The Crisis Research Centre has launched the EDENTallinn (Educational and community gardens for Disaster preparedness, Empowerment and Neighbourhood resilience) project in Tallinn, aiming to bring community and educational garden leaders, urban gardening practitioners, experts and city-level stakeholders into a shared discussion space. The project focuses on the realistic role that community and educational gardens can play in supporting food security, community cooperation and crisis preparedness in urban environments.

The project does not approach urban gardening narrowly as a hobby or environmental activity, but as part of a broader discussion on how urban communities can better understand their dependencies, strengthen cooperation and reflect on the role of everyday environments in crisis situations. “Community gardens cannot replace food supply chains or solve the question of urban food security on their own. However, they can help increase residents’ awareness, practical skills, neighbourhood ties and understanding of where food comes from, as well as what limitations may emerge in a crisis,” said Anne-May Nagel, co-founder of the Crisis Research Centre.

As part of the project, an expert seminar will be held in Tallinn in autumn to discuss the potential role of community and educational gardens in supporting food security and crisis preparedness. The project will also produce a publication that communities and partners can use to introduce the topic further and identify opportunities for cooperation. 

Dr Mariia Tyschenko (Ukraine), head of Poruch, one of Ukraine’s largest NGOs, gave a presentation on cooperation between the third sector and local government in Ukraine at the final seminar of the Crisis Research Centre’s K-24 project “Crisis Preparedness of Communities – Where do we stand?” on May 28.

Anne-May Nagel, co-founder of the Crisis Research Centre, will introduce the presentation with an overview of the organization’s 2024 Tallinn and Kohtla-Järve community-based population protection projects. The video is in English.

🟧🟦 The panel discussion and its recording were supported by the Estonian Ministry of the Interior through the National Foundation for Civil Society.

Photo and video: the panel discussion on May 28 (Crisis Research Centre, 2025).

Saturday’s training sessions include first aid (trained by paramedic Andrus Lehtmets) and urban survival (trained by Women’s Voluntary Defence Organisation instructors), which will take place in Väike-Õismäe. In addition, there will also be online training – instructors from the Municipal Police Authority will teach you how to draw up a crisis plan, and the Women’s Voluntary Defence Organisation online training will share smart evacuation knowledge.

“For the first time, Haabersti residents will be able to improve their crisis skills in their own town, with training provided by top specialists in the field. “We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity, as participation is free,” said Hannes Nagel, Head of the Crisis Research Centre. “Our goal is to improve district residents’ preparedness for crisis situations. “If everyone has a broader range of knowledge and skills, we will be better able to deal with unexpected situations and support our families, friends, and the larger community,” he said.

Between February and May, 25 training sessions on various topics will be held, providing crisis skills to over 400 Haabersti residents. There are still spots available; to register for the training or join the waiting list, go to www.kruk.ee/en/oismae-en. 

🟧🟦 The activities of the K-24 project will be carried out by the Crisis Research Centre, and the implementation of the project activities is supported by the Civil Society Foundation through the Ministry of the Interior.

Photo: The Crisis Skills Training Programme is advertised on monthly bases in the Haabersti district newspaper (Kriisiuuringute Keskus, 2025).

The training, which began on April 5 at 11 a.m., was held in the Järveotsa settlement of Väike-Õismäe community garden under the guidance of Women’s Voluntary Defense Organization instructors and focused on practical training. Despite the cold weather, community members gathered to receive training in realistic conditions similar to those found in Ukrainian urban areas, where vital services are disrupted and fragile.

Participants were taught practical basic survival skills necessary to deal with a serious crisis in an urban setting. The training focused on the three most important aspects of survival: water, food, and warmth. In addition, the principles of crisis planning and evacuation codes of conduct were reviewed.

The weather conditions made the training more realistic, giving participants a better understanding of the actual challenges faced in a crisis. The experience gained allowed the participants to understand how to apply their theoretical knowledge and skills in real life, including in difficult and unpredictable situations.

The training program provided participants in the five training groups with comprehensive knowledge and skills on how to provide initial support to people with emotional and mental difficulties in a crisis situation, with a particular emphasis on how to respond to acute (e.g., war-time) crisis situations in shelters.

Participants learned how to recognise mental health concerns, share relevant information, and use self-help techniques to protect their own and others’ well-being, which is becoming increasingly important in terms of community resilience in the context of Ukraine’s ongoing conflict. The training sessions included a variety of practical exercises to help them improve their listening-marking-assisting abilities.

The training focused on how every family can be better prepared for unexpected situations, with a particular emphasis on coping with the disruption of essential services such as electricity, water, and heating. Special attention was given to the panel building environment, as Väike-Õismäe is largely made up of 5- and 9-storey apartment buildings that must continue functioning even during crises.

Several important topics were addressed during the evening, including:

• How to create a family crisis plan that takes into account the needs all members of the family;
• What essential supplies should be available at home for managing without help for seven days;
• How to keep the oneself informed during a crisis, and which channels to use for receiving reliable information;
• What should be discussed at the co-operative housing association level?

Looking at your smartphone every morning and being hit by yet another wave of negative events can make you feel hopeless and powerless. In reality, there are ways to maintain mental equilibrium while bracing for the unexpected. One of the most important steps is to read the news consciously. There is no need to constantly consume information and absorb every negative event that occurs in the world.

Setting aside specific times to watch the news promotes mental balance and reduces feelings of constant worry and anxiety. It’s also important to be sceptical of information sources; dramatic headlines based on clicks aren’t always the most accurate reflection of reality. Misinformation and panic on social media can only exacerbate the situation, so it’s important to focus on credible and balanced news sources.

In the midst of the bad news, it may appear that there is only bad news in the world, but there is a lot of good news that simply does not make the headlines. Recognising and sharing positive stories helps to balance our perspective and reminds us that there is still much good in the world. Community initiatives, scientific and technological advances, and small acts of human kindness that bring positive change to society all serve as sources of inspiration.

Saturday’s trainings include first aid (by paramedic Andrus Lehtmets), mental health first aid in a crisis (by clinical psychologists from the NGO Peaasjad), as well as the Women’s Voluntary Defence Organisation survival trainings, which will take place in Väike-Õismäe. There will also be online trainings – you can learn how to prepare a family crisis plan from instructors from the Tallinn Municipal Police, and online trainings by paramilitary Women’s Voluntary Defence Organisation will focus on smart evacuation.

“The trainings are a good opportunity to brush up your crisis skills. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity, we have top-class trainers and the training is free of charge for the participants,” said Hannes Nagel, Head of the Crisis Research Centre. “More broadly, the project aims to raise the level of crisis preparedness of people in our area. If we each have a broader skill base, we can be prepared for the unexpected and help our family, friends and community,” he said.

A total of 25 training sessions will take place between February and May on a variety of topics. The first groups are already full! The project team thanks the Haabersti district government for contributing to the project.

For registration, please visit www.kruk.ee/oismae.

🟧🟦 The activities of the K-24 project will be carried out by the Crisis Research Centre, and the implementation of the project activities is supported by the Civil Society Foundation through the Ministry of the Interior.