On August 12, we celebrate International Youth Day, which the city of Tartu also marked this year in collaboration with the Tartu Youth Work Center. You can find a more detailed overview of the Youth Day event we organized here.
I, however, spoke with one of the youngest members of the Youth Day organizing team—
Robin, who got to try his hand at both event planning and hosting during the day.
Who are you, and where are you from?
My name is Robin; people also call me Ron, and I'm from Tartu.
How did you end up on the Youth Day organizing team in the first place?
The youth workers invited me, and the other young people from Lillekese who were already on the organizing team inspired me to join.
You're active at the youth center and also take part in various events. Can you think of any other events where you've helped with the organization or participated as a volunteer?
Yes, for example, I also took part in the youth center’s “Home Café Day” this spring. I really enjoyed it there. Everything was organized in such a pleasant way; everything was very clear and easy to understand.
Which teams did you help with in preparing for Youth Day?
I was on the sponsorship team and the design team, and I also served as the emcee.
What was that preparation like for you? Did you have to attend a lot of meetings?
At times, the meetings were a little difficult to handle because it seemed like what was being discussed didn’t always apply to me. I hadn’t realized before that organizing an event like this would take so much work or that I’d have to attend so many meetings. In the end, those meetings were worth it.
Was there anything about organizing the event that surprised you?
What really surprised me was how friendly and supportive the other young people on the organizing team were. There were quite a few people on the team whom I didn't know at all before. At first, I was a little worried that they wouldn't accept me, but it turned out that they were actually really nice.
When you think back on the entire Youth Day now, what's the first thing that comes to mind?
The first thing that comes to mind is that I got to be the host for the day.
Have you ever done anything like this before?
Hosting an event like this was a completely new experience for me. I've definitely never stood in front of such a large audience or spoken to one before!
How did you feel before the day began?
That morning, I was nervous—and maybe even a little excited. While I was still at home, I kept thinking that I wasn’t sure if I’d dare to go on stage. I thought that maybe I didn’t want to be the emcee after all.
But once I got through my first rehearsal there, things started to feel better somehow. In the end, I actually got this cool feeling like, “Yay, I get to be on stage!” Of course, there weren’t many people there during the rehearsal. That evening, as people started to gather, I got really scared and thought, “What if I say something wrong and the headliners get mad at me afterward?”
What was the easiest part of that day, and what was the hardest?
The easiest part was getting off the stage, and the hardest part was getting on it.
How did it feel when the day was finally over?
I remember that when the day was finally over, my head was aching, I was incredibly tired, but at the same time, there was one thought in my head: “I wish this day would last a little longer so I could stay on stage a little longer.”
On the way home, we talked with the other young people on the organizing team about how much fun we had together and how we actually managed to pull off such a big event.
Would you recommend that other young people get involved in an organizing team like this as well?
Yes, I'd definitely recommend it! You can challenge yourself in various fields there, and you're sure to make new friends and gain confidence as well.
And you already have your next event coming up—TeadFest on September 1. What role will you play there?
I'll be there at the digital tent. I really wanted to try participating in a panel discussion, and I'll get to do just that on September 3 at Kaubamaja!
The article was written and the interview conducted by Eva Maria Aru, a youth worker at the Lilleke Youth Center and a member of the Youth Day organizing team.
Photo by Ander Iva
