ESTEEM – YOUTH WORK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WELL-BEING OF YOUNG PEOPLE

March 24, 2023

ESTEEM – Youth Work is Responsible for the Well-being of Young People is an innovative 24-month Erasmus+ cooperation partnership project implemented by five organizations in Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria, and Spain.

The ESTEEM project focuses on the well-being of young people and measures that can be developed and offered in youth work to improve and strengthen their well-being. As there is no single definition of well-being, we have studied existing models and defined a model that retains elements of the Ryffi and Seligman models and, in our opinion, is best suited to youth work and, specifically, the objectives and means of this project. We do not claim that this is the only correct model, but rather consider it to be the vision of our partners, based on years of experience working with young people in youth centers, non-governmental organizations, and mental health
institutions.

The European Youth Goals define well-being and mental health as the most important aspects of a young person's life. These are fundamental areas that require thorough attention when developing up-to-date policy initiatives and youth work responses. Mental health and well-being are fundamental values of life and prerequisites for a young person's continuous development of potential, readiness to take responsibility, and care for their own life. This includes building healthy relationships, choosing education and
professions, and being an autonomous and active member of society. In addition, the COVID-19 crisis has significantly impacted the mental health of young people. The mental health of young people (aged 15-24) significantly deteriorated in 2020-2021, and in most countries, mental health problems in this age group have doubled or more. With sufficient support and timely intervention, young people can recover from the COVID-19 crisis, but there is a risk that the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis will continue to cast shadows over young people's lives and their mental health.

news:

Youth Counselor Oksana Knjaz: “None of us has to handle everything on our own!”

Every young person has their own story, questions, and challenges. Sometimes, all it takes to move forward is for someone to help them clarify their thoughts and identify possible solutions. The youth counselors at the Tartu Youth Work Center support young people in precisely these moments, offering them the chance to talk about both everyday worries and more complex issues. Let’s meet Oksana Knjaz, a youth counselor working at our Anne House.

Design socks for the Tartu Youth Work Center!

The Tartu Youth Work Center’s sock design contest is about to begin! Design socks using the provided sock template. You can find the template here or get a paper copy from your youth worker. You can create your design by hand or digitally. Include your name, contact information, and—if you’d like—a brief explanation of your design. Submit your finished work by October 25 at the latest to helene.toomeoks@tartu.ee or give it to your youth worker.

Youth Counselor Kairi Kivaste: “My job is to listen and provide guidance, together with the young person”

There are times in a young person’s life when they don’t have to face their thoughts, worries, or questions alone. The Tartu Youth Work Center employs two youth counselors whom young people can turn to when they need someone to listen, help them make sense of a situation, and work together to find possible solutions. The youth counselors also support youth workers and help them identify and resolve

Tartu, the Youth Capital, Opens a New Playground at the Anne Youth Center

Today, October 2, at 3:00 p.m., a new playground will open in the courtyard of the Anne Youth Center (Uus 56, Tartu), providing younger visitors with more opportunities for active leisure.The playground is part of a comprehensive plan for the Anne Youth Center’s outdoor area, which is being implemented in stages. In the coming years, the plan is to develop the entire outdoor area to create a space that meets the needs of young people of all ages.

Summer Work Camp 2026: Friends, First Paychecks, and Experiences That Last a Lifetime

The summer of 2026 at the Tartu Youth Work Camp offered young people much more than just work experience. Feedback collected at the end of the camp clearly highlighted the things the young people valued most: new friends, their first earned paycheck, special experiences, and shared activities. New friends were the biggest win. Most often, the camp participants highlighted the opportunity to meet new

An interactive adventure game titled “The Lost Trail” is being created at the Ilmatsalu Youth Center based on an idea from young people

What happens when you give young people the chance to think for themselves, experiment, build, and actually bring their ideas to life? An interactive adventure game called “The Lost Trail” is currently taking shape in Ilmatsalu, and local youth have been involved in its creation from start to finish. From an idea to an actual game… It all started when some young people stopped by the youth center and complained that in Ilmatsalu there wasn’t

Tartu, the Youth Capital, Tested a Mobile Youth Work Bus

What if, instead of waiting for young people to come to the youth center, the center went to where the young people actually are? Over the past four years, the Tartu Youth Work Center has been developing mobile youth work in Tartu’s public spaces. This summer, a mobile youth work bus (the MoNo bus) was tested for the first time to see if this kind of solution would help reach young people,