30 years of Tartu youth work camps: share your story at the anniversary exhibition

January 8, 2026

In 2026, the Tartu Youth Work Camp celebrates its 30th year of operation.
To mark this anniversary, a jubilee exhibition will open on April 17, 2026, in collaboration with the Tartu City Museum, telling the story of the Tartu Work Camp through people, memories, and objects.

Former youth work camp participants, group leaders,
coordinators, and everyone who has had a connection with the Tartu Youth Work Camp are invited to contribute to the creation of the exhibition. The aim of the exhibition is to record and highlight the role of the youth work camp in the lives of young people and in the history of the City of Tartu more broadly.

The youth work camp is more than just a summer job.

The Tartu Youth Work Camp has not merely been an opportunity to work in the summer. For many, it has been their first job and salary, a place where important
friendships have formed, and skills and experiences have been gained that have accompanied young people throughout their lives. The camp has raised generations – now we are collecting these stories and preserving them through a jubilee exhibition.

We are looking for stories and items for the exhibition.

The exhibition welcomes both personal memories and items that help to reveal different facets and eras of youth work camp life.

Examples include:

memories of youth work camp life and activities
group emblems and stories of their creation
emblems from previous years (1996–2018)
humorous, sentimental or otherwise meaningful items from the youth work camp

Items and stories with personal background or meaning are particularly valued, as they help visitors to the exhibition better understand the diversity and impact of military life.

How to contribute?

Memories and photos of items can be sent until February 6, 2026 by email
to malev.tartu@tartu.ee or by post to Uus 56, Tartu

The exhibition organizers will contact the owners of the stories and items selected for the exhibition. If desired, it is also possible to share your story in an interview format – please indicate this in your letter.

If you doubt whether your story or item is suitable for the exhibition, please contact us anyway. Every memory can be an important part of the history of Tartu Youth work camp.

Privacy and Data Retention

Submitted photos and stories are preserved in the archive of the Tartu Youth Work Centre. The Tartu Youth Work Centre and Tartu City Museum adhere to personal data protection principles, and personal data will not be disclosed upon request.

Contact

Keidi Kald
keidi.kald@tartu.ee | malev.tartu@tartu.ee
phone: +372 5598 5994
address: Uus 56, Tartu

news:

A mobile youth center will be on the move in Tartu this summer

From June 1 to September 1, the Tartu Youth Work Center is launching the MoNo bus—a youth center on wheels—as part of a pilot project, bringing youth work to young people at their everyday gathering places. It is a specially adapted van designed to provide young people with a safe and supportive environment in areas where youth work services are currently unavailable or where young people cannot easily access them on a daily basis. MoNo

Youth workers from the Tartu Youth Work Center on a study trip to Portugal

From April 19–26, youth workers from the Tartu Youth Work Center participated in a study trip to Lisbon, Portugal, as part of the Erasmus+ program, to learn about local street youth work methods, non-formal education, and ways to support young people in the NEET situation. Study trips give youth workers the opportunity to step outside their usual work environment for a moment, learn about different practices, and bring the knowledge and effective solutions they gain back to their own community (Pavlakias and

Tartu Youth Work Center Study Tour Seminar: Bringing Together Knowledge from Around the World

This spring, the staff of the Tartu Youth Work Center went on two study trips: one to Cologne, Germany, and the other to Lisbon, Portugal. On June 3, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., we will gather in the NOKK room on the second floor of the Anne Youth Center (Uus 56, Tartu) for an information seminar on this year’s study trips. We invite all youth workers, activity leaders, and interested city residents from Tartu, Tartu County, and beyond to our information seminar,

“Let’s start a green-thumbed club!”

With the arrival of spring, there’s a growing desire to be outdoors and do something interesting—something that brings joy, excitement, and sparks curiosity. At the Lillekese Youth Center, we’ve found gardening to be the perfect activity for this. We started one Wednesday by weeding the flower bed in front of the Lille House gate. We divided up the tasks on the spot—one person weeds here, another

The Voice of Youth in the Action Plan

Actively involving young people in developing the youth center’s action plan is an important step in fostering their sense of participation and responsibility. Children aged 7–11 are able to successfully express their interests and ideas when provided with a safe and supportive environment. One effective way to do this is through a monthly brainstorming session, during which young people can freely suggest activities and topics. Young people’s opinions matter and have a real impact on the life of the youth center. In addition to the idea generator, it is important to gather ongoing feedback on daily activities to understand what resonates with young people and what needs to be changed. The youth worker’s role here is to guide: to help make ideas more concrete, then link them to an action plan, and involve partners as needed. Even with younger children, simple tools such as voting, drawing, or discussion circles can be used. In a young person’s life, everything changes very quickly: what was relevant two weeks ago

Come work with us this summer – 0.5 FTE mobile youth worker

Mobile Youth Worker (0.5 FTE) For the period June 1 – August 31 Job responsibilities: establishing contact and communicating with young people on the street and in other public places; carrying out youth work activities in the mobile youth work bus; introducing opportunities to young people and supporting them in finding suitable activities; assisting youth workers at the youth center as needed. Requirements for the candidate: higher education (may be in progress); good communication and planning

Students from Annelinna High School visited the Lille Youth Center

The Lille Youth Center, part of the Tartu Youth Work Center, offers young people a wide range of opportunities for participation and personal development. Schools are welcome to visit us for project days or to encourage their students to join our clubs. The clubs operating at the Lille Youth Center include the Hiking Club, Cooking Club, Book Club, Career Club, and the sex education club “Seks vä?”. In addition, we organize city-wide major events, where we welcome young people to actively participate in the organizing teams.