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Mahatma Gandhi said, ''The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.'' It has been a true pleasure to work for Estonian youth as a volunteer for the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) at the Tartu Youth Work Center. I have always wanted to become a prosecutor. However, since the beginning of my volunteer service, I have dreamed of my own organization dealing with the rights of children and young people. Who knows, maybe one day I will even work globally, like UNICEF. This piece of writing is not about my plans, of course. Instead, I am writing about the greatest lessons I learned while in Estonia. So, let's go! I have always enjoyed observing people. I learn the most from the people around me. I want to tell some stories that are very inspiring to me and...

After the state of emergency in the country ended, youth centers began to reopen their doors. Following the accustomed digital life, returning to almost 'normal life' offered a lot of excitement, as this time, the youth center's doors opened differently once again. Ilmatsalu Youth Center was open for only two days and a few hours during the first two weeks. However, all activities took place outdoors. Preparing to operate as an outdoor youth center required the availability of protective and cleaning supplies, the availability of equipment for outdoor use, the development of specific rules and regulations for outdoor youth centers, and also the introduction of amendments to the youth center's general house rules. It also involved thinking through and role-playing situations for when the weather is bad, considering how and in which indoor open youth room spaces activities would take place. Ilmatsalu Youth Center's first day of opening turned out to be full of heavy rain. We were ready for young people to...

Registration for Tartu Youth Work Camp groups begins on June 1 Registration for Tartu Youth Work Camp begins on June 1 and lasts until June 7. To register for Tartu Youth Work Camp, you must have an ID card and be registered as a resident of Tartu in the population register. More information about registering for groups can be found here: https://tntk.tartu.ee/tartu-noorte-toomalev/. The aim of the Tartu Youth Work Camp is to offer 13-19-year-olds the opportunity to spend their summer vacation in a developmental way and gain work experience. Participation in the work camp gives young people the opportunity to gain their first work experience in a supportive and safe environment. This year, nearly 100 young people will have the opportunity to participate in the work camp. The main tasks of the work camp participants are maintenance work, assisting in service, farm work, or event organization. In addition, various developmental group activities will take place under the guidance of a group leader. The workplaces are local governments,...

From May 25 to June 1, the Tartu Youth Work Centre is running a Children's Protection Day campaign to raise awareness of children's rights and their needs for harmonious development. The campaign's slogan is "LET A CHILD BE A CHILD" to remind people of the child's worldview and how the factors influencing it differ from those of an adult.   As part of the campaign, various video materials have been collected on the website from partners of the Tartu Youth Work Centre, which support the functioning of the child-parent relationship, offer ideas for joint activities, or otherwise provide food for thought regarding the child's world. We remind you that it is important to know your rights. At the same time, it must be remembered that other people, both big and small, around us also have the same rights that must be respected and followed.…

Starting on May 18, Tartu Youth Work Center youth centers will begin operating outdoor youth centers. By decision of the government, contact learning in hobby activities and education and in youth centers is again permitted from May 15, provided that there are no more than ten people in a group of learners, the movement of groups is organized in a dispersed manner, and shared items are disinfected after use.   All Tartu Youth Work Center youth centers have been closed since the beginning of the emergency situation. As restrictions are eased, youth centers will gradually reopen, starting with outdoor youth centers. The Anne, Ilmatsalu, and Lille youth centers will open outdoor youth centers in their courtyards. Activities will be carried out in accordance with the safety requirements of the state of emergency, and the rules of the youth centers have also been updated with new rules. The number of young people participating in the activities is limited. The activities of the outdoor youth centers will continue to be as diverse as they were before...

Due to the emergency situation, Tartu (county) youth centres moved online. Institutions are closed, and all possible signs are displayed to direct people home to avoid public gatherings. So, where do youth workers do their job? The short answer is: Online. Youth work continues even during the emergency situation; for this purpose, the Tartu e-youth centre has been opened on a Discord server. Youth workers always do their work where young people are. The concept of smart youth work may seem situation-driven, but in reality, it is nothing new. The aforementioned e-youth work 'is not a separate activity or method, but rather, it enables young people and youth workers to create innovative solutions based on existing experiences, by seeking new connections and using new tools,' as stated on the website of the Estonian Youth Work Centre…

As of today, there is probably no one in Estonia and many other countries who doesn't know what it means to stay at home for an extended period or adapt to a new situation. Going to the store feels like an event in itself, cleaning seems endless, and various workouts and webinars are popping up like mushrooms after rain. Young people are confined to home schooling, seeing friends has been postponed, and youth centers are closed with signs. Three weeks of working from a home office have created various scenarios in my mind about the future course of life. The situation still feels like a surreal dream at times, making me wonder what is really happening and for how much longer? Is youth work even possible without seeing young people? Is this a new and...

As a child, I dreamed of becoming a teacher. I imagined how kind and caring I would be. I didn't think I would have problems communicating with young people. Come on, I'm young myself and know all the bloggers they follow! But now I had the opportunity to work as a volunteer with young people at Anne Youth Center in Tartu. And "What's going on?" was the main phrase in my head for the first two months. Of course, I was fascinated by the opportunity to be here. I planned activities that interested me: talking to young people, inspiring them, and making the world a better place. In addition, I wanted to participate in various events, meet new people, cook new dishes, dedicate more time to my various hobbies…

Laura Kiviselg, youth work specialist at Anne Youth Centre, provides an overview of the youth meeting held in Pärnu.  From 26.02-01.03.2020, a youth meeting titled "We are the ones from whom change begins" took place in cooperation between Tartu Youth Work Centre and NGO Animus Team. The youth meeting, which took place in Pärnu, addressed social, environmental, and self-awareness topics. Each project day focused on a different theme. On the first project day (27.02), we focused on society and civic activism. We started the day with an introductory circle, followed by team games and the formulation of agreements. In the second half of the day, youth worker and activist Karoliine Aus gave a training and shared her story, discussing with the youth what opportunities they have to participate, for example, in school or in the city, and how to find motivation to act. The youth also shared experiences with each other,…