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100 %
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27 Apr 2025
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Description
This is a cozy eco-hostel in Tartu, the culture capital of Europe 2024.
We're currently looking for help until the end of April / beginning of May.
Our Eco-hostel is run by NGO, non-profit organization. All revenue goes to maintain the hostel and support our different eco-projects that are in progress. We have existed in Tartu for around 10 years. Our hostel family currently has 8 members - 5 receptionists, 1 manager and Sigrit and Helgur - the founders of the hostel.
We are focused on green living and re/up-cycling and want to show our guests, volunteers and also people in town how small changes in everyday habits are easy but can make a difference. Besides that we value creativity - we are always a work in progress. Our aim is to host people who love traveling and socializing but want to keep their ecological footprint small. Raising awareness of environmental issues and inspiring travelers to be more environmentally conscious are our main goals.Types of help and learning opportunities
Art Projects
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
We are constantly changing and the hostel looks like the people who are working here, so everyone can have their say in its progress. All our workers and volunteers can try different tasks to improve themselves and/or to learn new things.
Volunteers can learn and experience the green lifestyle in a hostel environment. But can also teach us!
Our aim is to work as a family or group of friends - support each other on more difficult days and share the joys of all the fun times. We also try to do things together outside of the working hours with both the staff and volunteers - this helps to keep a good balance between being co-workers and friends, but also helps to get the most out of the short time a volunteer spends in the place.
Besides that: Tartu is a small historic university town that has a relaxed and youthful vibe. It is the second biggest town in Estonia. Tartu is surrounded by nature - forest and farmlands. The transportation to and from Tartu is great, so it's possible to visit other towns and valuable natural areas. So whatever interests you have, you can find it here in the town or around it.Help
In our everyday activity we need help with cleaning and preparing the rooms but it is as important as chatting with the guests and making them feel welcomed here. Everyday tasks in the hostel can be quite repetitive, so you'll have to find ways to keep it interesting for yourself!
Everything in the place is in constant change - we are rebuilding and rearranging things all the time, so sometimes we need help with building things, painting, gardening, redesigning, sewing and so on. All great and crazy ideas how to improve the hostel are always welcome!
We can share Eco-lifestyle ideas with each other and are always as keen as learning from others as inspiring!
We also need help with our website or if you have creative ideas, and like to write things, you could help us out in making posts to social media and organizing events - we have had concerts on the rooftop, movie nights with the staff and different workshops once in a while. But it is best if you are social and active yourself.
If you consider applying to come and join our team please answer these questions for us (if you are surprised by some of them, then those are just for spam-check because we get a lot of spam request but we prefer volunteers who really like to come to join us and not just any place ):
What color are your eyes? :D
What do you think one day in the hostel as a volunteer looks like?
What are your best skills?
What is that one thing you absolutely don't like to do?
When would you like to join us and for how long would you like to stay with us?
Where are you traveling now and where are you planning to go next?
How "green" you consider yourself to be?
Please take into account that we expect our volunteers to respect the established working hours; follow instructions and work to be better every day; keep an open mind to all types of situations and go through them with a healthy sense of humor and last but definitely not least keep in mind that the people of the hostel have taken into account the dates provided to them to fill their volunteer schedule and understand that the volunteering spot could have belonged to another person.
The best length of stay is 3-5 weeks. Less won't give you a full of experience of our place and Tartu. Longer stays are possible, but then we have a small trial-period to see if we fit each other for a long period.Languages
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Estonian: FluentThis host offers a language exchange
This host has indicated that they are interested in sharing their own language or learning a new language.
You can contact them directly for more information.Accommodation
Shared dormitory rooms - if possible then the smaller room, that is shared with other volunteers. If that is not possible then a more private corner in the bigger dorm room.
What else ...
Volunteers can wander around Tartu, visit lovely woodenhouse areas, relax on the riverside, go to the beach and swim, visit museums or science center, bars and cafes. Or take a train or bus and explore the surrounding nature areas: big lakes like Peipsi, Võrtsjärv or Saadjärv; forest trails, small villages or other towns near by. There are cool hiking places around and we recommend going to bogs to get the real Estonian nature experience.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Feedback (56)
Photos
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(4.9)
Communication:
(5.0)
It was my first experience staying for an extended period in a hostel and what I enjoyed the… read more
All the people working here are great and fun to be around. Communication was easy. Workwise I… read more
I had a fabulous time working with the other volunteers. The workload was perfectly manageable and rarely took over 3 hours. We could requests what days we wanted to… read more
After only a couple of days I felt like I was at home with my friends, stress-free and happy.
Helgur and all the girls on the reception were making sure that we were… read more
The workers are the absolute sweetest, and I hope to come back again to see them.
The working days were simple enough for anyone to do, they had a great workflow process!
I still reminisce my stay here.
