Tartu Children's Day this year encouraged everyone to be themselves!

June 20, 2022

On June 1st, the city-wide Tartu Children's Protection Day “Dare to be You!” took place, encouraging young people to engage in activities that make them feel most like themselves. For those who had not yet found a hobby they liked or simply wanted to try something new, the long-standing Children's Protection Day program offered diverse activities. For example, it was possible to participate in Brain Games' outdoor games workshop, explore police and rescue vehicles, try weightlifting at the SK Jõud Junior area, learn football skills at the JK Tammeka and FC Helios area, inquire about study and work opportunities from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, and get acquainted with the centre's services at the Tartu Youth Work Centre tent, among many other things.

Next to Tartu Kaubamaja, there was a stage whose program was created by young people from the Tartu 2024 Extended youth program, from the project LOOMEEN. The stage program was put together by young and talented artists, giving some of them the opportunity to make their very first public appearance. Performing on stage were, for example, Villem Kreem, JJ-Street Tartu, bands Rike and Triangel, Lana Models, Fa-Diees and many others. At 7:00 PM, Estonia's Eurovision star Stefan performed, and his concert was attended by a couple of thousand city residents. The eventful day concluded with the premiere of the Natura Obscura video installation and performances by Kauro Tafitšuk and Katerina Agafonova.

The main partner of Tartu Children's Day was European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024, in cooperation with youth projects LOOMEEN, Extended Exchange, and Natura Obscura. The event was supported by the City of Tartu and Tartu Kaubamaja, and sponsored by A. Le Coq, Brain Games, Emajõe Lodjaselts, Escape Tartu, Kommipomm, and Külm jäätis.

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,