YI 2020
ESTONIA
Estonia Youth information work in Estonia is coordinated by the Education and Youth Authority (EYA), a governmental body under the administration of the Ministry of Education and Research. Youth information work forms an integral part of youth work, with its legal foundations established by the Youth Work Act in 1999. While EYA develops youth policy and coordinates youth work at the national level, the responsibility of providing youth work services (including youth information services) lies with the local governments. As of 2020, there are 79 local governments in Estonia, each with their own established cooperation network of youth work organisations. Youth services are provided by youth centres, youth clubs, hobby schools, youth organisations, schools, etc. Youth information worker is not recognised as a profession in Estonia. However, “youth worker” is. The “youth worker” occupational standards differentiate 3 levels of the profession depending on educational background, work experience, and levels of competence. Competences related to youth information work with a reference to the ERYICA Youth Information Charter form an integral part of the occupational standard. In total there are currently 281 youth centres, mostly funded by local governments, which together employ 392 youth workers. In total, there are around 7,500 employed youth workers in Estonia (youth workers at centres, instructors and coaches at hobby school, activity leaders at school, workers at youth organisations, camps, projects, etc), based on research from 2018.
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