Projects financed from EEA and Norway Grants

The project activities will result in the creation of the e-participation platform enabling the youth to raise their ideas and problematic areas through digital solutions and include youths through participatory democracy in the decision-making processes at municipal government level.

The project will also deliver a model of digital competence and evaluation means for youth workers and will train at least 100 youth workers in at least 48 local governments in order to raise their capacity to implement smart youth work solutions in their work.

The project activities will result in a teacher training programme developed and teams of teachers from three pilot schools trained, including the preparation of the necessary support materials and an e-training module as well as a training programme for trainers developed and at least 10 trainers trained, and a handbook for trainers will be completed. Additionally, three new school implementation teams are carried in order to more broadly support the spread of restorative justice practices in Estonian schools. Two (2) outreach events are carried out for Estonian schools, in order to introduce the experiences of implementing restorative justice in schools, the results of impact assessment and project results to the wider community plus 1 online information seminar for representatives from local governments is held.

The project activities will result in training conflict mediators according to the Belinda Hopkins model as well as training of the facilitators of Restorative Circles. Activities include awareness-raising activities (distribution of materials) and carrying out awareness campaigns on restorative justice. Ultimately, restorative justice measures (conflict mediation, restorative circle) are being implemented in the community (including in the local kindergarten, school, youth centre, local government and police work) for different cases.

The project activities will result in:

ü   36 people trained in Muhu by 2024, including 24 specialists dealing with children and young people, who have knowledge of the principles of restorative justice that support the community, children and young people.

ü   involving children with special needs in regular school is more effective.

ü   regular discussion panels held for the community, with 100 people having participated.

ü   an online platform created for sharing current topics and organising trainings.

ü   In conflict situations, the primary choice for teachers at Muhu Basic School is the restorative justice approach.

The project activities will result in 9 milieu therapists (OAK team) trained in restorative justice and digital instructional material concerning the application of restorative justice methods in youth therapy prepared as well as mentoring programme has been established. By the end of the project at least 15 current/future milieu therapists from all over Estonia will have participated in it.

The project activities will result in trained child protection professionals who are case managers in their work with children and families have acquired effective skills in restorative justice intervention: conflict resolution, mediation, remedial circles, restorative consultation and effective conversation.

The project activities will result in a local level cooperation model is developed in cooperation with various stakeholders in the county, in the process of developing and designing an integrated service. The cooperation model completed in the co-creation process will be piloted and continuously improved during the project according to the feedback and experience gained. A study visit to Agder County, Norway, will be carried out to improve the model and gain experience. During the project, instructional materials for early detection and prevention for the local government and educational institutions (separate for kindergartens and schools) will be created. Additionally, training for teachers of local government schools and kindergartens will also be conducted in each local government. A core group of teachers (kindergartens and schools) will receive training from each educational institution to enhance early detection and prevention of early school leaving. Support teams will be set up at educational institutions to share knowledge and promote networking within their school.

The project activities will result in the creation of an assessment tool to identify students at risk of dropping out of school and their need for services as well as in a coordination scheme to increase coherence between fields. Guidance materials (evaluation model, evaluation tools, intervention plan and action plan) have been prepared and specialists related to the provision of integrated services have been trained. The provision of support services to reduce the risk of dropping out of school with the help of the completed materials has been piloted.

The project activities will result in developing a service model for the provision of integrated support services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities across Viljandi county. The service model includes the fields of education, social work and health care in an integrated manner in Mulgi, Põhja-Sakala and Viljandi municipalities as well as Viljandi city. In addition, specialists will be trained within the project with whose help the service model can be implemented after its development.

As a basis for the implementation of the service model is planned to be create a competence centre that will bring together specialists to provide support services and a school for students with special educational needs as a central place of study in Viljandi.

The project activities will result in creating and piloting service models with intervention plans to increase the availability and substantive efficiency of services. The design process of service models will be carried out with various counterparts (local government education specialists, social work, youth work, health promotion, decision-makers, representatives of parents, mental health offices, the Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund and students). Also, a training programme will be compiled and implemented as well as methodological seminars will be carried out to identify the need for assistance, implement inclusion and implement effective interventions.

