Edited and published by: Clubhouse Geysir, 105 Reykjvavík, Iceland. Tel: (354)-5515166. e-mail: geysir@heimsnet.is. Website: www.kgeysir.is

1st. edition March 2009

The Geysir Chronicle

The fourth ELECT meeting was held in

London the 21st to the 22nd of April 2009.

The meeting was hosted by Mosaic

Clubhouse which really put effort in

making the meeting a successfull one. The

ELECt project sets out to strengthen

Clubhouses as learning communnities and

to promote access to education and the

labour market for people recovering from

mental illnesses. It also enhanches co –

operation and awaerness raising between

Clubhouses and educational institutes.

Fourth ELECT-

meeting in London

2

Editors note

We have been busy at Geysir Clubhouse.

We have traveled a lot in the autumn of

2008 and early spring 2009. Elin and

Trausti went to a week long training in

employmnet and education in september

2008. Kristinn, Sigga, Björk, Magga and

Kjartan went for a week long visit to

Kildehuset in Aarhus Denmark in

October 2008. Benni and Odinn went to

an Elect meeting in Munich in november

2008. Kristinn and Jón went to the

European Seminar in Glasgow in the

beginning of december. Than the

traveling started again in march 2009.

Tóta and Trausti went to Elect training in

Mosaic clubhouse London on the 23rd to

the 27th of march. Benni and Odinn went

to another Elect meeting in London on

March 22nd to April 1st. Kristinn and

Kjartan went to an advisory Council

meeting in New York on March 30th to

April the 3rd. It is very importand for a

small and isolated clubhouse like Geysir

to participate in international

collaborations and visit other clubhouses

around the world. We have also been

working on our cetification for the most

part of 2008 and the beginning of 2009

with self study meetings and translations.

We had our certification visit from the

2nd of February until the 6th of febuary

2009. Connie Mayer and Brian Gumma

joyned us in the work-ordered day and

talked to members and staff about the

workings of the clubhouse. We are

looking forward to spirng in Geysir after

the long winter and have started cleaning

up outside the clubhouse to prepare for

summer.

Elin Sigurdardottir

Staff, Employment and Education

ELECT: Training of Trainers.

During the week of 23th and 27th of March

2009 the pilot course on best practices for

supporting members to education. The

course was called ‘ELECT Pilot Course’

and is a part of the Training of Trainers

work package. The course was based on

results from the ELECT project and experi-

ences of various clubhouses around the

globe. A lot of new information came for-

ward so

we all

learned

quite a

deal

about

support-

ing

mem-

bers

who seek education.

The course was divided into three main

subjects; discussion of various topics, visits

and lecture, and action plan for an educa-

tion unit. In the first part we read materials

about topics such as Why Education, Adult

Learning Styles, Disclosure and so on, to-

tally five topics. The discussions were very

informative and lively. Through them we

learned a lot about the experiences from

other clubhouses. On Wednesday we visit-

ed Lambeth Collage and had a discussion

with the staff of Learner Support Services.

It was impressive to see how much work

were done there and how keen the staff was

at solving issues that came up. The cooper-

ation between the Collage and Mosaic was

well planned and active. Both parties intend

to increase this cooperation. We can learn a

lot from this work as can other countries

and clubhouses.

Finally we evaluated the course and agreed

that it was well organized and the staff and

members of Mosaic deserve an applause.

3

Geysir clubhouse is the only Fountain House Club in Iceland. We must go abroad to see what others are doing. Fountain House conferences are therefore of primer importance for us. A European Clubhouse Conference was held in Glasgow – Scotland this year. I and Kristinn the clubs manager where chosen to go on behalf of Geysir. It began on Sunday afternoon and ended on Wednesday morning. First day was registration and the last day was open mice for the participants. The other two days began with speeches and afterward there where many workgroups for the participants to choose from. After lunch the same began – first speeches and then workgroups until 1630 hours. Once I chose to go to a Clubhouse instead of going in a work group. The house had been a small church. On the ground floor was kitchen, dining room and a hall with the reception desk. On the first floor was an office and place to study all in one open space. It was a very tidy house and I met there very nice people and learned a lot about how this clubhouse was run. It was a very tidy place and a warm spirit inside. In one workgroup I man from Mosaic House in London told us about how they communicated with the environment. I got many interesting ideas e.g. they have

garden parties for people working in the neighborhood. They also have meetings with the police and ambulance man to inform about mental illnesses. One workgroup was about certifications of clubhouses. Geysir is one of only ca 150 houses which have been certified for three years (less than half of the houses have been

certified). The speakers put emphasis

on the fact that certifications are for the clubhouses. The team gives advices which help the houses to improve. When we first came to the conference and registered we learned that we could -not take part in everything. One evening was a Scottish dance show and it was booked in advance long before it was decided who would go from Geysir. Many where disappointed with this arrangement. But my luck was with me. Alan who is head of the training for clubhouses in New York is writing a book about Fountain House movement and asked us to comment on some notes he had made about the fundamentals of the fountain house ideology. It was very interesting and we had a very good time with him and people from Sweden at the bar afterwards.

