West Center

About West Center

West Center is one of four Centers in Reykjavík, where Reykjavík City residents can access a variety of services, information, and support. They provide support for children, youth, families, seniors, and disabled people. There is a strong emphasis on professional work and successful partnerships with residents, community organizations, and neighborhood associations belonging to each Center. 

At the Centers, welfare service and school and recreational services come together in the local environment of children and youth. From there, the initiative Better City for Children is implemented, aimed at improving services for children, youth, and their families. At the Center, all key parties offering services to children and families are in one place, which is the foundation for responding to challenges that arise in the lives of children and youth.

The Center provides a variety of welfare services. There are divisions for disabled people, counseling and activation, children and families, geriatric affairs, and a division for adults that provides home support and residential care.

The Center provides school and after-school services, as well as administration of preschools, primary schools, after-school programs, and youth centers in the district, along with general counseling for managers and staff at these facilities.

To learn more about the services and schedule a consultation, you can call 411 1600 or email us.

Responsibility division at the Center:

The director has managerial and operational responsibility for welfare issues at the Center.

The Director of West Center is Sigþrúður Erla Arnardóttir.

Program directors and the director of the recreation center are responsible for school and recreational services at the Center. They report to the head of the relevant office at the Department of Education & Youth in Borgartún.

Services provided at the Center and contact persons:

Children and families

The Head of Division for Child and Family Affairs is involved in shaping services in accordance with the Welfare Policy and the Child Prosperity Act. The head of division works on implementing the Better City for Children initiative.

Position held by: Helgi Hjartarson 

Disabled people

The Head of Division for Disability Affairs participates in shaping services aligned with the Welfare Policy. The Head of Division is responsible for specialized counseling, support programs, and residential services for disabled people.

Position held by: Helgi Þór Gunnarsson

Activity and counseling

The Head of Division for Counseling & Activation participates in the development of services in line with the Welfare Policy. The Head of Division provides professional leadership and guides improvements in services related to activity and counseling.

Position held by: Kolbrún Bragadóttir 

Adults

The Head of Division for Adult Services (including home support and residential care) participates in service development consistent with the Welfare Policy. Provides professional leadership and guides improvements in services related to activity and counseling.

Position held by: Ása Kolbrún Hauksdóttir 

Homeless individuals with complex needs

The Head of Division participates in service development consistent with the Welfare Policy and the policy on the issues of homeless individuals with complex needs. Provides professional leadership and leads improvements in service to the group.

Position held by: Soffía Hjördís Ólafsdóttir 

Recreation

The director of the Miðberg recreation center is the head of recreational activity in the district and leads policy making in collaboration with the relevant office at the Department of Education & Youth.

Position held by: Guðrún Kaldal 

The Head of Division for Child Programs oversees the directors of after-school centers in the district.

Position held by: Steinunn Th. Gretarsdóttir 

The Head of Division for Adolescent Programs supervises the directors of youth centers in the district.

Position held by: Andrea Marel Þorsteinsdóttir 

Primary schools

The program director for primary schools at the Center is the head of principals in the district and leads specialists who provide support to neighborhood primary schools, such as speech language therapists, educational consultants, special education consultants, developmental counselors, behavioral counselors, and more.

Position held by: Svandís Egilsdóttir

Preschools

The program director for preschools in the district is the head of preschool directors in the district and leads specialists who provide support to neighborhood preschools, such as speech language therapists, educational consultants, special education consultants, developmental counselors, behavioral counselors, and more. The program director is also responsible for home care services in Reykjavík.

Position held by: Gyða Guðmundsdóttir

Finance and human resources

Experts in finance and human resources work at the Center to support the operational units of the departments in the neighborhood.

Financial Advisor for School Services: Pálína Pálmadóttir 
Financial Manager for Recreational Services: Gunnar Hrafn Arnarson 
Financial Manager for Welfare Services: Þórunn Þórðardóttir

Human resources consultants handle matters related to human resources and provide counseling, such as hiring, labor relations, rights, and communication.

Human Resources Consultant for the Department of Education & Youth: Hrafnkell Tjörvi Stefánsson 
Human Resources Consultant for the Department of Welfare: Sigmar Þór Ármannsson