By 2027, Austria plans to redesign its National Youth Goals. The existing 35 goals will be revised, merged, and expanded to better reflect social developments, new government priorities, and cross‑ministerial cooperation. The new goals aim to take a broader, more integrated approach and to strengthen collaboration between federal ministries (see also Chapter 5.10).

Moreover, discussions continue about the lasting effects of COVID-19 on young people, in particular the impact of lockdown measures. These measures have affected various aspects of young people's lives, including education, leisure activities and employment opportunities. In addition, there is a growing need for psychological support due to the prevalence of mental health problems among young people, exacerbated by the pandemic and other crises such as the conflict in Ukraine and the climate crisis. In this context, the ‘Healthy out of the crisis’ (Gesund aus der Krise) project, implemented by the Austrian Psychological Association (Berufsverband Österreichischer Psychologinnen und Psychologen, BÖP) in cooperation with the Austrian Association for Psychotherapy (Österreichischer Bundesverband für Psychotherapie, ÖBVP), aims to provide psychological support to more than 11,000 children and adolescents, with additional funding from the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection expected to provide around 10,000 more places from April/May 2024.