354) 450-3090
The centre offers a wide variety of services for foreigners, placing emphasis on assisting individuals regardless of where they live. It is possible to obtain assistance by telephone in the following languages: English (450-3090), Polish (470-4708), Serbo-Croatian (470-4709) and Thai (470-4702). The news is published as teletext, with Channel 148 showing news in Polish, while Channel 149 has news in Serbo-Croatian. The website is in a variety of languages and gives information on one’s rights and responsibilities in Iceland.
Rauði Kross Íslands (Icelandic Red Cross)
Efstaleiti 9
103 Reykjavík
Tel.: (+354) 570-4000
Email: central@redcross.is
One of the most important tasks of the Red Cross is working on issues that affect immigrants. The Red Cross makes strong efforts to help immigrants join into the organisation's activities and adapt to Icelandic society. For example, foreign children in Reykjavík compulsory schools receive assistance with their schoolwork. The Vegahús in Egilsstaðir is an open house for foreign and Icelandic women, and the Akranes division of the Red Cross handles immigrant issues for that community. Many other projects are underway in these matters. The website provides a great deal more information.
The Red Cross Help Line 1717
