Youth centers are moving to Car-Free Avenue for the summer

June 29, 2023

For the summer, Tartu youth centers are moving from indoors to Autovabaduse Puiestee, where activities ranging from crafts to training await children and young people for a month.

The youth area is open from June 29 to July 29, every day from 2 PM to 8 PM. Days are divided thematically: focusing on entrepreneurship, health and safety, nature, youth participation, and movement. On weekends, family and theater days are held.

On Tartu City Day, June 29, the Tartu Youth Work Center organizes several activities dedicated to the city. For example, you can contribute to the collaborative art project "My Dream Tartu," make beaded jewelry, participate in a Tartu-themed quiz, play board games, and much more. Additionally, a month-long youth bingo will kick off on City Day.

“The youth program offers activities for every taste. There are educational lectures, opportunities to try your hand at crafts and acting, and even take part in a cooking competition. Young people are introduced to traditional yard games from Estonia and Ukraine, and throughout the month there will always be someone in the youth area who speaks Ukrainian or Russian. You can meet well-known singers, actors, and content creators, such as Andreas Poom and kaw, who will also perform on the big stage on Autovabaduse puiestee," describes Helen Toomsalu.

The exact youth area program, along with the rest of the Car-Free Avenue program, can be found on the website tartukorraldab.ee. The youth area program will be added separately for each week.

Throughout this period, street youth workers will also be present in urban areas, encouraging young people to participate in activities. They can be identified on the street by their clothing featuring the Tartu Youth Work Centre logos. The goal of this outreach youth work is to connect with young people who might not otherwise visit the centres and to introduce them to what youth work involves. Staff from the Tartu Youth Work Centre carry out this work on the streets of Tartu, in shopping centres, and in various digital environments where young people gather.

The organization of Car-Free Avenue follows the Tartu City and Tartu 2024 guidelines for environmentally friendly events to reduce the event's environmental impact. The area uses reusable deposit containers, consumes renewable energy, offers free drinking water, sorts waste, and encourages visitors to arrive by public transport, bicycle, or on foot.

Car-Free Avenue is organized by Tartu City, SA Tartu 2024, Tiigi Community Centre, Tartu Market, Tartu Youth Work Center, and many other valuable partners.

Additional information:

Tartu Youth Work Centre Project Manager, Helen Toomsalu, 5399 8333
Tartu Youth Work Centre Development Manager, Helene Toomeoks, 5173 463

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

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

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

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

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