The project activities will result in the creation and piloting of an integrated case management cooperation model across the fields of education, social affairs and health care, connecting local governments of Tartu County that enhances the early detection of the need for assistance and provision of support, alleviates the shortage of support specialists in smaller local governments and reduces fragmentation of services. Additionally, a toolbox for assessment tools will be created and training will be provided for basic schoolteachers and SEN coordinators for early detection of a child’s support needs as well as SEN coordinators will be trained in key social and child protection topics.

The project activities will result in creating local cooperation model to provide integrated services for the prevention and intervention of early school leaving, training professionals involved in the provision of integrated services and piloting the developed local services to facilitate the transition of disadvantaged children and young people between education levels and from school to the world of work.

The project activities will result in trained specialists dealing with youth, who will be able to use the knowledge and skills acquired to resolve effectively conflicts and misdemeanours following the principles of restorative justice. A restorative justice model regarding thinking and behaviour will be developed leading to decreasing the chance of offense recurrence, improvement of community processes and higher sense of security.

The project activities will result in a mediation model adapted to the needs in Estonia, a training course with interactive materials, trained mediators and mediator trainers using this model, and outreach activities organised on restorative justice.

The project activities will result in enabling children/young people and their families access to support based on restorative justice via the FGC method, empowering families to take more responsibility and make use of the resources in their family network to improve the situation of children. Also, an implementation system to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of FGC as a restorative justice method in Estonia will be developed and piloted, FGC coordinators, supervisors and trainers will be trained.

The project activities will result in a completely renovated vodka granary of Lihula Manor, which has been made accessible to both local people and visitors. The project impact is an increased number of visitors and new jobs (3 handicraft masters). In total, 333 square metres shall be renovated in the building and this shall include wood workshop and classroom, restoration examples hall, meeting room, pottery oven and workshop and forge. 

• The project activities will result in saving the oldest building of Valga from perishing. The historical building’s architectural solution, appearance, and function has become appropriate for the historical centre and the building will – as a commercial and community space – enliven Valga old town and increase the attractiveness of the central square for both citizens and tourists. 

As a result, one of the oldest civil buildings of Kuressaare, the Kuressaare port warehouse, which was built in 1663, shall become one of Kuressaare’s representative buildings, but why not also its symbol in addition to the Kuressaare city hall, weighing house, and market building, offering exciting architecture, joy of discovery through different activities/events, and beauty in the city. 

The project activities will result in the renovated building becoming a lifestyle centre that offers health improvement, but it shall also become a so-called community building, the public services of which give additional value to locals, domestic and foreign tourists.

As a result of the project, the building at Tallinna str 13 has been restored properly both outside and inside and opened as an example of good renovation practices to everyone. In co-operation with the local community, Paide SRIK operates in the building, counselling the owners of historical buildings, organising sustainable renovation training and other events, selling goods and old material needed to restore an old house. To involve the community, a club of old house owners shall be relaunched, regular meetings, study days, “DIY builder’s information days”, and other joint events with community members shall be organised. The building’s rooms shall be rented out for community events, and also to the partners of Paide SRIK (including as shared offices). The community centre shall also become a stronghold for other community initiatives in Paide (including the Opinion Festival).

The project activities will result in a unique building in Võru old town been taken into use in new public functions, creating good prerequisites to improve the living and business environment.

Services provided in the building correspond to the expectations of local people and spark travel motivation in the current and future visitors of Võru. The teleworking office service has filled a void in the city and helps to enliven the local business landscape. To make Freinhold House more famous and boost the reputation of Võru region as a good place for living and working, a collaboration platform with Southeast Estonia’s teleworking places network.

As a new service and an event venue, the so-called food academy has been added as a place for learning to cook. Good prerequisites for using the object as a traineeship location for chefs to-be and serious cooking enthusiasts have been created.

As a result of project activities, the building will be renovated and insulated with heating and ventilation systems in place as well as better access to the building.