Vienna youth: Growing up in a multi-ethnic city (A youth worker's perspective)

Abstract

The following paper describes mobile youth work in Vienna, Austria. As a communication bridge between young people and municipal government and society at large, the youth workers try to enable adolescents to utter their opinions and views, as well as support and assist them in various ways. Young people face a multitude of difficulties and problems (at work and in school, with teachers and parents, with the police, as well as problems stemming from lack of money, no prospects, ation and representation in the metropolitan setting. Methods and strategies of mobile youth work are explained. A short description of Austria and Vienna gives the background, comprising school system, foreigners' laws, and vocational training, and shows how young people are marginalized.