The Tartu Youth Work Centre in Tartu Christmas City on January 4th.

Our youth workers made a strong start to the first week of the year in the fairytale glass house, in the magical Christmas city on Tartu Town Hall Square. Visitors who entered the house were offered various creative activities. For example, young people could design socks, t-shirts, and fabric bags; those who wished could draw, and others could play board games. Throughout the day, both older and younger visitors were met, as well as their parents, who also learned a lot about the Tartu Youth Work Centre. 

 

What do youth workers who visited the site say about the experience? 

Aveli: “I liked the atmosphere of the little house. Everyone who walked through our doors was open to conversation and other exciting activities. The most memorable part of Christmas City for me was the little friends who enthusiastically thought along with us on the topic of recycling and played games with us.” 

Maarja: Operating outside the center is a good opportunity to keep youth work visible in the cityscape. By being in the Christmas town, we reached young people and their parents, many of whom heard about our activities for the first time and whom we were able to invite to participate in the activities of the open youth center. 

Kristina: Working in the Christmas village was very enjoyable. Everyone who came to the lighthouse found something fun to do. The children were very creative and eagerly painted and decorated their chosen stockings. At the same time, we were able to chat with them about youth work, play simple board games, and talk about their daily activities. See you next time!  

 

    

news:

Opinion Piece by a Youth Worker: The Importance of Imagination in Youth Work

At the Lillekese Youth Center, we have always supported young people’s desire and interest in playing fantasy-world games in a physical environment. During our first year of operation, playing “café” was a very popular activity—the café had its own menu, meal times, and waitstaff. An entire room at the youth center was transformed into one big dining area. One of the young people’s biggest favorites this year has been playing “apocalypse.”

Read more »

A Youth Worker's Story: The Best Training of My Life—How I Developed My Creativity in Norway

SALTO-YOUTH.net is a real treasure trove. For those who haven’t come across it yet—simply put, it’s a pan-European network for supporting and developing youth work, which offers non-formal learning materials to youth workers and youth leaders and organizes training sessions and networking activities as part of the European Commission’s training strategy.   I found a training course titled “Creative Self – Art Practices” in the SALTO training calendar

Read more »

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 »