Ülly is a youth field enthusiast and expert who has been active in the field since the 1990s and currently works at a newly formed Education and Youth Authority in Estonia, nudging user-centred innovation both in the youth field and in education at large (harno.ee).

She once got involved in youth work as a volunteer in the Estonian Red Cross , initiating the very first project for street children in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, back in 1994.

Ülly believes that she has been lucky to live a life of experiential learning and over the years has found very inspiring opportunities to contribute to youth work practice and strategic development, and also as a trainer and writer, both at national and European level.

She has worked for many years for the EU youth programmes, for the SALTO-YOUTH Social Inclusion Resource Centre in Brussels and served as a diplomat on the Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU, chairing the EU member states European youth policy negotiations during the Estonian Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2017. She also chaired negotiations on the adoption of Council Resolutions about Smart Youth Work and initial agreements, initiatives of European Solidarity Corps.

Ülly considers social inclusion as one of her passions, not only as a youth worker but as an active citizen as well, and has contributed to many initiatives, including non-formal educational projects with young inmates in Estonian prisons, volunteering projects with young people facing mental health challenges and risk behaviours etc.

Youth field innovation, in relation to digital and tech developments, is another of her special interest areas, and she is strongly welcoming of the fact that smart youth work and digital youth work have become even stronger competence areas in the youth field in recent years.

Alongside her strong interest in European issues, she has done volunteer work in Japan, Russia, Middle-East and Malaysia, strengthening her passion for the positive contribution of youth and the youth field even further.