MTÜ JazzOn (Jazzon) is a cultural and social organization legally established in 2012 in Tallinn, Estonia. Its core activities are taking place in Kärde, Estonia. The NGO consists of experienced youth workers, project writers, facilitators, and trainers. We have extensive experience working with young people aged 18 to 30, as well as the youth workers who support them, both in Estonia and across Europe. Our key focus areas include non-formal education, youth inclusion, well-being, and mental health.

To foster well-being, mental health, inclusion, and empathy-driven communication, we employ a range of methods and approaches. Our mission is to create a platform for young people and youth workers from diverse backgrounds in Estonia and beyond to engage in discussions about their well-being and mental health. By doing so, we strive to prevent burnout and mental health issues, helping individuals lead healthier, more balanced lives. Our trainers specialize in well-being workshops, youth events, mentoring, coaching, and healing practices. Our core mission is to provide young people and youth workers with non-formal education opportunities to develop new knowledge and skills in mental health, well-being, and empathy building. In addition, Jazzon is dedicated to empowering young people from diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds to actively engage in civil society and promote inclusive well-being practices for improved mental health. Rooted in non-formal education, the organization offers various activities for small member groups and individuals interested in well-being.

Since 2012, Jazzon's team of trainers has organized numerous events in Estonia and beyond, including trainings, workshops, seminars, festivals and well-being retreats, all focused on well-being, consciousness, psychology, and inclusion. Key initiatives include community workshops introducing young people to well-being tools and youth work, youth exchanges and training courses, professional development programs for youth workers on well-being methods, Erasmus+ partnerships, and well-being retreats in Kärde village and other locations.

From the start, Jazzon has been committed to achieving its core objectives, including:

    • Empowering young people through creativity

    • Promoting the inclusion of minority groups

    • Supporting entrepreneurship among youth

    • Facilitating youth mobility

    • Working with strategies to improve youth mental health

    • Implementing well-being practices in private and professional life

    • Enriching the lives of rural youth and the local community

    • Fostering active citizenship

    • Helping youth to build and maintain good habits

    • Encouraging non-formal and intercultural learning

    • Advancing social inclusion and solidarity

    • Implementing peer education programs

    • Promoting active European citizenship

    • Advocating for the respect and protection of human rights

    • Showcasing European culture

Jazzon's main activities are closely aligned with its objectives, emphasizing youth engagement and their inclusion in active project development at various levels. Our mission is driven by the three core principles of the Erasmus+ Agenda: Engage (fostering active youth participation), Connect (offering mobility opportunities), and Empower (providing new skills through non-formal education). Committed to making an impact both locally and internationally, Jazzon strives to involve young people in all aspects of social life. This is achieved through the organization of activities designed to promote active participation, all structured and facilitated by the organization itself.

Jazzon primarily targets young people aged 18 to 35 living in and around the village of Kärde and more broadly in the rural Jõgeva region. Through its activities, the organization creates opportunities for youth empowerment and personal growth, enabling them to contribute to their communities by applying their newly acquired skills and experiences. Its focus is on enhancing key competencies and skills, particularly for those with fewer opportunities. A significant part of its target group includes young people from remote areas who face geographical, educational, cultural, and social challenges, as well as limited employment prospects.

Since 2018, Jazzon has collaborated with the international organization World Peace Initiative based in Thailand. WPI's online platform Peace Revolution aimed at young adults offers a free coached 42-day self-development program and various other mindfulness-related tools. Through this partnership, countless individuals have participated in the free course and Jazzon has hosted approximately 50 domestic and international participants in 4 on-site meditation retreats, providing them with practical experience and sustainable skills in meditation and mindfulness. 

As of 2024, in addition to 2 music festivals and 4 well-being retreats, Jazzon's team has successfully implemented 2 Erasmus+ KA1 projects and has partnered in 25 projects within Erasmus+ KA1.

Inspired by the biggest and oldest free jazz festival in the Baltic states – the Klaipeda Castle Jazz Festival, Jazzon's origins are in music. Jazzon was born as a collaboration with volunteers and students of the Baltic Film, Media and Arts School in Tallinn to create an annual music festival in Estonia that would introduce jazz culture to youth by making it freely available and accessible for everybody, regardless of their socio-econimic backgrounds and despite of their limited opportunities.

    • 2012: Tallinn JazzOn music festival  –  A non-profit 3-day event whose aim was to spread jazz music and popularize jazz culture among youth, promote international cooperation of musicians and offer free high-level performances to music lovers from Tallinn and other cities. More than 150 performers from 8 countries (Estonia, Lithuania, UK, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Austria, Chile) performed at the first Tallinn JazzOn festival from 29 June to 1 July in 2012; 

    • 2013:  the 2nd Tallinn JazzOn music festival – Following the success of the previous year, the Jazzon festival returned 28 to 30 June in the center of Estonia's capital, with a strong line-up including local as well as international groups from 8 European countries such as Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Russia, Poland, UK and Sweden. This time there was also possible to stream the festival freely live online.

