Winter break with Tartu Youth Work Center February 23-27

February 13, 2026

At the end of February, it's time for school students to rest again, and as always, we give our young people the opportunity to spend their free time meaningfully. The school holiday begins on the evening of February 20th, when a trip for 12 young people to Narva starts, where they will visit the Narva Sea Scouts, joined by young people from Tallinn and Saku. Together, they will play various get-to-know-you and team games, do city orienteering, and take an evening walk through Narva. They will also visit the Victoria bastion passages. The outing is designed for young people aged 10-14. The event is free and requires pre-registration; for more information, contact Julia.Barsukova@tartu.ee.

A spot on the outing is secured by a signed parental consent form. (Or from a youth worker or Julia.Barsukova@tartu.ee)

The Tartu-based school break program begins on Monday. At the beginning of the week, weekly friend bingo will start! On Monday, blue, black, and white bracelets will be made and woven, and the anniversary of the republic will be celebrated. On Tuesday, the centers will be closed due to the holiday. On Wednesday, animals will visit the Anne Youth Center. They will be with us from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. From 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., there will be a photo hunt in downtown Tartu, which will start at the Tartu Kaubamaja department store, and youth workers will be on hand to assist the young people throughout the photo hunt.

Thursday has become the traditional day for the city camp. This time, it will take place at the Ilmatsalu Community Center between 12 PM and 6 PM. Together, fat balls for birds will be made, Tartu Nature House will conduct an animal tracks workshop “Who was here?”, there will be a hiking game on the Ilmatsalu hiking trail, and hiking food will be cooked together – bring warm clothing and a good mood!
A youth worker will definitely travel from Tartu to Ilmatsalu with young people by rural bus.

Bus times:
From Tartu bus station 11:30 Platform – 4
Hansabuss AS – 508, at 12:05 in Ilmatsalu;

Ilmatsalu-Tartu bus station 18:10-18:45 Hansabuss AS – 509; (The same bus departs at 17:10, arriving at Tartu bus station at 17:45)

On Friday, an active Zumba session will take place at 3 PM in the mat hall of Anne Youth Centre. Throughout the week, there will also be friend bingo, which encourages young people to be active in various activities.

On Friday evening at 5 PM, there will be a prize draw for friend bingo.

news:

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.

Creativity is on the rise in the Youth Capital: Loomehüpe is returning for the third time this year

Tartu, European Youth Capital 2026, invites young people aged 14–26 to apply for the Creative Leap project, which aims to support young people’s creative potential and personal development. Eligible applicants are young people who are registered residents of Tartu and wish to develop their strengths and discover their creative potential through summer projects. Loomehüpe supports projects in the natural and exact sciences, music, art, dance, performing arts, language, literature, and technology

Let’s celebrate the Tartu Youth Work Center’s eighth anniversary together!

The Tartu Youth Work Center will turn eight on May 2, 2026. We will celebrate the birthday together with the youth on Tuesday, May 5. The center’s director, development manager, project manager, administrative manager, executive assistant, and information specialist will visit the youth centers. Together, we’ll eat cake, play games, and do Kahoot! At Lilles and Lillekes from 3:00–3:45 p.m., at Ilmatsalu from 4:00–4:45 p.m., and at Annes and Annekes from 5:15–6:00 p.m.—come celebrate with us!

The Tartu Work Brigade is opening its anniversary exhibition today at the Tartu City Museum!

Today, April 17 at 4 p.m., the Tartu Youth Work Brigade’s 30th anniversary exhibition will open in the courtyard of the Tartu City Museum, bringing together brigade members from different generations and telling the story of how young people’s work habits have evolved over three decades. For many young people aged 13–19, the Tartu Youth Work Brigade has been their first exposure to working life. Over the course of thirty years, thousands of young people from Tartu have participated in the brigade,

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion — Our German Learning Mobility Program

Diversity, equity, and inclusion in youth work mean creating a safe and supportive environment where differences are not only acknowledged but also genuinely valued and encouraged. This means ensuring equal access, active participation, and a sense of belonging for all young people. This approach goes beyond merely taking into account differences in origin, gender, abilities, or orientation; it is aimed at removing barriers, expanding opportunities for marginalized and minority groups, and ensuring their full inclusion in all activities. Inclusion

For Your Information: Sleep as a Superpower

With the arrival of spring—accompanied by birdsong and the awakening of nature—comes a period that is stressful and hectic for so many young people and adults alike. Whether it’s due to graduations, the final stages of various projects, or simply the anticipation of summer. During this time, it’s important to take care of your health and maintain your routines, one of the most important of which is a healthy sleep routine

Connected internationally! A week in Latvia—fun, interesting, and memorable!

Eight young people from the Tartu Youth Work Center had the amazing opportunity to take part in the “Toolbox for Tomorrow” youth exchange in Latvia, which focused on digital tools, environmental development, design, and storytelling. Over 40 young people from Estonia, Latvia, Turkey, Italy, and Hungary took part in the youth exchange. On March 7, we set off with the group from Tartu train station toward Valmiera,