Awaiting the Youth Work Camp Summer!

As spring arrives, the inboxes of Tartu Youth Work Center employees receive more and more messages asking, “When does the application period for the youth work camp begin?” Our own anticipation for the upcoming youth work camp summer is already high! 

This year, we will kick off the youth work camp summer with a traditional opening event on June 16, and conclude the camp summer with a nationwide camp gathering at Ranna Ranch on August 12-14

Those who have participated in a youth work camp know that in addition to work experience, much more takes place there. However, those who haven't might initially be hesitant about the camp. Here are 5 reasons why you should apply for a youth work camp: 

  1. New friends: In the youth work camp group, you'll meet new people with whom you'll bond during the camp. You'll be connected by shared jokes and experiences. It's great to make new friends from across the city! The youth work camp community is large and can bring you advantages later in life too! 
  1. New knowledge: During the youth work camp, you'll have the opportunity to participate with your group in various training sessions related to working life or career planning. Thanks to these opportunities, you'll gain new knowledge and can later impress your friends with your wisdom! 
  1. Fun activities: Youth work camp groups do many fun activities together, such as movie nights, board games, cooking evenings, and more. Of course, as a camp participant, you can always suggest and lead activities yourself! Work and fun must go hand in hand! 
  1. Boosting Self-Confidence: At the Youth work camp, you have the opportunity to challenge yourself in new situations, which will help your self-confidence grow. New people, employer instructions, problem-solving – all of this helps you grow! 
  1. Contributing to the community: You have the opportunity to work in your hometown, which helps you see your hometown from a different perspective. When you contribute yourself, you'll want to preserve it more. 

 
Our long-time group leader Anni, who started out as a member of the youth work camp, also shares her experiences, which confirm the points mentioned above: "I still remember well how, at the end of the work camp, the employer wanted to thank us for our good work and organized a surprise fireworks display and a large box of strawberries for us. It was strange, but at the same time so special to see such a spectacle in the middle of a field on a peaceful summer evening. Of course, I made friends during military service, and I am still in touch with some of them today. The bonds formed during military service are somehow special to me, no matter how long ago it was.” 

 
If you have free time in the summer and would like to try something new, apply to join the camp! Keep an eye on our social media, because we will start introducing the camp groups on April 28!

See you at the camp! 

news:

Do digital environments bring us together or make us more lonely?

Have you ever had a day where you’ve been chatting with friends on Snapchat, Instagram, or Discord all day long, but still feel lonely in the evening? It might seem strange—how can we feel lonely when we’re connected to others almost all the time? Loneliness is a topic that’s being discussed more and more. According to the World Health Organization, about

Read more »

Philosophizing with Children and Youth

Many 21st-century skills are closely linked to thinking skills. These include, for example, creative and critical thinking, as well as a collaborative and caring mindset. These skills can also be developed in youth work through philosophizing with children and young people. Philosophizing creates more space for discussion and helps participants become more skilled at articulating their opinions, listening to others, making decisions, and

Read more »

The Tartu Youth Work Brigade’s anniversary summer kicks off with a parade and an evening of work brigade songs

Today, June 15, Tartu will kick off the 30th summer of the Tartu Youth Work Camp, which will bring together 238 young people this year. The opening event of this anniversary year begins at 4:30 p.m. in the courtyard of the Anne Youth Center and proceeds with a parade to Town Hall Square, where the start of the work camp season will be celebrated with a speech by Mayor Urmas Klaas and the taking of the work camp oath. The opening ceremony will be followed at 7 p.m. by an evening of work camp songs in Tartu

Read more »

Ukrainian Youth in Tartu: A Week That Left a Lasting Impression

In early June, from June 8–14, the Tartu Youth Work Center had the extraordinary honor and pleasure of hosting young people from Ukraine—young people whose lives have been completely turned upside down by the war. The camp was made possible thanks to financial support from the City of Tartu, and the Tartu Youth Work Center wholeheartedly took on the task of organizing the program. The week began creatively—in a stencilling workshop, the young people

Read more »

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,

Read more »

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

Read more »

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

Read more »