Blog

The Tartu Youth Work Centre invites young people aged 11-19 from Tartu to participate in a survey. Completing the survey takes approximately 5-10 minutes, and its purpose is to find out what young people know about the Tartu Youth Work Centre and what activities they would like to do in youth centres. Survey link: https://bit.ly/39VotnN.

On Saturday, May 21st, as part of the Karlova Home Cafes Day, the Lille Youth Cafe was held in the courtyard of Lille youth centre. At the Lille Youth Cafe, delicious baked goods could be enjoyed, and various activities led by youth workers also took place in the courtyard. The organizing team of the Lille Youth Cafe included members of the youth culture club, which was established as part of the Digital Cultural Production From Youth to Youth (Diggiloo) project. The young people had done preparatory work to ensure the event reached all interested parties. They filmed a fun advertisement inviting everyone to the youth cafe. Additionally, the division of labor, menu, and recipes were determined. The menu was very diverse. There were both savory and sweet options, snacks as well as something more substantial, and baked goods for vegans were also available. In addition to food, we also offered refreshing…

On May 19, a waste sorting training took place at the Ilmatsalu Youth Center. The trainer was Sandra Jaanika from Fridays For Future Estonia. We found the trainer's contact through the Estonian Association of Open Youth Centers, which informed its members about free training courses offered by the Youth Environmental Council. The training was conducted at a rather fast pace within 1 hour. It included dialogue, a lecture based on a slide presentation, and a practical task. The trainer was competent and direct in communicating with young people of different ages. Sandra Jaanika's passion for the topic and respectful attitude towards so-called amateurs was evident. This likely stemmed from her experience. The youngest participant in the training was 9 years old, and the oldest was 14 years old. There were a total of 8 participants, and their average age was 13-14…

At the end of April, Postimees Juunior published an article about Jaan-Raul Ojastu, a youth worker at the Lille youth center of the Tartu Youth Work Center. “Jaan-Raul Ojastu (27) was born deaf and is also genetically deaf. This means that his parents are also deaf. «Hearing people feel sorry for me, wondering how I manage to live as a deaf person, but for me, it's completely normal,» explained the young man, who has been working as a youth worker at the Tartu Lille youth center for a year now.” Read more here https://juunior.postimees.ee/7504876/jaan-raul-uhendab-kurte-ja-kuuljaid

On April 29, a one-day spring youth camp organized by the Tartu Youth Work Camp took place, during which young people gained experience and knowledge about the nature of the camp and the beautiful and well-maintained area of the Tartu Canoeing and Rowing Club. This year, Tartu Sport was the camp's cooperation partner, and young people carried out maintenance work in the area managed by them. According to group leaders Arlette and Ronja, who participated in organizing the spring youth camp, the main goal of the spring camp is to introduce new young people to the work of the camp and what a day in the camp looks like. Marten, 19, who has been involved with the youth work camp for five years, and Laura, 17, who has participated in the camp for two years, shared their experiences of active participation during the one-day camp. According to the active youth, the organization of the spring camp went smoothly...

On April 22nd, Anne Youth Center hosted a get-together evening for all new and old visitors. One of the aims of the evening was, among other things, to offer refugees from Ukraine an opportunity to get acquainted with the youth center, and for all young people who visit the youth center daily to spend a pleasant Friday afternoon. The schedule was packed, and quite a crowd had gathered for the introductory evening. Together, eggs were colored and cracked, burritos were made, music was listened to, and games were played. Volunteers also helped out, playing games with the young people and offering them company. Anne Youth Room is open Mon-Thu from 1 PM to 7 PM, Fri from 2 PM to 9 PM, and Sat-Sun from 1 PM to 5 PM. Young people aged 11-19 are welcome. Feel free to come in and get acquainted!

Tartu Youth Work Centre is launching a culture club, where young people have the opportunity to plan activities for other young people and participate as volunteers in various events. The culture club provides an opportunity to organize various events. For example, there is an opportunity to contribute to the organization of Children's Protection Day, Knowledge Day, and several other events. Additionally, culturally educational games and activities can be created for other young people. For instance, a summer orienteering game can be organized. Young people's own ideas on how culture could reach other young people are also welcome. All active and creative young people aged 11-19 who would like to organize cultural games, events, and activities for other young people are welcome to the culture club. This provides a good experience and an opportunity to make new friends. The culture club will take place at Anne Youth Centre (Uus 56).…

To mark the start of the school holidays, on April 25th, the Ilmatsalu, Lille, and Anne youth centers embarked on a joint trip to Southern Estonia. The main destination was the Piusa Caves Visitor Center, after which time was spent at Meenikunno by Lake Valgjärv. The day began with a departure from Ilmatsalu at 9:30 AM. After a singing bus ride, we had an interesting guided tour in the Piusa Caves and got to craft bats and sand bottles. In the caves, we also managed to spot hibernating butterflies and sleeping bats. The young people grilled their own lunch in the beautiful natural setting by Lake Valgjärv. In addition to grilling sausages and marshmallows, they hiked around the lake, played ball games, and had a small competition, with the winners rewarded with a box of sweets. Youth worker Sära Sthella Tohv, who was with the young people, notes: “We have mistakenly taken the stance that young people do not…

As 2022 is the Year of Libraries, Ilmatsalu Youth Centre has made it a priority to collaborate even more closely with the Ilmatsalu branch of the Tartu O. Lutsu City Library. The aim of this cooperation is to develop a sense of community among young people and residents of the area. At the first meeting, we planned activities for the entire year 2022. However, we will start by organizing an information day for the community on crisis preparedness at the Ilmatsalu Library on April 21. We invited a safety expert from the Tartu district of Naiskodukaitse to speak about this topical issue. It became clear that, given the current situation, people are still unclear about how to act if there is no electricity for an extended period, what household crisis supplies should be, or more broadly – what is generally meant by a crisis. Other activities related to the Year of Libraries focus on…