Here you will find an overview of previously held youth-initiated projects and information on how to apply for a project yourself!
The aim of youth initiative projects is to support the implementation of young people's ideas so that they become entrepreneurial and active members of society, to motivate young people to notice and solve bottlenecks in the city of Tartu and the community, and to give young people their first experience in project writing and management.
During the project's implementation, young people are assisted by a youth worker.
Projects initiated by young people active in Tartu
For events aimed at the community or young people
Support for implementing youth ideas
Applying for Initiative Project support is easy
Submit a 1-2 minute video that reflects the idea of the grassroots project and introduces the team.
The video will be posted on the Tartu Youth Work Centre's Facebook page and must collect 50 positive reactions (like, heart, etc.).
Describe in the application form published on the Tartu Youth Work Center website:
⚠️To apply for support for a youth-initiated project, the application must be submitted at least 1 month before the start of the project.
Event date and time:
16.01.2025
Event overview:
On January 16, 2025, an inspiring and joyful talent show "Talented Peetris 2025" took place at Tartu Lutheran Peetri School, where primary school and home-schooled students performed. The event offered young people the opportunity to develop their performance skills, share their talents, and strengthen the sense of community within the school.
The stage featured diverse and creative performances – from singing and dancing to an impressive memory act and a comedy routine. The jury's favorite was Tristan, a 6th-grade student who recited 200 decimal places of pi from memory, and the audience's hearts were won by the energetic dance routine of 9th-grade students Ingeli, Adeele, Rao, Joonatan, and Hans.
Many thanks to everyone who helped organize the event – especially to the diligent team of the student council, to Tartu Youth Work Center for their support and guidance in project writing, and to parent Nele Tammeaid, who documented the event!
Event date and time:
January 31, 2025 – February 1, 2025
Event overview:
From January 31 to February 1 the Tartu basic schools' student councils' overnight school took place, bringing together 75 young people and 12 youth leaders from 14 different schools. This two-day youth initiative project offered participants a wealth of new knowledge, opportunities for self-expression, and memorable experiences.
The evening began with ice-breaker games and a financial literacy workshop led by Hanna Nõmm, also known as Miljonineiu. Young people received valuable advice on how to earn money alongside school, save, and start investing. During the workshop, a dream and ideas worksheet was completed, which helped direct thoughts towards future plans and financial awareness.
This was followed by elective workshops, where participants could bake cookies, make soap, take part in a French language crash course, or play sports ball games. The highlight of the evening was the anticipated Playback show, featuring 13 brilliant performances. The jury evaluated the performances based on several criteria, and the awards were distributed as follows:
🥇 1st place: Emajõe School
🥈 2nd place: TäheTERA
🥉 3rd place: Ilmatsalu Basic School
🎤 Audience favorite: Descartes' School
In addition, special awards were given to soloists. The night continued with a disco and an exciting orientation game in the school building, where facts about the school's namesake hero had to be discovered. Sporting activities also continued into the late hours of the night – the young people did not tire easily!
The morning began with invigorating exercises and breakfast. The day concluded with a joint summary and the drawing of lots for the right to organize the next overnight school – the baton passed to Tartu Forseliuse School.
The night school was both entertaining and educational, fostering cooperation, creativity, and self-expression among young people.
Event date and time:
07.02.2025
Event overview:
On February 7th , a delightful original creation evening "Looma peab" (One Must Create) took place at Mart Reinik School, gathering creative individuals and fresh perspectives. During the evening, young performers took to the stage, sharing their creations with the audience – poems, songs, texts, and other creative acts were heard.
The event was made special by guest speaker Keret Altpere, director of Tartu Children's Art School, who conducted an inspiring workshop. During this workshop, participants were able to experiment with various forms of self-expression: pictures were created, poems were written, and portraits were drawn.
The evening was characterized by a warm and supportive atmosphere, where everyone felt welcome and could shine with their creativity. ''One must create'' once again proved how important it is to give young people space for creativity and self-expression – a place where ideas take shape and thoughts take flight.
Event date and time:
13.02.2025
Event overview:
On February 13, 2025, an inter-school Valentine's Day ball was held at Tartu Kivilinna School, which brought together young people aged 13–18 from 21 different schools across Estonia for one evening. 149 participants registered for the event, of whom 126 attended – 97 from Kivilinna School and 29 from other schools.
One of the main goals of the ball was youth socialization and inter-school communication. The largest representation was from 7th-grade students, who added a lot of energy and excitement to the evening. The ball began with participant registration and then moved on to games, dancing, a photo hunt, and prize distribution.
Several entertaining activities took place during the evening. For example, the tchair game, the “Guess the Teacher” Kahoot based on emojis, the Texas Rose, where participants tested their agility, and of course, lots of dancing and fun.
A special feature was the photo corner with a photo booth, which captured stylish moments of young people throughout the evening.
The ball concluded with the traditional election of the king and queen by popular vote. All participants were elegantly dressed and enjoyed good music, the company of their peers, and joint activities.
Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive – praising the diversity of games, design, friendly atmosphere, and food quality.
The Valentine's Day ball showed how much joy and opportunities for collaboration lie in young people's interactions with each other.
Event date and time:
14.02.2025
Event overview:
Tartu Annelinn Gymnasium's Valentine's Day event passed in a joyful atmosphere, bringing together many young people who enjoyed good company, engaging activities, and delicious food. The day was full of warmth, laughter, and good emotions – proving once again that celebrating Valentine's Day doesn't require grand gestures, but simply pleasant togetherness.
During the event, several different competitions took place, testing participants' creativity, teamwork skills, and sense of humor. The competitions for singles, friends, and couples generated particular excitement, leading to new acquaintances and strengthening old ones. The main competition, which involved singing, dancing, and answering humorous questions, became the highlight of the evening – the audience actively participated, and the participants' courage and energy created a truly lively atmosphere.
Simple dances got everyone moving, and the pantomime game offered plenty of fun and surprises. The photo booth also proved popular, where people could capture fun moments with friends – creating many wonderful memories.
The evening's delicious food disappeared from the tables in an instant – alongside good food, there was no shortage of good cheer. Overall, it was a heartwarming event that emphasized the importance of friendship and collaboration.
Event date and time:
14.02.2025
Event overview:
On February 14th, a heartfelt Valentine's Day ball took place at Tartu Karlova School, bringing together eighty young people to celebrate love, friendship, and shared joy. The evening offered participants the opportunity to enjoy dancing, quizzes, fun games and capture moments in a specially created photo booth.
The culmination of the ball was a lively dance party, provided by enthusiastic DJs, who managed to draw the crowd to the dance floor and heat up the atmosphere. Catering and decorations were carefully chosen to match the romantic and friendly vibe of Valentine's Day.
The organizers emphasized that the goal was to create an evening that brings people together and creates a warm feeling – and based on feedback, it can be said that this goal was achieved. Participants left in good spirits and with a desire to experience a similar event again.
During the project's implementation, young people are assisted by a youth worker.