Acts
The Youth Act
The Official Gazette, Section A, No. 24/1970.
Offprint No. 41
The Youth Act
THE PRESIDENT OF ICELAND
Makes known: The Althing has passed this Act and I have approved it with my assent:
SECTION I
General Provisions.
General Provisions.
Article 1
The purpose of this Act is to lay down rules on official support of youth activities.
The following parties are to be granted support under this Act:
- 1. Associations active in the field of youth activities on an independent amateur basis, provided such activities are, first and foremost, voluntary and financed by the personal contributions of the members.
2. Other parties, mainly working for the welfare of unaffiliated youth through organized activities.
This Act shall principally apply to young people aged 12-20 years.
SECTION II
Administration of Youth Affairs.
Article 2Administration of Youth Affairs.
The Ministry of Education shall be responsible for the youth affairs covered by this Act.
A State Youth Council shall be established, composed of five members. The Minister shall appoint the chairman of the council without nomination. Three members shall be appointed by the member associations of the National Council of Icelandic Youth and other comparable youth associations, according to further provisions to be issued in a regulation. One member shall be appointed by the Union of Local Authorities. The same provisions shall apply to alternates. The period of appointment shall be two years.
Article 3
The role of the State Youth Council shall be:
- 1. To organize and co-ordinate public support for youth activities in the country and stimulate the activities of associations concerned with youth affairs.
2. To co-ordinate the youth activities of associations, schools and local authorities, and to promote co-operation between such parties concerning youth affairs, supporting their joint efforts in working at specific projects.
3. To make proposals to the Ministry of Education on funding for youth affairs. Such proposals shall be submitted to the Ministry before 1st June each year.
4. To organize symposiums and/or conferences on youth affairs at least once a year.
5. To gather data on youth affairs, domestic and foreign, monitor changes in these areas, and provide the authorities with reports on young people and youth activities. The Council shall promote professional studies in the field of youth affairs.
6. To undertake other projects specified in this Act or with which the Council may be entrusted by the Ministry.
7. The Minister of Education shall issue working rules for the State Youth Council, in which the Council's responsibilities shall be specified in greater detail than in this Act.
Article 4
Youth Committees may be established in one or more local government areas Their working rules must be approved by the local authority in question and ratified by the State Youth Council.
SECTION III
Article 5
Support for Social and Leisure Activities.
Training of Instructors.
Support by the State Treasury of social and leisure activities shall include paying part of the cost of the training of instructors.
The Ministry of Education shall issue rules on the training of instructors, after receiving the relevant proposals from the State Youth Council.
Article 6
Training of Youth Leaders.
The State Youth Council shall organize courses for youth leaders. Such courses shall be held in co-operation with the Icelandic Teachers' Training College or the Icelandic Training College of Physical Education, if there are reasons in favour of such an arrangement. All costs of holding such courses shall be paid by the State Treasury.
The Ministry of Education shall issue rules on these courses, which shall, among other things, specify the minimum number of participants, entrance requirements, subjects and tests.
Student grants may be offered to promising youth leaders for further education and training abroad, provided sufficient funds are available.
Article 7
Summer Camps and Outdoor Areas
Grants may be made to recognized parties for:
a) summer camp activities for young people, and
b) improving facilities in specific outdoor areas.
Special rules shall be issued on such grants.
Article 8
Other Activities for the Benefit of Young People
Support may be granted to individual projects for the benefit of young people, including innovations and experiments in youth activities, measures intended to solve specific youth problems which may arise, and courses and other educational activities run by individual organizations.
SECTION IV
Article 9
Support for Youth Affairs by Municipalities and Local Authorities
The Icelandic Union of Local Authorities shall, in co-operation with individual local authorities, city councils and the Reykjavík City Council, issue rules on support for youth affairs by such parties; such rules must be approved by the Minister of Education. The support of such parties shall include, among other things, paying part of the cost of instructors, the purchase of equipment and accommodation costs.
SECTION V
Article 10
Regulation, Entry Into Force
The Ministry of Education shall issue a regulation on the implemen-tation of this Act.
This Act shall come into force immediately.
Reykjavík, 17th April 1970.
Kristján Eldjárn.
(L.S.)
________________
Gylfi Th. Gíslason.
Kristján Eldjárn.
(L.S.)
________________
Gylfi Th. Gíslason.