Our centre
Astangu Vocational Rehabilitation Centre is a centre in Tallinn, Estonia, with 30 years of experience in providing vocational training and support for people with disabilities. Our vision is to create supported learning pathways towards independent living and active participation in work and society.
We offer vocational and pre-vocational education programmes, support services to our students, social and work-related rehabilitation, employment opportunities in supported workshops, and guidance in gaining work experience and attaining employment.
Our services are built on a person-centered approach, placing the individual's goals and participation at the heart of every step of the rehabilitation process. We prioritise quality of life, focusing on maintaining and improving wellbeing across its different dimensions.
The shared aim of these services is to help people develop their abilities, strengthen work and daily living skills, and achieve meaningful self-fulfilment in working life. Since our founding in 1995, we have supported hundreds of people on their journey towards greater independence.
We are a public organisation operating in the area of government of the Ministry of Education and Research.
Target group
Our target group is working-age people (16–64 years) with:
- learning difficulties;
- mental health conditions;
- neurodevelopmental disorders (including autism);
- mild to moderate intellectual disability;
- physical disabilities;
- congenital and/or chronic health impairments;
- hearing loss (including people who are deaf);
- a foreign-language background and low proficiency in Estonian, in addition to special educational needs.
We work extensively with young people aged 16 and above.
Developing and sharing expertise
As the only centre of its kind in Estonia, we serve as a competency centre in the field, developing new curricula and support methodologies through national and international collaboration and projects. We have years of experience in projects funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), Erasmus+, Nordplus, and other programmes.
We regularly share our expertise with partners in the areas of vocational education and rehabilitation by participating in round tables, organising networking events for specialists, providing training, and offering internship opportunities for future professionals.
Through our membership in the European Platform for Rehabilitation (EPR) and the European Forum of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (EfVET), we connect and collaborate with organisations across Europe.
Core values that guide our work
- Person-centredness – I recognise and value every individual, whether a client, colleague, cooperation partner, or member of our network.
- Trustworthiness – You can rely on me: the data and information I provide are accurate, and the results of my work are dependable.
- Openness – I am transparent and innovative in my work, value growth, encourage learning from one another (including internationally), and remain flexible.
- Cooperation – I believe the best solutions are created together, which is why I work inclusively and actively contribute to different forms of collaboration.
- Competence – I stay informed about developments in my professional field, know how to connect them to my daily work, and continuously develop my skills to contribute in the best possible way. I also share my knowledge openly with partners and the wider public.