regional strategy south-west-styria - EU-Regionalmanagement ...

REGIONAL STRATEGY 

SOUTH-WEST-STYRIA 

Responsible persons: 

Birgit Haring / Peter Music 

Regional development South-West-Styria 

Translation: Irene Fauland, Kreativnetzwerk 

Legwork demographic overview: Herbert Mayerhofer, 

Institut für systemische Entwicklung 

This project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co -financed by the ERDF

List of content 

Regional Strategy South-West-Styria ................................................................................. 3 

1. Demographic overview ........................................................................................... 3 

1.1. Age structure ..................................................................................................... 5 

1.2. Development of resident population ...................................................................... 7 

1.3. Factors for population development ....................................................................... 8 

1.4. Development of the age group up to 19 ............................................................... 10 

1.5. Development of the age group 65+ ..................................................................... 12 

1.6. Educational level ............................................................................................... 13 

1.7. Education enrolment ......................................................................................... 15 

1.8. Employment Statistics ....................................................................................... 16 

1.9. Unemployment rate........................................................................................... 18 

1.10. Youth unemployment 2011 ................................................................................ 20 

1.11. Structure of employment 2009 by sectors ............................................................ 21 

1.12. Employment by industry groups .......................................................................... 23 

2. General aims of the regional strategy ................................................................... 26 

2.1. Strategy of Styria: Strategic orientation of children and youth work in 2020 ............. 26 

2.2. Basis of the regional strategy ............................................................................. 33 

3. Regional strategy and measure plan ..................................................................... 40 

3.1. Lifeworlds/Social infrastructure ........................................................................... 40 

3.2. Youth information and counselling ....................................................................... 42 

3.3. Youth protection and prevention ......................................................................... 44 

3.4. Youth culture and creative forms of expression ..................................................... 46 

3.5. Socio-political education and participation ............................................................ 48 

3.6. Education and vocational orientation ................................................................... 50 

4. Implementation and evaluation plan .................................................................... 53 

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Regional Strategy South-West-Styria 

The core region of the project YURA in Styria is South-West Styria. However, in order to secure 

the project’s wide effect, there were also other Styrian regions included in the pilot actions and 

dissemination activities from the beginning on. 

Therefore, the demographic analysis provides a statistical overview of all Styrian provinces. 

This facilitates the classification and evaluation of the statistical results of the province South- 

West-Styria. At the same time, it is a first step to develop and implement a youth strategy 

based on the work in South-West Styria also in other regions. 

The analysis itself particularly focuses on those statistical data available also in other partner 

regions and which therefore enable an international comparison in the framework of the overall 

strategy. Besides the statistical analysis, the demographic part of the strategy also builds on 

further, diverse data and surveys, which are stated elsewhere and will not be gone into again 

here. 

1. Demographic overview 1 

The region South-West Styria is a rural area with a population of 138.207 inhabitants and a 

population density of 89,36 inhabitants per km². It is the fourth largest of seven Styrian regions 

(referring to number of inhabitants) and the second most densely populated region after the 

Styrian central region. 

On average, there live 7,23% foreigners all over Styria, with the majority of 11,14% living in 

the Styrian central region. The number of foreign people in the region South-West Styria 

amounts only to 3,93%, which is slightly more than in the neighbour regions South-East Styria 

with 3,42% and East-Styria with 3,38%. 

The number of foreign people is currently still low, however, developments show that the 

number of foreigners in Styrian regions and thus also in South-West Styria has continually 

increased over the last years. 

1 Source: Landesstatistik Steiermark and own calculations 

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Demographic overview 1.1.2012 

Resident 

population 

Area in 

km² 

Inhabitants 

per km² 

Percentage 

of women 

Percentage 

of men 

Percentage 

of foreigners 

Styria 1.213.255 16.401,04 73,97 51,05% 48,95% 7,23% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 138.207 1.546,71 89,36 50,82% 49,18% 3,93% 

