Study Visit in Estonia
Rõuge Youth Work Center partners organized the first study visit within the project in April 2024, between Tartu and Rõuge.
The 5-days learning experience brought together 18 LGBTQIA+/Queer and allies youth workers, young leaders, activists, ngo staff, including coordinators and participants of the Activate Youth project.
The visit followed an experiential learning approach offering a planned, hands-on educational, personal and professional journey designed to deepen knowledge, foster networking and exchange best practices.
Participants got to learn about youth work and realities of the partner organization as well as of their local partners.
In Tartu, we kicked off the study visit by getting to know each other, and the space and context we were in. We continued the morning with a brief overview of the LGBTQIA+ rights, projects and organisations working in Estonia.
We worked with the volunteers from the Behemoth’s centre (Peemoti Keskus), combining learning about the lived experience of trans people living in Estonia, more specifically Tartu, with creating origami dragons.
Participants got to hang out with the drag artists from Tartu LGBT+ and learn about the drag scene in Estonia.
In Rõuge we discovered Rõuge Youth Work Center and learned more about their everyday work with youngsters and non-formal methods they use engaging young communitities in a rural area.
We visited Rõuge basic school, where we saw how the change starts from the youngest age! We discovered opportunities being offered to the kids of the municipality, and heard from their student representative all the ways they are making sure that young voices are being acknowledged, for example student and youth councils that are actively seeking opinions of the youth!
We met with Võru mayor who highlighted the change in opinions of people in Estonia towards the topics of this visit, particularly the recent same-sex marriage legalisation in the country and more.
Between all the sessions and visits, participants got to connect, and network, strengthening the projects’ youth work community. They got to learn more about the project too, how they can get involved in the future project activities and which good practices they could bring back to their organizations and target groups.
Activate Stories
Get a glimpse of the Study Visit and how it all unfolded through the recap video with montage moments and the video testimonials with part of the participants.