Blog

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…

Starting April 1, 2022, a change will take effect whereby the Tartu Youth Center will shift its focus from young people to young animals. The center will be renamed the Tartu Young Animals Center. The idea to take a new direction arose in connection with the nature-oriented Ilmatsalu Youth Center. Similar to the current situation, each center will have a specific theme. The Lille Youth Center, with its focus on health, will become a center for comfort animals, while the Ilmatsalu Youth Center, with its focus on nature, will welcome various birds from the surrounding bird population, and the Anne Youth Center, with its focus on labor and entrepreneurship, will welcome working animals. Job titles at the institution will also change. Youth workers will become young animal handlers, and street youth workers will become young animal walkers. The minimum qualification requirement for each caretaker is a fourth-level certificate in young animal care. Applications for the certificate are coordinated by the Estonian Association of Young Animal Caretakers. You can also get a new...

When a great opportunity arises to spend time with friends in a creative environment and at the same time do good in the local community, it must be seized. And this is exactly what the young people of the Tartu Youth Work Centre decided to do. When Dragana (from Serbia), our European Solidarity Corps volunteer, presented an idea to the youth that was at that moment only an idea in her head, 6 young people immediately jumped on board and wanted to participate in this project. Together, they expanded the idea and turned it into something amazing – thus the 'Cat in a Bag' project began. The main idea behind this initiative is to create a safe environment for young people to gather, brainstorm together, think, and plan. Young people have all...

Last Saturday, March 19, the Tartu Youth Party, organized for the first time by the Tartu Youth Work Center, took place, with nearly 250 young people participating from both within and outside Tartu. The party, hosted by Kristjan Lüüs, an actor dearly loved by young people, was made possible thanks to the Tartu Youth Work Center and the young people of the Tartu 2024 Extended youth program. The youth party, which took place in the former dental clinic and current Tartu 2024 premises, kicked off with the Estonian Deaf Youth Organization's play 'The Letter,' which talked about what happens when young people don't listen to their parents. Their performance was followed by a set from the Youth DJ School, thanks to which the rhythms played by DJ Peeter Taimi got many in the audience tapping their feet. The young people continued to elevate the party atmosphere...