I highly recommend this position. The work is really easy cleaning from 10-2 5 days aweek. We normally got the work done in an hour or two so it… read more
Tartu is a calm and relaxing city in the middle of nature, although it can also be described as a vibrant university city, it's a perfect place to meet a lot of people (especially students),… read more
The hostel is small, but really cozy, with plants everywhere and all the staff is friendly, ready to answer to all of your question. The job is not hard, so you can enjoy your free time… read more
All the people who work there are very nice and always there for any kind of questions. The hostel is full of plants and overall so cozy that I immediately felt at home. During my three weeks there I absolutely fell in love with this place and the city.
I will definitely come back and visit Tartu again💙!
The hotel is full of plants and good vibes.
I learned how to sew with a machine and we did some manual work… read more
I highly recommend it!
The environment inside the hostel is warm and welcoming, thanks to lot of plants, cute lights and colorful forniture. (They have taste for that!) all the the people that work there are kind and easy-going, always available to help or explain.
Even… read more
In winter the Hostel is mainly crowded during the weekends but there is still the chance to spend time with the other volunteers or walking around the… read more
Everyone from the staff was very nice and easy to work with. The work itself is simple and the four hours fly by quickly, so you still have a lot of energy to… read more
Charming, stunning, beautiful, fun?
It was all this and MORE!
I stayed for almost a month and it was such a great experience. Kail, Oliver, Marta and Helle, you guys were absolute champions! Thank you for having me and for all the memories.
The work is super chilled - changing sheets, washing toilets and… read more
The hostel itself is very cosy, with a gorgeous, sunny roof terrace, a sitting room area and kitchen, so there's plenty of opportunity to hang-out and chat to other backpackers/guests.
Tartu is a beautiful city to spend a few… read more
The hostel is really charming, the city is super beautiful and you can visit most places in Estonia via train really easily on your days off.
But most importantly all the people I worked with were so kind and fun - lots of great conversations and memories!
I can only recommend this place… read more
Julius stayed in the hostel for about a month I think. He was a lot of fun to be around and got along super well with the rest of the staff! He helped us clean up our webpage - big thanks for that! He also helped with cleaning and regular work around the hostel.
We are sure gonna miss him around here! So come back for a visit!
We hope you get… read more
It could be quite easy and it took us no more than 4h, so we had time to visit a lot of places (Tallin, Parnu, Voru, Elva...)
Thank you all of you for make us… read more
Everyone without exception is kind, fun and ready to help.
The hostel itself is very comfortable and authentic, the tasks mainly consist of preparing the rooms / beds and a bit of general cleaning, nothing complicated and always… read more
In his work he was well organized and needed little to no… read more
We needed help and he wanted to try how it is to run a small business in a small town and having him for so long time was a… read more
Moreover, Tartu is a nice city where you can find everything and also feel it like a village.
See you soon
Even survived the 3 hour theatre play without understanding a word of it :)
Higly reccommend to anyone!
Always welcome to… read more
We would recommend her, she's a nice girl and she's also ready to learn!
Overall experience was amazing. We can recommend her!
Tyler has also a very wide horizon on different topics - very nice interlocutor!
We certainly recommend him! :)
Volunteered in September, so not as many travelers therefore not as much work to be done. During peak season you… read more
He became a part of our hostel's family!
The warm atmosphere of the place and the kindness of the girls working there made me feel instantly at home.
Although it was my first experience working in a hostel, I found the tasks pretty easy (thanks to all the tricks and tips I learned from the staff ), the amount of… read more
Although, she wasn't very talkative, she always asked when she had questions about the job or the town in general.
Keep up the good vibe Paul and if you ever want to return, you are most welcome!
Thank you and good luck!
It was my first time working at a hostel and couldn't have asked for a better place to start.
Tartu is also… read more
About Tartu… read more
This place breathes peace, the decoration and all details are well thought, and you can take ten minuts to just watch one room how cute it is. The customers are relaxed and the staff is nice.
You just need to keep in mind that only the bed… read more
This hostel was such a lovely and cozy space, and the people that worked there really made me feel at home. It was nothing less than a family! I went out with them to a theater play, to a sauna, and to a film… read more
I already miss this hostel. Thank you… read more
Tartu is a lovely calm city - perfect to bike around and explore and the hostel is simply amazing. All four… read more
I was very lucky to come at this hostel : the best place on earth. It's cozy, warm and friendly.I felt at home there ! The team is absolutely fabulous, i made many new friends in Tartu.
The city is great too : beautiful, living and alternative with a lot of… read more
I was here for a month and a half, backpacking after other plans had fallen through and finding this listing was a real lifesaver. Tartu is a beautifully safe and peaceful place. Elementary school kids will ride the bus to the many malls alone or play on the basketball courts at the university. There are lots of… read more
Get to know Estonia, its… read more
Wish you good luck Max and happy travels!
PS. Thanks for cool names you have given to us :)
Helgur and Sigrit