Open youth centres in Tartu: the present and future

perspectives

Raul OreškinHead of the Department of Culture, Tartu City Government

Conference “A Total Makeover – is it necessary? 22 – 23 November 2007

Number of Young People in Tartu (01/01/2007)

Age Female Male Total1 631 723 13542 635 742 13773 637 660 12974 563 558 11215 559 555 11146 519 533 10527 526 525 10518 461 497 9589 480 493 97310 484 521 100511 520 484 100412 471 461 93213 479 508 98714 486 517 100315 560 652 121216 590 639 122917 700 727 142718 729 707 143619 677 724 140120 742 708 145021 679 663 134222 711 686 139723 754 709 146324 982 798 178025 1017 817 183426 1087 843 1930

33129

Number of residents 98 664

Aged 7-26: 23 371 youths

Aged 7-18: 12 871 youths

Number of students approx. 22 500

Structure of Youth Work in Tartu

Department of Culture

Deputy Major

Tar tuC ity Counc il

Tar tuC ity Goverment

Youth Policy Servic e

A nne Youth Center

Youth CenterL ille M aja

Spor ts Servic e Cultural Servic e

N GO YouthCentres

Youthw orkins titutions

Youthorganisations

Youth Counc il

Hobby Education and Hobby Activities • 3 municipal hobby schools: music, art (795

youths)• 6 private hobby schools: ballet, handbell

ensembles, nature activities etc. (1592 youths)• 41 youth work associations: technical hobby

activities, fine arts, hiking and adventure activities, video, photo and computer studies, circus etc. (1632 youths)

• 24 culture associations: choir and brass music, folk dancing, amateur theater (397 youths)

Hobby activities involve a total of 4416 youths.

Funding: 29 133 700 EEK

Youth Sports Clubs 2 sports schools: athletics, skiing, wrestling and

table tennis

56 sports clubs: sports games, martial arts, water sports, athletics, cycling, gymnastics, ballroom dancing, figure skating, disabled sports, chess, modern pentathlon, orienteering, weight-lifting, fencing (6000 youths)

Sport activities involve a total of 6000 youths.

Funding: 12 913 000 EEK

Hobby Activities in Kindergartens and Schools

28 kindergartens: at least one hobby group in each; more than six hobby groups in six kindergartens

26 general education schools: approximately 300 hobby groups; 7266 participating children, of them 2725 boys and 4541 girls

Participation in Regular Activities

Hobby education and hobby activities: 4416 youthsSports: 6000 youthsHobby activities in schools: 7266 youths Total: 17 682 youths

Reminder: there are 12 871 students in schools in Tartu

According to the 2007 study, approximately 60% of young people in Tartu engage in regular hobby activities, i.e. 8366 youths

Youth Centres

2 municipal centres: Anne Youth Centre and Lille Maja

9 centres administered by the third sector: Urg, Loovkeskus, Koht, Öökull, Tähe, Aeg-Ruum, Koidu Centre, Lift and Skatehall

Municipal CentresOperate based on statutes approved by the city council and

implement objectives provided for in the sectoral development plan.

The objective of activities at Anne Youth Centre is the coordination of scientific-technological, audio-visual, adventure-educational and traffic-educational projects as well as projects developing youth enterprisingness.

Lille Maja coordinates projects aimed at promoting culture and youth health, work-educational projects and projects developing youth enterprisingness.

Non-profit Centres

Youth centres administered by the third sector gain funding from the city budget upon submitting an application to such effect.

Non-profit youth centres have developed their own service package different from that offered at municipal centres in terms of either target group or selection of services.

Youth Centre Funding

Anne

Youth Centre

37%

1 260 600 EEK

(584 EEK/ m²)

Non-profit

centres

35%

1 185 000 EEK

(870 EEK/m²)

Lille Maja

28%

940 200 EEK

(943 EEK/ m²)Total: 3 385 800 EEK

Hobby Activities and Open Youth Work in Numbers

Hobby activities involve a total of 17 682 youths (based on capitation fee); 8366 youths (based on study results)

Open centres involve 700 youths at least once a week, plus an additional 2316 youths once a month. A total of 3000 youths are involved

Expenses per participant in hobby activities: 4036 EEKExpenses per participant in open youth work: 1128 EEK

The City of Tartu allocates a total of approximately 52 million EEK (4% of the city budget) for youth recreational activities

Problematic Issues and Future Trends

Staff turnover in the youth work sector Low inclusion of non-Estonian speaking youths Competition for timeIncreasing disunity Internetification of the new generation Increased communication Increasingly expensive economic environment Increasingly acute youth issues Increased demand for quality

Development Plan of Culture, Sports and Youth Work in Tartu 2008-2013

New Courses of Action (1)• Reorganization of open youth centres in the City of Tartu into centres

operating based on the incubator principle, promoting youth initiative (provision of required equipment, facilities and other technical aids for the centres).

• Development of relevant methods so as to identify the point of view of non-participating youths.

• More frequent application rounds for funding for youth initiated projects. • Continuous inclusion in youth work of minority and less included youths

(employment of Russian speaking youth workers, language courses for youth workers etc.).

• Implementation of new youth work methods (youth work in the open city space, shopping centres, Web environment i.e. e-youth work).

Development Plan of Culture, Sports and Youth Work in Tartu 2008-2013

New Courses of Action (2)• Valuing of the youth worker profession through a motivating salary

system, recognition for youth workers and improved working environment.

• Development of youth work quality indicators, implementation of the quality internal and external assessment model.

• Youth work on the streets, in shopping centres and other youth meeting points.

• Ensuring opportunities for youth work in the Web environment (e-youth centre)

• Ensuring all facilities for youth work meet the general health protection and safety requirements.

• Finding replacement facilities for youth centres currently located in basements.

• Renovation of Anne Youth Centre and Lille Maja.

Development Plan of Culture, Sports and Youth Work in Tartu 2008-2013

Thank You for Listening!