New life for mushrooms

May 13, 2024

Every Wednesday, Lilleke hosts a creative club, the aim of which is to use existing materials, meaning we focus on recycling. In cooperation with youth workers, the young people of Lilleke undertook a project to give old chairs new life in the form of colorful mushrooms. The project was worked on for three months and involved several stages.

Stage I

First, we found old chairs in the basement, removed their old fabric, and cleaned them of dust. Previously, youth workers had purchased the necessary materials, and the young people could start crafting immediately. Then, appropriately sized padding was cut from multi-layered wadding to be used in chair making in addition to foam. The activity required precision and patience.

Stage II

Next, the young people were able to choose the color of fabric they wished to use for the mushrooms. The available colors were blue, pink, purple, white, and green. In addition to the fabric that covered the mushroom, decorations were also added. Green fabric was used for leaves, pink for stars, and white for cow spots. Sewing the decorations proved more challenging than anticipated, so we also used textile glue. The process required dedication and was completed over several days.

Stage III

Once the mushroom caps were made, it was time to deal with their stems. First, we painted the mushroom stems entirely white, as the old paint had worn off. Then, we provided young people with various acrylic paints they could use to decorate the stems. We didn't set direct restrictions on this, but we emphasized respecting other drawings, meaning not drawing over others' creations. Young people enjoyed this stage the most, as they could unleash their creativity and relieve stress through it.

As a result, colorful chairs were created, which decorate the center's premises and are actively used by young people. We have carried out similar activities before, and since young people enjoy it very much, we wish to continue with similar projects in the future.

news:

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

Students from Annelinna High School visited the Lille Youth Center

The Lille Youth Center, part of the Tartu Youth Work Center, offers young people a wide range of opportunities for participation and personal development. Schools are welcome to visit us for project days or to encourage their students to join our clubs. The clubs operating at the Lille Youth Center include the Hiking Club, Cooking Club, Book Club, Career Club, and the sex education club “Seks vä?”. In addition, we organize city-wide major events, where we welcome young people to actively participate in the organizing teams.