New interest clubs with open participation are starting!

March 22, 2023

Spring is here and life is awakening. New beginnings are also at the Tartu Youth Work Centre, where new club activities have started.

At the Lille youth center for the older target group, the culture club has awakened from its winter slumber, taking place every Wednesday from 4 PM to 5:30 PM. Culture is all around us, and giving it meaning is up to us. The idea of the culture club is primarily to work with the youngsters themselves to develop and define the club's essence and purpose, based on what the youngsters want to experience and do in the club. Another additional outlet is the opportunity to participate in organizing TNTK's major events, such as Tartu City Children's Protection Day, and why not even create TNTK's very own CULTURE TENT there! Contact person Liisa Tammoja, liisa.tammoja@tartu.ee.

At the Ilmatsalu Youth Centre, you can continue to participate in the traditional nature lovers' club, which takes place every Thursday at 3 PM! The activity is aimed at young people aged 7-19 who are interested in observing nature from different perspectives and acquiring new knowledge and skills on how to cope in and with nature. Topics such as environmental sustainability are covered; participants learn to notice awakening nature and its parts, including the animal kingdom; and they also get acquainted with various opportunities for working for the environment. For example, April's focus is on natural phenomena, while May's focus will be on different professions, such as animal breeders and hiking guides. Various hikes take place, starting from bike tours and ending with survival hikes. Contact person Elen Hermanson, elen.hermanson@tartu.ee.

However, Anne's older target group youth center has launched a completely new concept, which is every Wednesday from 4 to 5 p.m. , Challenge Club! Through various new challenges and experiences, young people's skills are put to the test and they try out different hobbies, activities, and experiences, thereby gaining new knowledge. The challenges are open to young people aged 12-19. The exercise days held at the youth center on Fridays also offer opportunities to put yourself to the test. Contact person: Maarja Enumäe, maarja.enumae@tartu.ee.

Club activities have also been launched on the second floor of Anne House, a youth center for younger target groups, where every Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 p.m., where people lift the spirits of others and themselves. The club focuses on mental health, creative exploration of one's personality, and finding the good in every moment. "What makes me feel better?" – to answer this question, we first look inside ourselves and embark on an exciting journey to get to know our own selves. Knowing yourself and your needs helps you cope more easily with difficult situations and maintain inner peace. The Good Mood Club is aimed at young people aged 7-11. Contact person: Julia Barsukova, Julia.Barsukova@tartu.ee.

The Anne Youth Center has also launched Ukrainian Friends Clubhas also started at the Anne Youth Center. It takes place every Friday from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and its target group varies from week to week between 7-11-year-olds and 12-19-year-olds. It takes place at the respective Anne Youth Centers (with the exception of March 31, when it will be held at the Lille Youth Center). The club offers Ukrainian youth the opportunity to make new friends in a foreign environment and allows all other interested parties to learn more about different cultures and introduce their own. The club organizes crafts, visits to various places, opportunities to get to know each other, and introductions to different cultures. Contact person: Helene Toomeoks, helene.toomeoks@tartu.ee and Ukrainian-speaking contact Sofiia Pasternak, Sophia.Pasternak@tartu.ee.

This spring, you can also take part in Manga drawing (漫画) or Japanese classical comic and graphic novel drawing style ! Drawing conveys the personality and temperament of the character being created, and their reactions are amplified. The course supports the integration of Estonian and Ukrainian youth and takes place in two groups (group I from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and group II from 3:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.). There are 12 places in each group (six for Estonian and six for Ukrainian young people). Classes take place on Fridays from April 14 to June 16 on the second floor of the Anne Youth Center. The course is conducted by Tartu Folk High School. Registration takes place here: https://forms.office.com/e/5Wx5QTV4m1 The contact person is Helene Toomeoks, helene.toomeoks@tartu.ee.

NB! All young people are welcome to participate in all activities, regardless of whether they usually attend youth centers or not. The activities are free for all participants.

news:

A Children's Day bursting with joy and youthful energy!

The theme of this year’s Child Protection Day was the question: “A young person speaks—are you listening?” The need to be seen, heard, and truly listened to became clear right from the first preparatory meeting, where young volunteers had the chance to share which topics they consider important in the daily lives of children and young people. Almost without exception, all participants highlighted today’s fast-paced lifestyle—home,

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