Youth Wiki national description Youth policies in Austria 2018 The Youth Wiki is Europe's online encyclopaedia in the area of national youth policies. The platform is a comprehensive database of national structures, policies and actions supporting young people. For the updated version of this national description, please visit https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-policies/en/youthwiki Youth Youth policies in Austria – 2018 Youth Wiki AUSTRIA 1. Youth Policy Governance ................................................................................ 9 1.1 Target population of youth policy................................................................................. 10 1.2 National youth law ..................................................................................................... 10 1.3 National youth strategy .............................................................................................. 13 1.4 Youth policy decision-making ...................................................................................... 18 1.5 Cross-sectoral approach with other ministries ............................................................... 21 1.6 Evidence-based youth policy ....................................................................................... 23 1.7 Funding youth policy .................................................................................................. 25 1.8 Cross-border cooperation ........................................................................................... 26 1.9 Current debates and reforms ...................................................................................... 27 2. Voluntary Activities ...................................................................................... 28 2.1 General context ......................................................................................................... 28 2.2 Administration and governance of youth volunteering .................................................... 30 2.3 National strategy on youth volunteering ....................................................................... 32 2.4 Youth volunteering at national level ............................................................................. 33 2.5 Cross-border mobility programmes .............................................................................. 35 2.6 Raising awareness about youth volunteering opportunities ............................................. 37 2.7 Skills recognition ....................................................................................................... 39 2.8 Current debates and reforms ...................................................................................... 40 3. Employment & Entrepreneurship .................................................................. 41 3.1 General context ......................................................................................................... 41 3.2 Administration and governance ................................................................................... 46 3.3 Skills forecasting ....................................................................................................... 49 3.4 Career guidance and counselling ................................................................................. 52 3.5 Traineeships and apprenticeships ................................................................................ 56 3.6 Integration of young people in the labour market .......................................................... 62 3.7 Cross-border mobility in employment, entrepreneurship and vocational opportunities ........ 66 3.8 Development of entrepreneurship competence .............................................................. 68 3.9 Start-up funding for young entrepreneurs..................................................................... 70 3.10 Promotion of entrepreneurship culture........................................................................ 73 3.11 Current debates and reforms .................................................................................... 73 4. Social Inclusion ............................................................................................ 75 4.1 General context ......................................................................................................... 75 4.2 Administration and governance ................................................................................... 77 4.3 Strategy for the social inclusion of young people ........................................................... 78 4.4 Inclusive programmes for young people ....................................................................... 82 4.5 Initiatives promoting social inclusion and raising awareness ............................................ 85 4.6 Access to quality services ........................................................................................... 90 3 Youth policies in Austria – 2018 Youth Wiki 4.7 Youth work to foster social inclusion ............................................................................ 95 4.8 Current debates and reforms .................................................................................... 101 5. Participation ............................................................................................... 102 5.1 General context ....................................................................................................... 102 5.2 Youth participation in representative democracy .......................................................... 106 5.3 Youth representation bodies ..................................................................................... 107 5.4 Young people's participation in policy-making ............................................................. 110 5.5 National strategy to increase youth participation ......................................................... 113 5.6 Supporting youth organisations ................................................................................. 114 5.7 “Learning to participate” through formal, non-formal and informal learning .................... 116 5.8 Raising political awareness among young people ......................................................... 120 5.9 E-participation ........................................................................................................ 124 5.10 Current debates and reforms .................................................................................. 125 6. Education and Training ............................................................................... 126 6.1 General context ....................................................................................................... 126 6.2 Administration and governance ................................................................................. 133 6.3 Preventing early leaving from education and training (ELET) ......................................... 136 6.4 Validation of non-formal and informal learning ............................................................ 141 6.5 Cross-border learning mobility .................................................................................. 144 6.6 Social inclusion through education and training ........................................................... 148 6.7 Skills for innovation ................................................................................................. 155 6.8 Media literacy and safe use of new media ................................................................... 159 6.9 Awareness-raising about non-formal and informal learning and quality youth work .......... 165 6.10 Current debates and reforms .................................................................................. 165 7. Health and Well-Being ................................................................................ 167 7.1 General context ....................................................................................................... 167 7.2 Administration and governance ................................................................................. 170 7.3 Sport, youth fitness and physical activity .................................................................... 173 7.4 Healthy lifestyles and healthy nutrition ....................................................................... 177 7.5 Mental health .......................................................................................................... 185 7.6 Mechanisms of early detection and signposting of young people facing health risks ......... 186 7.7 Making health facilities more youth friendly ................................................................ 187 7.8 Current debates and reforms .................................................................................... 188 8. Creativity and Culture ................................................................................. 189 8.1 General context ....................................................................................................... 189 8.2 Administration and governance ................................................................................. 190 8.3 National strategy on creativity and culture for young people ......................................... 191 8.4 Promoting culture and cultural participation ................................................................ 192 8.5 Developing cultural and creative competences ...........................................................