Since 2018, Jazzon has been actively involved with 4 international well-being retreats focusing on yoga and meditation practice aiming to promote mindfulness culture and improve overall well-being by promoting physical, mental, and emotional health of the young professionals in the Baltic region.

    • 2018: “Into the East – Vacation for Your Mind” (Dobele, Latvia) – a 3-day meditation retreat attended by more than 20 people and guided by LP John Paramai Dhanissaro, Theravada Buddhist monk from Thailand’s biggest, Dhammakaya temple. Topics:  Physical and mental health, well-being;

    • 2019: “Into the Pure” (Kärde, Estonia) – a 3-day meditation retreat attended by 12 people and guided by Phra Pasura Dantamano, Theravada Buddhist monk from Thailand’s biggest, Dhammakaya temple. Topics:  Physical and mental health, well-being;

    • 2022: “Create Your Peace of Mind” (Kärde, Estonia) – a 4-day yoga and meditation retreat guided by trainer and life coach Katia Kulyk from Ukraine. Topics:  Physical and mental health, well-being;

    • 2023: “Into the Calm” (Bārbele, Latvia) – a 3-day meditation and yoga retreat attended by 20 participants and guided by Phra Pasura Dantamano, Theravada Buddhist monk from Thailand’s biggest, Dhammakaya temple. Topics:  Physical and mental health, well-being.

As a strong advocate for youth mobility, Jazzon frequently partners on projects that facilitate international exchanges for young people and youth workers, believing in the transformative impact of these experiences. Each year, the organization sends tens of young people abroad to participate in Youth Exchanges and Training Courses, providing them with valuable opportunities for learning and development. 

Projects that MTÜ Jazzon has organized as a coordinator:

KA1

    • 2015: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "AcroYoga - Power of Life” (Seget Vranjica, Croatia) – Topics: Health and well-being; Inclusion – equity; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperation.

     Aim: Well-being and connecting through the philosophy and practice of acro yoga;

    • 2022: Erasmus+ Training Course KA1 “Purpose Led, Connection Driven“ (Kärde, Estonia) – Topics: Quality and innovation of youth work; Physical and mental health, well-being.

      Aim: Building and promoting empathy-based communication on the team and organizational level.

Jazzon has been active partner in the following projects:

KA1

The successful partnerships in KA1 projects on different topics related to young people, gave the opportunity to the organization to expand its experience in using and developing new tools in youth work. 

    • 2014: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Bridging Youth Through Sport“ (Gzira, Malta) – Topics: Health and wellbeing; Inclusion – equity; Healthy lifestyle, active ageing.

      Aim: Promoting sport as a healthy behaviour to youth that do not often practice it;

    • 2014: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Rhythm and Move - L'Europe au son des percussions“ (Alsace, France) – Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy); Creativity and culture; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy.

      Aim: Exploring and discovering others cultures through music workshops;

    • 2014: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 “YEP Tangled (Youth European People Tangled)“ (Madrid, Spain) – Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy); Creativity and culture.

      Aim: Promoting community and synergic work between social change and the European Community agents;

    • 2014: Erasmus+ Seminar KA1 “Dialogue among people cultures, through the UNESCO World cultural, natural and intangible Heritage“ (Corinthos, Greece) – Topics: Creativity and culture; Environment and climate change; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy).

      Aim: Bringing together young people from different countries and to uniting them in an intercultural collaboration;

    • 2015: Erasmus+ Seminar KA1 "Make it visible!“ (Lorca, Spain) – Topics: Access for disadvantaged; Gender equality / equal opportunities; Inclusion – equity.

      Aim: Developing strategies and activities to detect the relations of power in everyday lives that cause abuse, discrimination and violence;

    • 2015: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Technological Youth Work“ (Sicily, Italy) – Topics: ICT - new technologies - digital competences; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy); Healthy lifestyle, active ageing.

      Aim: Educating young people youth workers to a conscious use of the Internet and new technologies for themselves and for the young people directly involved in their organizations;

    • 2015: Erasmus+ Training Course KA1 “Promoting Refugee Rights through Youth Work“ (Limassol, Cyprus) – Topics: Social dialogue; Inclusion – equity; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy).

      Aim: Developing knowledge in relation to international protection generally, cultivate the attitudes necessary to inspire to become involved with this theme in own organizations as well as the skills to use youth work as a means to this end;

    • 2015: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "LANGUAGES, FAITHS AND YOUTHS ARE MEETING FOR PEACEFUL FUTURES’ WORLD“ (Mersin, Turkey) – Topics:  Ethics, religion and philosophy (incl. Inter-religious dialogue); Social dialogue; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy).

