Structure of Decision-making

In Austria, youth policy decision-making is mainly organised according to the federal structure of the country, with national, regional, and local authorities responsible for implementing youth policies.

State level

The federal government has the main responsibility for youth policy outside the school sector, including legislation and its implementation, UN and EU matters, financial support for youth organisations, initiatives and projects, youth information and research, as well as addressing priority issues such as violence against children, health care, participation, new media, etc.

The Federal Chancellery's Department for Family and Youth is in charge of Austrian youth policy at national level. However, in recognition of the cross-cutting nature of the issue, all ministries formulate youth policy measures with regard to the 'Austrian Youth Goals' and take the position of young people into account in all new legislative projects within the framework of the 'Youth Check' (Jugend-Check).

From December 2021, the Federal Chancellery has introduced a new State Secretary for Youth (Staatssekretärin für Jugend) to consolidate and strengthen the government's attention to youth issues. This initiative aims to improve coordination and promote the active involvement of young people in the political decision-making process.

The Competence Centre Youth as part of the Youth Department of the Federal Chancellery is responsible for long-term planning and overall coordination of the Austrian Youth Strategy (see also chapter 1.3).

In addition, the National Working Group on Youth Dialogue and Youth Participation (NAG) in Austria brings together various youth policy actors, including federal and provincial authorities and organisations, to implement the Youth Dialogue and further develop youth participation. Members of the group are the Department for Family and Youth at the Federal Chancellery, the National Youth Council, the Federal Network of Austrian Youth Information Centres, the Federal Network of Open Youth Work, the Austrian European Youth Delegates (Europäische Jugenddelegierte Österreich), the Youth Departments of the Federal Provinces (Landesjugendreferate), the National Correspondents of the European Knowledge Centre for Youth Policy (EKCYP), as well as the Austrian National Agency Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps.

Provincial level

The Provincial Youth Departments (Landesjugendreferate) are responsible for implementing youth policy measures outside the school sector in the nine federal states, coordinating cross-sectoral provincial youth policy, and promoting and supporting children’s and youth facilities. They provide youth welfare services, train youth work staff, and implement youth protection measures for risk situations, including the consumption of alcohol and nicotine.

In order to ensure effective coordination of youth policy across all federal provinces, the 'Political Conference of the Youth Officers' (Konferenz der beamteten und politischen Landesjugendreferent:innen) of the provincial governements serves as the most important coordinating body. The conference brings together officials responsible for youth policy and extracurricular youth work from each state, along with the youth policy member of the federal government who attends as a guest.

Municipal level

At the local and municipal level in Austria, youth policy is crucial for promoting positive youth development and engagement in community life. Municipalities and regions provide significant financial support for youth initiatives, which is vital for ensuring the long-term sustainability of youth policy decisions and activities. Through local coordination and networking, out-of-school child and youth work, and financial support for youth initiatives, local and municipal youth policy serves as a vital link between the needs and challenges of young people and the broader goals of national youth policy.

Main Themes

Youth policy in Austria aims to shape the lives and future perspectives of young people, support their development into independent and responsible individuals, and encourage community and social engagement. In this regard, the Austrian Youth Strategy (Österreichische Jugendstrategie) has identified four strategic fields of action, including education and employment, participation and involvement, quality of life and spirit of cooperation, and media and information, indicating the direction in which the common effort of Austrian youth policy shall lead (see chapter 1.3). The strategy furthermore highlights the importance of youth protection, children’s rights, and international cooperation, which are also part of the youth agenda by the Department for Family and Youth at the Federal Chancellery.

Although youth policy in Austria primarily targets youth in general, it also addresses specific target groups such as disadvantaged youth, and promotes inclusion. Overall, youth policy in Austria encompasses all policy areas and is designed to address the specific needs and concerns of young people.

Key Components of Effective Youth Policy

In order to establish effective youth policy, previous national action plans have been reviewed to identify youth-relevant perspectives. The field of general and vocational education was found to be the most relevant. Educational institutions are considered the main starting point for measures to support young people. The national action plan on a balanced diet, health, and well-being also targets young people.

Due to the high significance of youth participation within the establishment of a Youth Strategy, various options of youth engagement as well as adolescence research are included. There is also a close interaction with the National Youth Council and the Federal Networks for Open Youth Work and Youth Information.

