Welfare

One of the four priority areas of the Tartu County Development Strategy 2040 is well-being, covering education, youth work, social affairs, culture, sports, safety and public health.

Objective of the well-being focus area: to provide diverse, innovative and accessible services in Tartu County that empower residents and support strong communities.

Desired situation: Tartu County is home to educated and happy people who value culture, community and cooperation. People understand that health and safety begin with each of us, are aware of different risks, and are prepared to respond to them. Everyone in need of support is able to receive it.

The Association of Municipalities of Tartu County carries out a range of initiatives and projects in the field of well-being.

Contributing to the development of young people’s entrepreneurial mindset

We contribute to the development of young people’s entrepreneurial mindset through different projects.

"Entrepreneurial Young People of Southern Estonia" (LEEN) is a regional cooperation project that supports the entrepreneurial mindset, initiative and self-direction of young people across Southern Estonia. Led by the Association of Municipalities of Tartu County, the project brings together partners from six counties — Tartu, Jõgeva, Põlva, Valga, Viljandi and Võru — to help young people build a stronger connection with their home region and see their future opportunities there.

LEEN focuses on children and young people aged 7–26, while also involving educators, youth workers, entrepreneurs, parents, school leaders, municipalities and regional development organisations. Through training, development programmes, camps, events, study visits, fairs and hackathons, the project creates practical opportunities for young people to develop confidence, creativity and entrepreneurial skills.

At the same time, the project supports broader regional cooperation and helps create more systematic and sustainable ways to promote youth entrepreneurship in Southern Estonia. The project webpage: ettevotlikudnoored.ee

The project is funded through the European Regional Development Fund measure Attractive Regional Business and Living Environment and is co-financed by the European Union.

The entrepreneurship education programme “Succeed in Business” is co-funded by the European Union through the Interreg Central Baltic Programme.

Health promotion in educational institutions

In cooperation with the National Institute for Health Development and the Health Insurance Fund, we support health promotion in educational institutions. Since January 2024, the Association of Municipalities of Tartu County has employed a health promotion specialist for educational institutions in Tartu County, whose role is to ensure a systematic approach to supporting the health and well-being of children and young people across the county’s educational institutions.

Improving the quality of catering in educational institutions

Together with educational institutions and municipalities, we work to improve the quality of catering in educational institutions and to reduce food waste.

• In Tartu County, the development of school food has become a systematic county-wide priority that brings together food education, student-centred catering, the use of local ingredients and the reduction of food waste. At the heart of this work is the Tartu County Food Education and Catering Steering Group, which supports the development of food education and child- and student-centred catering practices in educational institutions across the county.
• Based on this cooperation, the development programme "Making the School Community Food-Wise" was launched to help schools address school food as a whole, involving school leaders, teachers, parents, students and catering staff in self-assessment, goal-setting and long-term change.
• The practical development work is also supported by a county-wide study on catering organisation and ingredient volumes in educational institutions, which mapped existing catering arrangements, the availability of local ingredients and the need for further action across eight municipalities.
• The municipalities of Tartu County signed a goodwill agreement on 28 May 2025, committing themselves to advancing systematic food education, modern and student-centred catering practices, and the wider use of local, including organic, ingredients in schools and kindergartens. The shared goal is that by 2028, all educational institutions managed by Tartu County municipalities will use at least 20% organic ingredients in their catering. In this way, Tartu County’s school food initiatives connect children’s well-being, everyday food culture in educational institutions, and the strengthening of local producers and regional food security into one coherent approach.

Supporting young people aged 16–29 who are in NEET status

In cooperation with the municipalities of Tartu County, we support young people aged 16–29 who are in NEET status in moving into employment, education or other suitable pathways. All municipalities in Tartu County are part of the Youth Guarantee Support System, which aims to ensure that every young person aged 15–29 in Estonia receives an offer of employment, further education, apprenticeship or traineeship within four months of becoming unemployed or leaving education. Preventive activities also involve young people aged 13–15.

In every municipality in Tartu County, there is a youth well-being specialist who serves as the first point of contact for young people and their families, helping to identify the support they may need. Together with the young person, clear goals are set and an action plan is developed to achieve them. The youth well-being specialist continues to support the young person until this support is no longer needed.

Depending on the young person’s needs, support may include help with career choices, finding a job, internship or volunteering opportunities, applying to school, choosing further training, accessing mental health support, dealing with public authorities, and managing everyday or family-related challenges. Young people may also be referred to free services such as psychological counselling, creative arts therapy, training opportunities and workplace mentoring.