Blog

In English: Last time I tried to present you some random similarities between Hungary and Estonia I’ve experienced since I was here. This time I would like to show you some random differences that were unexpected or incomprehensible to me at first - and have been ever since... My collegaues started to talk about reflectors on a meeting in October. I was a little confused and listened to the coversation with eyes wide open. They were discussing which tree to place the reflectors on so that it would be recognizable and people could pick one if they don’t have any.…

Human health and mental well-being have always gone hand in hand with the rhythm of nature – at least that's how it is for me. In winter, I live as if on a power-saving mode, doing as little as possible, but as much as necessary. Outside, it's dark and cold, and the only comfortable place seems to be in bed under a blanket, where there's just the right warmth, comfort, and softness to cope with the Estonian weather. In summer, however, I sleep less, explore more, and am in a noticeably better mood. I gladly enjoy the sun, warm evenings, and exciting trips with friends and family. Autumn and spring, however, are transitional periods – in autumn, it's as if I live off the summer energy until the sun reserves run out,…

The current emergency situation has forced many people into home schooling, and it is very important to be able to plan your time and needs. Here are five different ideas on how to plan your time more effectively at home, so that everything necessary gets done and your mind remains sharp. 1) Create a daily plan Start each morning by creating a clear daily plan. Also, write down how much time you would like to spend on each activity. You can include obligations, rest time, physical activity, and other important activities for you in your daily plan. To create your plan, you can use a notebook, a mobile app, or a whiteboard, for example. Writing down activities helps you stay on track and avoid things piling up. Of course, it also feels good to cross off completed activities.…

On the penultimate day of March, we got to spend time outside the digital world. Last week, a good opportunity arose to genuinely meet with several young people after a long time. As a youth worker, it's important to know the places in your area that are popular among young people. Bus stops and all sorts of secluded spots that offer some privacy from an adult's gaze often become like home. In reality, this is paradoxical. Sometimes, in their favorite places, they are not seeking privacy, but rather attention. In search of young people's attention, we visited all possible places, knowing, of course, where we were most likely to find young people spending their time. The school surroundings, a stadium or other sports field, especially a football or basketball court, playgrounds or climbing structures between houses, and the aforementioned bus stops are well-known places to everyone. Street work is for us…

The Tartu Youth Work Centre plans to move to Tallinn starting next year. The main reason for the relocation is the small number of young people in Tartu. The new address for the Tartu Youth Work Centre in Tallinn will be Estonia puiestee 9 (Solaris Centre). According to the youth work centre, the new location offers many new opportunities and will allow them to reach a larger number of young people. The youth centre will be located on the 6th floor of the Solaris Centre starting next year. Additional information: Mitte Keegi mitte.keegi@raad.tartu.ee

The Tartu Youth Work Centre plans to move to Tallinn starting next year. The main reason for the relocation is the small number of young people in Tartu. The new address for the Tartu Youth Work Centre in Tallinn will be Estonia puiestee 9 (Solaris Centre). According to the youth work centre, the new location offers many new opportunities and will allow them to reach a larger number of young people. The youth centre will be located on the 6th floor of the Solaris Centre starting next year. Additional information: Mitte Keegi mitte.keegi@raad.tartu.ee APRIL FOOLS' DAY!

Tartu Youth Work Center, together with four Tartu schools (Forseliuse, Tamme, Veeriku, and Variku), created a game in Actionbound called "Knockdown for Spring Fatigue," which encourages young people to maintain their mental health during distance learning. The game lasts 10 days, with a new game and exciting challenges designed for each day. During the day, five tasks need to be completed, and these are based on Peaasi's five mental health vitamins: sleep, nutrition, relationships, emotions, and movement. The activities are aimed at supporting the improvement of young people's mental health and well-being. This active self-development game helps young people overcome spring fatigue, encouraging them to act, think, and reflect on their activities. The game is not intended to assess young people's knowledge, but to help them remember during this current…

The idea for the Grasping Graffiti project was born a little over a year ago from the thought of what graffiti is and why it is done. This was followed by discussions about what is art and what is actually vandalism? How to understand this and make it clear to others? From there, the graffiti-themed project found its way to the European Solidarity Corps project competition. The project received funding, and within its framework, numerous different events have been carried out, primarily with young people in mind. We participated in a training with street artists SÄNK and Bach Babach. The first of them introduced us to the origin story of graffiti and how the culture of 'tagging' or drawing names began, and there we practiced for the first time with a smaller group. In summer, together with Tartu Youth Work Centre...

Do you also have that déjà-vu* feeling, as if all this has happened before and we are in a loop where everything starts over? That it all started a year ago and now we are back in the same place... Well, why everything is as it is right now... let's leave that for now. Instead, try to think with me about how we could do something cool when we're not allowed to do much. You've certainly heard recommendations – go for a walk, go into nature, etc. But why don't you go? Moving in nature is free and not at all difficult. Besides, it's allowed to do it in pairs and...