Moreover, results from Austria are included in the EU Youth Dialogue, foreseen in the EU Youth Strategy 2019 – 2027. The Youth Dialogue is a process designed to guarantee rightful inclusion of adolescents in decision-making aspects of youth politics.

The Youth Screening initiative is another instrument of the Youth Strategy, which draws attention to the concerns of young people in all areas of politics and bureaucracy. Within the different administrative departments, the ‘Kowledge – Transparency – Latitude’ (KTL) process provides for stable structures and cooperation between stakeholders. The Youth Competence Centre, located within the Department for Family and Youth at the Federal Chancellery, supports administrative departments in implementing this process.

Active cooperation with the federal provinces is essential for the success of the Youth Strategy in a federally structured country like Austria. The Youth Offensive 2020, initiated by top officials of the individual provincial governments, envisages that numerous structural elements of the Youth Strategy will be incorporated into the work of the individual provinces.

The National Agency for Youth

In Austria, youth issues are not managed by a single national agency. Instead, youth policy is integrated into all policy areas and spans national, regional, and local levels of government. The Family and Youth Section (Sektion Familie und Jugend) of the Federal Chancellery coordinates national efforts across ministries and supports youth organisations through the Federal Youth Promotion Act (Bundes-Jugendförderungsgesetz, B-JFG). As a federal agency, the OeAD administers the EU funding programmes Erasmus+ Youth and European Solidarity Corps, promoting both international youth engagement and local initiatives through networking and training. In addition, various federal networks and organisations (including the National Youth Council, the Federal Networks for Open Youth Work and Youth Information) make an important contribution by supporting programmes, disseminating information and creating opportunities for young people (see also section 1.4.1 Structure of Decision-making above). 

Policy Monitoring and Evaluation

Austria uses several evaluation methods to assess youth policies and programmes. These methods include measuring the direct and indirect impact of policies, monitoring progress and results, and gathering feedback from stakeholders and young people to identify areas for improvement. In addition, research studies evaluate specific aspects and impartial evaluations of policies and programmes are often obtained through consultation with external experts or organisations. Key examples include:

• For instance, the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO) conducts regular evaluations of Austria’s progress towards national policy targets. These cover different policy areas in relation to youth including education and employment.
• The Youth Competence Centre oversees the Austrian Youth Strategy (Österreichische Jugendstrategie) and evaluates its effectiveness, considering the real-life experiences of young people (Lebensrealität junger Menschen miteinbeziehen). Youth objectives and measures are thus subject to ‘reality checks’(in German) in which young people and youth-oriented institutions are involved in their development and reflection. The National Youth Council, as a statutory representative body for children and young people, is an integral part of this process. In addition, the Competence Centre documents the implementation of Austrian Youth Goals and measures and ensures transparency and participatory refinement through regular reports (Umsetzungsbericht). The Federal Youth Representation and other stakeholders contribute to the ongoing development of the strategy through the Youth Strategy Development Group (Entwicklungsgruppe Jugendstrategie) and the Youth Strategy Forum (Forum Jugendstrategie).
• Once per legislative period, a report on youth (Jugendreport) is presented, providing data and details on the situation of young people in Austria. The latest report, the ‘8^th Report on the Situation of Youth in Austria (2023) (Zur Lage der Jugend in Österreich 2023), consists of two modules. Module 1 provides statistical insights into demography, education, employment, participation, quality of life, health and media, including a section on youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Module 1 was compiled by Statistics Austria (STAT) on the basis of their data. Module 2, ‘Lifeworlds and values of young people’, examines life orientations, the impact of the pandemic and young people’s perspectives on Europe. This module was developed by the Institute for Youth Culture Research and Cultural Mediation (Institut für Jugendkulturforschung und Kulturvermittlung) by analysing and comparing existing studies and surveys. 
• Moreover, the 'Youth Check' (Jugend-Check), which was introduced in 2013, evaluates the impact of draft legislation on children and young adults, aiming to raise awareness of their specific needs.
• Various research institutions conduct studies and external evaluations on behalf of public authorities to contribute to the evaluation of youth policy. These institutions include the Institute for Youth Culture Research (Institut für Jugendkulturforschung), the Austrian Institute for Family Research (Österreichisches Institut für Familienforschung), the Institute for Research on Qualifications and Training of the Austrian Economy, the Austrian Institute for SME Research (KMU Forschung Austria), and the Institute for Advanced Studies, among others.