We inform young people

Some facts

Overall 28 offices, in all federal states (Bundesländer), offer nationwide services for young people between the age of 12 and 26. They, annually, answer approximately 160,000 enquiries about all youth-relevant topics, including work and training, living and mobility and compulsory military/community service. The statistics show that most requests address education and occupation as well as (volunteer) work and living in Europe. Additionally, every year approximately one million visitors use the online services of the youth information centres.

The national network of Youth Information Centres in Austria

The National Network of Youth Information Centres (Bundesnetzwerk Österreichische Jugendinfos, short BÖJI) was established in 2004. BÖJI serves the regional youth information centres on a national and international level. Therefore, all regional youth information centres of Austria are members of the national network, with the exception of the Carinthian youth information centre (Jugendinfo Kärnten), which participates as a guest in the joint activities.

The key task of BÖJI is to represent the youth information centres of Austria on an national and European level. The network takes part in initiatives and, at a national and a regional level, is part of structures that further develop national youth politics and youth work.

As the national contact for youth information, BÖJI is part of several networks, advisory boards and work groups relevant for youth work. Furthermore, BÖJI works closely with all key stakeholders of the extracurricular youth work.

our services and goals

Primary youth information is not limited to specific topics, but offers young people a first contact point for all their questions. This principle of a “one-stop-shop” avoids stigmatization and increases the easy accessibility of the offer. All questions are welcome and will either be answered directly or passed on to the respective experts. In addition to young people, guardians, family members, teachers, youth workers and other multipliers as well as political decision-makers at all levels are among the target groups.

Information and counselling on all youth-relevant topics is the basis of our work. Researching, processing, documenting and mentoring of information are our core competencies. Youth information, however, also works beyond that. With our offers, projects and activities we promote the empowerment of young people. We support young people in every way and thereby strengthen them in the development of their talents and their ability to live a self-determined life.

How does youth information work?

Youth information covers all youth-relevant topics- including work and training, living and mobility as well as civil service and volunteering.
Youth information is need-oriented and offers young people orientation – in a time of ”infobesity” (information overload) our central task is to support young people in selecting suitable offers and alternatives for their respective life situation.
Youth information strengthens the autonomy and self-determination of young people - relevant information enables young people to make their own decisions based on knowledge of their potential and possibilities.
Youth information strengthens young people's information, decision-making and action skills - at the same time, critical and reflective handling of information and decisions requires the most diverse skills and is now more important than ever before. Youth information therefore helps young people to further develop their information, decision-making and capacity building skills.
Youth information promotes the social and political participation of young people – the knowledge of their own rights and obligations is one of the basic requirements for active participation in society. Informing young people about existing participation opportunities and supporting them with these issues are central concerns in our work.
Youth information supports self-initiative - be it in the framework of projects or in form of individual counselling: we support young people with our expertise as well as state funding - so that they successfully can implement their project ideas or future plans.

All questions are welcome!

The regional youth information centres, located in the federal states, are your partners for local projects and activities. They develop and implement youth policy strategies and measures in your state. At the same time, the youth information services have a comprehensive overview and insight into the respective field of extracurricular youth work and act as a knowledge hub for cross-sectoral cooperation.

There are youth information points throughout Austria, at least in every state capital. In addition, some federal states offer their service in the form of regional offices in other cities. The altogether 28 youth information centres offer a nationwide service. In most cases, these youth information centres, also act as the regional partners for the “Erasmus+: Youth in action” program of the European commission. These organizations are usually their own associations or societies, which are supported by the respective federal states. In Burgenland, in Carinthia and in Upper Austria, the youth information service is integrated in the youth departments of the respective state governments.