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The youth from Anne Youth Centre's older and younger target groups got to know each other better while having fun together at a camp. The two-day camp began on the shore of Elva Arbi Lake with a refreshing swim, a water safety workshop, and a visit to Elva Youth Centre. We would like to thank youth workers Dagmary Kuslap and Riin Pross, who agreed to give us a tour and organize fun activities for the youth at the youth centre, even though they were already on summer vacation!  The campers stayed at the Tartu Health Sports Centre, but before arriving there, they had to undertake a hike of over 4 km. During the walk, a refreshing picnic took place on the shore of Elva reservoir, and naturally, swimming once again. Upon reaching the accommodation, the youth were tired but happy.  Accommodation was in cabins, and the youth in each "house" got to make their own house flag.…

Mid-June always signifies that a couple of months of active youth work camp summer await at the Tartu Youth Work Camp. On June 17, a lively opening event took place, featuring a greeting from the mayor, a parade, and the swearing-in of youth camp participants, officially marking the start of the 2024 youth work camp summer. The first youth camp participants have already put on their work gloves and started diligently working! This summer, a total of 199 young people will gain youth camp experience, with more than half working in youth camp groups within the city of Tartu. Job opportunities for young people this summer are provided by Vormsi Municipality, Circle K, HKP landscaping, Uue-Peedu youth camp, Raigastvere Berry Farm, Telia, Viru Maasikas, Naerumaa, Helliku and Tähtvere kindergartens, Tartu City Museum, Wolt, Tartu Sport, Gobus, Tartu City Library, Marjamaa farm, Klaaspärlimängu festival and…

July - August 12, seven days a week from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the coolest youth area will be open! The most exciting co-organizers, great guests, and performers will be there! All activities are FREE! The youth area on Car-Free Avenue will kick off on July 6! At the opening, there will be sports activities, a giant bubble workshop, a photo booth to take pictures with friends, and the opening will conclude with a concert by An-Marlen and boipepperoni. On Thursdays, we invite well-known people and influencers such as: Kozip, Karl Gustav Kurn, Säm, Kristi Värik, Anett & Fredi, with whom a pleasant and cozy conversation will be held, where listeners can also ask questions. On Fridays, we invite everyone to do outdoor sports and try different sports! Every…

With the participation of the President of the Republic Alar Karis, Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, Commander of the Defence Forces General Martin Herem, and Commander of the Defence League Major General Ilmar Tamm, special recognition and silver and gold level “Supporter of National Defence” awards were presented on June 18 at Lillepaviljon to 113 Estonian companies and organizations for their contribution to Estonian national defence in supporting reservists. Among others, Tartu Youth Work Center also received a silver-level recognition. The awards were given out for the second time, and Tartu Youth Work Center was also recognized last year. The recipients of the recognition were selected by a jury that included representatives from the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Forces, and the Defence League. Thank you for noticing! 

On May 31, we visited the AHHAA Science Centre with the youth from Lilleke. The young people were very excited about the visit, and the registration list filled up within a couple of days. We timed the visit so that the young people could explore new activities within the framework of "Ahhaa, Adrenaline!" The activities were very adventurous – the young people got to slide down a steep slide, test their coordination skills, and try out activities at various heights. Additionally, a memorable part was the labyrinth, which featured laser beams. The young people were very energetic and skillful in navigating the obstacle course. We also had the opportunity to watch a science theatre show on the wonders of water, where the young people learned about the different states of water and its chemical and physical properties, including how water can be set on fire. Furthermore, the young people were able to participate as volunteers in various experiments and ask questions as well...

Written by: Klajdi Kaziu Role: Volunteer, part of the European Solidarity Corps programme of the European Union  ENG:It was an Easter holiday, when I departed Albania, to start a new volunteering experience as a youth worker here in Tartu. After a few years of intensive work in democratization and peacebuilding in my country, I decided to take a break, change the environment, and reflect on my future goals. As cliche as it might sound, shifting the surrounding context may help you turn the tables, and think from a different perspective. At least, that was my expectation.   Throughout the past few months,…

The Anneke Youth Center focuses on youth initiatives and a multifaceted approach to taking initiative. At the end of April, Anneke visited Vivistop's creativity accelerator for children and young people in Tallinn's Telliskivi Creative City. We received a very warm welcome there. First, we learned about the opportunities offered by Vivistop, and then we got hands-on. Product designer and workshop master Joonas led a workshop on making wallets from plastic waste. He emphasized the importance of getting hands-on, because that's when interest really takes off. First, we melted the material ourselves. There was a lot to choose from, including various bread bags, labels, and plastic covers from old textbooks. Then we transferred the pattern onto the material and cut it out. In the final stage, we used a press and added fasteners using different dies. Joonas was right about crafting...

Tarkusepäev x tead?fest combines entertainment, sports, and the introduction of hobby clubs to young people, so you are also welcome to contribute to the event with your engaging workshops and active pursuits! The workshops should operate on an open participation basis, and activities should be free for participants. Tarkusepäev x tead?fest asks institutions to register via the registration link by June 30, 2024, at the latest. Tarkusepäev x tead?fest 2024 will take place on September 1st in Tartu city center, next to the department store. The event will run from 2 PM to 8 PM, with hobby education activities lasting until 7 PM. The evening will conclude with a concert by the main performer. Tarkusepäev x tead?fest is a city-wide back-to-school celebration where hobby schools and clubs kick off their new academic year. At Tarkusepäev x tead?fest, the focus is primarily on active engagements and workshops where everyone…

Author: Sophia Pasternak In 2022, the city of Tartu opened its doors to thousands of war refugees from Ukraine. A large portion of those arriving in Estonia were children and young people of various ages. Tartu offered refugees diverse opportunities to acquire or continue general education. Tartu youth centers also gladly welcomed the new young people. Since Ukrainian children and young people primarily started studying in schools in the Annelinn area, they also chose to visit a youth center located in that area – Anne Youth Center. Now, more than two years later, we wanted to find out the opinions of these young people who arrived from Ukraine about our center – how they like being at Anne Youth Center and how comfortable they feel here. Many young people found their way to the youth center…