Since 1 January 1999 a separate unit dealing with youth issues exists in the Estonian capital. Youth Department aims to co-ordinate youth work and to promote youth initiatives.

Tallinn City Council concluded that youth is one of the key issues in city development. Young people should participate in planning of the City, as they are the ones who will have to live there after the plans are accepted. They should see and feel the care by the City to care of the City themselves.

One may wonder why it took over seven years of independence of Estonia before such a co-ordinating body was established. Youth movement has not been strong and young people are not standing actively for their rights. The draft of the Youth Work Law reached the Estonian National Parliament only this winter. But as problems with youth are growing every year, it became obvious that co-ordinated efforts by the City Government are needed.

The main tasks of the new department include: crime prevention, summer camps programme, establishing of youth centres, youth information points (first have already been financed by the PHARE/TACIS Programme) and developing youth counselling services. A youth training centre will be founded as a joint project of the department and the Ministry of Culture. Financial support to youth organisations' and other NGO projects is anticipated next year.