Icelandic Scout Association faces scrutiny over financial management and surplus funds following South Korea trip

The financial management of the Icelandic Scout Association is under scrutiny following a trip to South Korea last year involving over 100 scouts. Concerns have been raised about how funds raised by the children were handled, particularly a surplus of six million Icelandic krónur from the trip that has reportedly been allocated to staff costs rather than returned to the participants.

Eva Íris Eyjólfsdóttir, one of the trip leaders, emphasized the group’s dissatisfaction with the association’s management of the funds. The trip was financed through various means, including fundraising efforts and confirmation gifts. Additionally, expenses related to the trip exceeded eight million krónur.

The investigation also highlighted that Harpa Ósk Valgeirsdóttir, the current scout leader, temporarily acted as the executive director of the association during 2022 and 2023 while receiving a salary. Her siblings have also been employed by the association, raising potential conflicts of interest. They were hired prior to her being elected as leader, but she was on the board at the time.

In a response to inquiries about her continuing role within the association, Harpa stated her temporary appointment was due to unforeseen circumstances. She declined further discussion on staff matters, asserting they should not be addressed publicly.

The Icelandic Scout Association, supported by public funding of over 80 million krónur from the Ministry of Children and Cultural Affairs in the past two years, reported total income of 165 million krónur last year and a profit nearing 26 million krónur. The financial complexities reflect ongoing challenges within the organization’s governance and accountability practices.