      Aim: Tolerance, intercultural learning, learning to learn, to destroy prejudices, respect for diversity, improve communication skills in foreign languages;

    • 2015: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "I have a dream“ (Ostrava, Czechia) – Topic: Creativity and culture.

      Aim: Helping young people discover their life dreams, goals and priorities and create a common international dancing flashmob to remind to young people in our community, that is important to follow their dreams;

    • 2016: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Play together, learn together" (Elche, Spain) – Topics: Access for disadvantaged; Inclusion – equity.

      Aim: Promoting the use of strategies to support social inclusion through sports activities;

    • 2016: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Live Together, Learn Together" (Madrid, Spain) – Topics: Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy); Inclusion – equity.

      Aim: A follow up project to "Play Together, Learn Together";

    • 2016: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "nohate.mp4“ (Galicia, Spain) – Topics: Creativity and culture; EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy).

      Aim: Improving communication skills for the benefit of social projects;

    • 2016: Erasmus+ Seminar “Spreading CHARM - seminario sobre inclusion y DDHH en organizaciónes juveniles" (Lorca, Spain) – Topics: Access for disadvantaged; Inclusion – equity; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy).

      Aim: Exploring the topic of HR and inclusion in the Youth NGOs environment;

    • 2017: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Learning To Be Together“ (Elche, Spain) – Topics: Gender equality / equal opportunities; Inclusion – equity.

      Aim: Empowering youth workers with methods and competences needed to work with the values of gender equality with youngsters;

    • 2018: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Green Beats“ (Colletorto, Italy) – Topics: Labor market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Rural development and urbanisation; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy).

      Aim: Sustainable practices and job opportunities that rural and agricultural communities can provide;

    • 2018: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Mindful Team Management“ (Lecce, Italy) – Topics: Quality Improvement Institutions and/or methods (incl. school development); Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy).

      Aim: Improving youth workers competences in team management and team development, in their work with big groups of young people;

    • 2018: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Go ahead! A Partnership Building Activity to improve quality and inclusion on youth exchanges“ (Terrassa, Spain) – Topics: Pedagogy and didactics; International cooperation, international relations, development cooperationInclusion – equity.

      Aim: Partnership Building Activity to improve quality and inclusion on youth exchanges;

    • 2018: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "CIRCUS OF EMOTIONS“ (Vignola, Italy)  – Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Creativity and culture.

      Aim: Researching and experimenting with artistic and creative tools that could be used during youth exchanges in order to help young participants to become more aware of the active role they have and must exercise in the project and help youth workers to manage the emotions and behavior of young people in a more constructive way;

    • 2018: Erasmus+ Seminar KA1 "Under my skin - Understanding invisible racism" (Lorca, Spain) – Topics: Gender equality / equal opportunities; Migrants' issues; Social dialogue.

      Aim: Developing strategies and activities to detect the relations of power in our everyday lives that cause abuse, discrimination and violence;

    • 2019: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "Boosting Self-Confidence“ (Panevėžys, Lithuania) – Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy).

      Aim: Improve the competences of youths (and youth workers at the same time) by non-formal methods, by improving the quality of work of the youths and by including youths with fewer opportunities;

    • 2020: Erasmus+ Training Course KA1 “Training of Trainers: from needs to sessions“ (Bucharest, Romania)  – Topics: Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning.

      Aim: Learning how to to implement quality activities with the youth they work with, while having the courage and the competence to be a good trainer;

    • 2023: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "G.L.A.S.S.: Green Learning Artistry for Sustainability Solutions“ (Bucharest, Romania) – Topics: Creativity, arts and culture; Green skills.

      Aim: Utilisization of non-formal methods and artistic expression, particularly through glass recycling, to foster awareness among young people about the importance of eco-friendly practices and sustainability;

    • 2023: Erasmus+ Training Course KA1 "A Journey to Well-Being“ (Paphos, Cyprus)  – Topics: Quality and innovation of youth work; New learning and teaching methods and approaches.

      Aim: Boosting youth workers’ well-being and effectiveness in their daily work;

    • 2023: Erasmus+ Youth Exchange KA1 "The Green Gallop“ (Suchy Las, Poland)  – Topics: Physical and mental health, well-being; Green skills.

      Aim: Connecting with nature and animals while learning about environmental protection;

    • 2024: Erasmus+ Training Course KA1 “From Spectators to Changemakers: Empowering Youth to act“ (Godinesti, Romania) – Topics: Quality and innovation of youth work; New learning and teaching methods and approaches; Promotion of alternative forms of participation.

      Aim: Equipping youth workers with the skills and tools necessary to effectively engage 'passive' young people and inspire them to become active participants in the civic, social, and political life of their communities.