European seminar in Glasgow 2008 By Jón Sigurgeirsson

Jón Sigurgeirsson

4

„ I don´t think time is running away from me“, says Olöf Rut Fjeldsted

„I haven´t begun to study and do not ex-

actly know how it´s going to go in the

nearest future. In the beginning educa-

tional matters were on a two years plan

on one´s midst, on the other hand I want-

ed to start with concentrating on getting

to know Denmark thoroughly and learn

the language“ says Olöf Rut, optimistic as

usual.

Becoming more and more Danish

Although Denmark actually isn´t far from

Iceland many things are different here and

in order to be able feel well here, I found it

important to place emphasis on understand-

ing the Danish society and adjust to it. I set

it out as a priority issue before I would de-

cide what or when I would study. It has

gone beyond all hopes and I´m becoming

more and more Danish each day and I´m

taking an active part in Danish society. Be-

sides the language is not a problem as I was

quick to learn it and understand it and now I

can comment on almost all in Danish.

I spit in the palms

When I first came to Denmark I had no

work and I therefore knew that I had to spit

in my palms and be hard, both concerning

getting a job and to learn the language. I

started on getting a replacement job on

charging old people in the little town where

I lived at that time. This was only a part-

time work but was nevertheless of help.

When I had stayed here for four months I

applied for work another place and begun to

work in the demand-department of the Dan-

ish postal service. This was nevertheless

also a replacement job and I knew in ad-

vance that I would only keep that job for six

months. Shortly before last Christmas I

learned that an advertising-office was

searching for an employee with a good

knowledge of Icelandic. I decided to exam-

ine this a bit better, then I finally applied for

the job and I work there today as a program

manager in the Icelandic department. This is

a challenging and amusing job, offering

continually new challenges and new tasks

and that suits me well. The new job also

makes it possible for me to travel due to the

work now and then to Iceland.

Isak Daði begins school attendance next

autumn

My six years old son, Isak Daði, attends

playschool here in town where we live. He

feels well there and is popular midst the

other kids, he has come up strong with the

things he has undertaken here in Denmark.

5

This was of course a hard task for him in

the beginning. Suddenly there were only

new faces to see everywhere and all day

long there was a language spoken which

he didn´t understand at all. He has man-

aged to come through this and has been

very hard working and I‘m very proud of

him. I think he is the most efficient of all

and he is a complete hero. He then is be-

ginning to attend school next autumn and

then yet new challenges succeed, both

exiting and exacting challenges. This new

part of our live has, as one can understand,

created some instability within him and in

the beginning one could easily be aware of

it. He then was restless and restive and

missed his family in Iceland. This though

has changed and the more he has got ad-

justed to the changes the more calmness he

finds within himself. He is quite another

child today than a year ago since this has

maturated him a lot. He is not the only one

who has been through a certain mature

process in connection with this, as I have

also partaken in the changes and learned

many things on this way.

I knew I wanted to live in Denmark

I moved as a unique mother between coun-

tries, unemployed, with only household

inventory and having a little money in my

repertoire and this was hard in the begin-

ning. There were days when I was consid-

ering if I had converted right and if could

keep on staying here without family and

friends. Deep inside I knew anyway that

living here was what I wanted and intend-

ed and that I would manage to come

through that with being hard-working,

focusing on not giving up. I said to myself

that I was the one who controlled whether

I could manage to do this or not and that

despite some days became to be difficult,

this would become easier in time. One

reaps as one sows and after a hard period

in settling down properly, I begun to look

at Denmark as my home. Now I want to be

nowhere else and I´m happy to be here. I

got to know a wonderful man in Denmark,

he is Icelandic and we live together today.

We found a beautiful home in a nearby

town and we are going to move there in

the end of June and Isak then will start his

school attendance there. I don´t know

when I´m going to attend school, but as

the situation is today I´m very pleased

with my job and I want to deal with it a

little bit longer before decide to do some-

thing else. Anyway I don´t find that time is

running away from me and while I´m feel-

ing well, I don´t see a reason to change

anything at the moment. I´m happy where

I am and I think live is good to me and I´m

grateful for the opportunities I have had.

I learned a lot about myself in the Club-

house Geysir

I‘m also grateful to the Clubhouse Geysir

for the opportunities it granted me at that

time. In the Clubhouse Geysir I learned a

lot about me, gained self-confidence and

obtained believe in that I was able to do all

things I wanted to do. The Clubhouse

Geysir marked the beginning of the live-

journey I have been on since the autumn

2004,where almost all things have come

through and made me happy, mostly be-

cause I have believe in myself. I want to

send all my gratefulness, warm regards

and wishes for prosperity and wellbeing to

all members and staff in the Clubhouse

Geysir.

