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!
Now, however, I had the opportunity to work as a volunteer with young people at the 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. Additionally, I wanted to participate in various events, meet new people, cook new dishes, and dedicate more time to my various hobbies (such as fashion design, scriptwriting, reading books, etc.).
And now would be a good time for some “expectations vs reality” meme.
The reality is that for the first few months, I was adapting to the environment, the people, and most importantly – the new job. I had never worked in the youth sector before. I had never even thought about it. And here I was, having earned a bachelor's degree in advertising and with eight years of experience as an editor, taking my first steps in the field of youth work. It is a challenging, yet beautiful journey.
As a youth worker, I have discovered that I can also be firm. I try to be cheerful and kind, but our incredibly active young people also need a stricter hand. I remember how for the first couple of months, young people called me “auntie who likes to talk about serious things,” because I had discussed serious global problems with them. It was difficult to talk to them about such topics because young people quickly lost interest. I changed my approach several times and am still learning. But even now, I can highlight the most important things I have learned during my volunteer year:
Listening and viewing:
The games they play, the videos they watch, the music they listen to. Fortunately, I already knew most of their favorite musicians and bloggers. However, sometimes I feel like I'm too old for some things. And at the same time, I laugh with them over some strange TikTok video and feel 13 again. Even if I don't know anything or anyone, young people are always ready to tell me about them. And that is truly precious.
You can't always be nice:
And you shouldn't have to. It's hard to be pleasant all the time when you work with active young people. They find it difficult to follow rules. You yourself find it hard to watch them break rules. And this can be tiring for both sides. Therefore, when communicating with young people, I always try to remember what I was like at their age. This helps me understand their motivation and not get angry with them.
Sometimes you don't understand them:
And they don't understand you. And that's almost perfectly fine. We come from different generations. It's okay if you're not interested in the same things they are. And “vise versa” (the other way around). At first, I was very sad that they weren't interested in some of the activities I offered them. Now I understand that it's completely normal. I have learned a lot from it.
Communicate with young people when planning something for them:
Young people themselves know best what makes them happy. Therefore, it's beneficial to communicate with them on this topic. They always have good ideas. Furthermore, they feel needed and valued when asked for help.
Don't underestimate young people and don't suppress their feelings:
My dear teenagers are often upset about small and not-so-important things. But it's important to remember that these trivial and small things are only so for me. It doesn't work to tell them, 'you won't remember this in 1 hour/day/month/year.' For most of them, what's happening NOW is the most important thing. And right now, they are upset. It's better to listen to them and respond with empathy.
These are five things I have learned. I can't wait to discover more of this landscape and share my experiences with others!
Inessa Markaryan
Volunteer at the European Solidarity Corps at Anne Youth Center
