This page contains the results of the VISKA project Iceland.
This report describes the Icelandic part of the trials in VISKA. It is a summary of a longer and more detailed ‘Country Report’ delivered within the VISKA project.
VISKA is a strategy project aimed at enhancing people’s ability to meet the needs of the labor market. In Iceland, emphasis was placed on improving the access of immigrants to existing validation systems and identifying the most important challenges. In total, 51 participants went through the validation process, most of them Poles – but they are the largest group of immigrants in Iceland. It is important to address immigration issues and to adapt government and community policies at all levels.
Read the full executive summary here: Executive summary in Icelandic.
In principle validation services in Iceland are available for all whom fulfil the given criteria.5Validation process for adults in Iceland is well established and founded in legislations. Even though Iceland has been leading in validation processes in both Nordic and European context, it appears that immigrants do not seek validation services. IÐAN and the other lifelong learning centres make a great effort in assisting non-Icelandic speaking individuals through the validation process, but this is on an individual basis and is addressed on a needs basis without a prescribed system to support those involved.
The VISKA project in Iceland is founded in experience, legislation and know-how in the field of validation of prior learning. This expertise was applied to a new target group, specifically, migrants. Currently in Iceland at the nationallevel there are no organised validation arrangements (practice) formigrantsin place. As has been mentioned, validation opportunities are available for all individuals with little or low levels of qualifications free of charge. However, access and the process of validation services for non-Icelandic speaking individuals is an onerous task with the added difficulty that the formal system has no specific educational offerings for non-Icelandic individuals who would like to complete their qualifications after the validation process.
Read the full national evaluation report here: National Evaluation Report Iceland
Watch the testimonials of participants, frontline staff and stakeholders from Iceland on our youtube channel
A sneak peak: Testimonial VISKA Iceland – interview with an interpreter