6

Geysirs spring-journey to Benidorm Excerpts from Þórunn Ósk Sölvadóttirs

diary in May 2008.

May 22nd: A group of 14 people travelled

from the Club Geysir in Iceland to

Benidorm. The group met at the club at

09.00 AM. The bus to the airport came to

the clubhouse and immediately there was a

festive spirit and people started to sing and

talk together. The flight took four hours and

20 minutes. We were welcomed at the

airport and brought directly to the hotel we

were staying at. The hotel was splendid, we

stayed 2 or 3 in each flat. After settling in

we went out to dine and were joined by two

members of the Geysir Clubhouse that were

staying in Albir. We constantly got news

from Iceland regarding our score in the

European song contest, Eurovision, and we

were all very happy to hear that Iceland had

made it to the main event from the

preliminaries. Most of us went to bed

around midnight but some of us stayed up

and chatted.

May 23rd: Everybody was rather weary

after the journey from Iceland and slept in.

In the afternoon some of us went directly to

the beach to get some tan, while others took

a look at the facilities at the hotel. At the

fifth floor of the hotel there was a swimming

pool and sunbathing facilities. Some of us

got some chairs and started to sunbathe while

others dove into the pool, that was very cold.

People chatted a lot and everybody was

happy to be in the sun. In the evening most

of us were tired, so people either went to

their flats to have a snack or went out for

dinner and entertainment.

May 24th: As had been previously decided

Tóta and Sigga were at the hotel´s cafeteria

at 10 o´clock in the morning. That was our

rendez vous place to plan the rest of the day.

It was decided to take a hour´s walk on the

beach and six of us participated in that walk.

The beach was lively, sunbathers were

working out, singing, and a lot of happy

faces everywhere. Late in the afternoon we

walked about the old city center and got to

experience Spanish culture.

The European song contest was held that

day, and as Iceland had a band in the

competition we decided to stay at the hotel

and watch the contest. At the beginning the

servants were not to happy to see us and

sulked about. We asked if we were not

welcome and after a brief discussion with the

manager all was made right and we could

smile for the rest of the evening. We were

sure that Iceland would be among the top ten

nations in the contest. Although that didn´t

happen we were happy talking and listening

to the music. After the contest was over,

most of us went to bed, but some of the more

energetic members of the group went out for

a night on the town.

May 25th: A few of us went for a pleasant

Halla, Tryggvi, Viðar, Marteinn og Sigga fá

sér hressingu.

7

walk in the morning. This day it was cloudy and not to hot outside so all of us went

downtown for a stroll in the afternoon.

After the trip most of us had a nap. We all

decided to meet later that evening and have

dinner together. When we were taking off

towards the restaurant we discovered that

one of our members was missing. After

contacting her via cell phone, we discovered

that she was hopelessly lost downtown. It

was decided that she should take a taxi and

let it bring her back to the hotel. Fortunately

she came back to us in one peace.

May 26th: As usual some of us early birds

met and went for a walk. On the way we

bought a birthday cake, hats and candles for

one of our members that had her birthday

that day. Our dear Guðrún Jóna had her

65th birthday on this day. We went to her

flat and threw her an impromptu birthday

party. During the day a few of us went out

to the supermall, La Marina. After a brief

taxi ride, we were browsing in the mall and

window shopping. In the mall there were a

wide variety of shops, but most of them

specialiced in expensive labels. Fortunately

we found a HM shop that had a vide variety

of affordable clothes. Then in the evening

we took Guðrún Jóna to dinner and

celebrated her birthday in style. We went to

a Scottish restaurant, where there was a lot

of singing and dancing. One of our

members, Vidar, upheld the Icelandic

national pride and sang a few songs in the

restaurant karioki system in honor of the

birthday girl. The evening ended with most

of us returning home to the hotel, while

some of us went out on the town.

May 27th: In the morning a few of us

gathered for a long walk along the beach.

The group then split up, some of us spent a

time on the beach while others took a walk

downtown. In the evening we all gathered

together an went out to a Chinese restaurant

to dine. The food was so abundantly served

that some of us had to stop eating even

before all the dishes were served. Needless

to say, all of us went very well sated.

May 28th: This was the day before we

went home. Everybody tried to get as much

tan as possible before returning home. We

all went together and dined, before we went

to our flats and started to pack for the early

flight back home.

May 29th: This was the day of our return to

Iceland. Everybody woke up early as we

had to be ready before the bus to the airport

arrived. Everyone was ready in time and the

trip to the airport went well. Our plane was

right on time and later that morning we all

boarded the plane back to Iceland. The trip

went extremely well and all the members of

the trip had great fun.

Viðar, Marteinn, Tóta Helga, Ásta og

Tóta á góðri stundu i Benedorm.

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Geysir Clubhouse is open all weekdays from 08.30 - 16.00

except frydays to15.00