Financial strain accompanies school commencement for numerous families in Vienna, as reported by Caritas.
In Vienna, Caritas director Klaus Schwertner and Martina Polleres-Hyll, head of educational offerings, are emphasizing education as a key solution to poverty prevention. They are urging for more resources, better working conditions, and more support for career changers in the education sector.
The Caritas is running several projects to support disadvantaged children, including "FREI.Spiel" where volunteers offer direct support to students in schools and kindergartens. Emotional support is particularly important for these children, providing them with a sense of belonging and social inclusion.
Currently, 86 educational locations are waiting for additional capacity at "FREI.Spiel". Unfortunately, more than 860 children are on the waiting list for learning cafés, a project that offers free learning and afternoon care. The Caritas is urgently seeking additional volunteers for both projects.
The Caritas is also counteracting the "widening education gap" with projects like the 74 learning cafés nationwide. Paid tutoring is not affordable for many families, and a third of people with at most compulsory education in Austria are threatened by poverty and exclusion.
Schwertner has called for further reforms in the education sector, urging the government to invest in education instead of cutting costs. He has also advocated for the government to act on education reform, particularly in providing additional specialist staff for language promotion in regular classroom instruction.
The Caritas does not support controversial German promotion classes. Instead, they focus on individual support for children, providing them with the necessary tools for a successful start to school. This includes providing school supplies such as backpacks, stationery, and clothing at the beginning of the school year through their annual school start action.
For detailed, up-to-date information about Vienna’s Caritas school start action—including how to donate, volunteer, and their current initiatives to combat the education gap—I recommend visiting the official Caritas Vienna website or contacting them directly. They usually publish this information during the summer months ahead of the school year.
As the number of school-age children is increasing, the need for support and resources in the education sector becomes even more pressing. The Caritas is working tirelessly to ensure every child in Vienna has the opportunity to succeed in education, regardless of their social background or parental income.