East-Styria 177.287 2.293,72 77,29 50,44% 49,56% 3,38% 

Styrian central 

region 

460.842 1.909,63 241,33 51,35% 48,65% 11,14% 

South-East Styria 89.575 1.068,86 83,80 50,63% 49,37% 3,42% 

Upper Styria East 164.839 3.253,96 50,66 51,29% 48,71% 6,74% 

Upper Styria West 103.035 3.059,90 33,67 50,89% 49,11% 4,96% 

Liezen 79.470 3.268,26 24,32 51,24% 48,76% 7,15% 

Districts 

Graz-City 265.318 127,48 2081,23 51,65% 48,35% 15,91% 

Bruck an der Mur 62.155 1.306,33 47,58 51,46% 48,54% 7,84% 

Deutschlandsberg 60.762 864,02 70,32 50,72% 49,28% 3,15% 

Feldbach 66.828 730,49 91,48 50,61% 49,39% 3,44% 

Fürstenfeld 22.765 264,21 86,16 51,16% 48,84% 4,30% 

Graz-Umgebung 143.456 1.102,93 130,07 50,86% 49,14% 5,26% 

Hartberg 66.617 958,82 69,48 50,30% 49,70% 3,01% 

Leibnitz 77.445 682,69 113,44 50,90% 49,10% 4,55% 

Leoben 62.728 1.099,16 57,07 51,35% 48,65% 6,82% 

Liezen 79.470 3.268,26 24,32 51,24% 48,76% 7,15% 

Mürzzuschlag 39.956 848,47 47,09 50,95% 49,05% 4,92% 

Murau 29.243 1.384,12 21,13 50,57% 49,43% 3,66% 

Radkersburg 22.747 338,37 67,23 50,69% 49,31% 3,35% 

Voitsberg 52.068 679,22 76,66 51,17% 48,83% 2,97% 

Weiz 87.905 1.070,70 82,10 50,36% 49,64% 3,43% 

Murtal 73.792 1.675,78 44,03 51,02% 48,98% 5,48% 

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1.1. Age structure 2 

In the whole region Styria, the age structure of society has in the meantime become rather 

unfavourable for long-term development. Especially the number of people older than 65 years is 

already considerably greater than the number of people younger than 15. On average, there are 

100 people/children aged under 15 for every 140 people over 65 in Styria, however these 

numbers differ regionally. The region East-Styria is the youngest area with 121 old people for 

every 100 children. The second-youngest region is already the Styrian central region with 127 

old people for every 100 children. The oldest region in the framework of this analysis is East- 

Upper Styria, where there are on average already two old people for every child. 

There are further differences regarding the districts. In the district Deutschlandsberg, where 

there are 134 old people for every 100 children, the age structure is much more unfavourable 

than in the district Leibnitz where there are only 121 old people for every 100 children. The best 

age structure can be found in the districts Weiz and Graz-Neighbourhood where there are 117 

old people for every 100 children. The worst situation can be found in the district Leoben with 

214 old people for every 100 children. 

Another index that provides useful information is the “Nichterwerbsalterindex”, which indicates 

the number of people under employment age for every 100 people at employment age. 

Regarding this, the most postive situation is in the Styrian central region. 100 people at 

employment age maintain 44 people under employment age. In South-West Styria the number 

is second lowest, with only 46 people. The situation is worst again in upper East-Styria, where 

100 employed people are responsible for 55 people under employment age. 

Percentage 

0-14 

Age Structure 2012 

Percentage 

15-64 

Percentage 

over 65 

“Nichterwerbsalterindex” 

(number of people under 

employment age (to 15 and 

65+) for every 100 people 

at employment age (15-64) 

Age index 

(number of 

people 65+ for 

every 100 people 

under 15) 

Styria 13,5% 67,6% 18,9% 47,92 140,48 

Regions 

South-West Styria 13,9% 68,5% 17,6% 46,02 127,03 

Upper Styria 14,4% 68,0% 17,5% 47,00 121,44 


region 

13,4% 69,1% 17,5% 44,64 130,93 

South-East Styria 13,9% 67,4% 18,7% 48,45 134,28 

2 Source Landesstatistik Steiermark and own calculations 

Page 5 / 53 


Percentage 

0-14 

Percentage 

15-64 

Percentage 

over 65 

“Nichterwerbsalterindex” 

(number of people under 

employment age (to 15 and 

65+) for every 100 people 

at employment age (15-64) 

Age index 

(number of 

people 65+ for 

every 100 people 

under 15) 

Upper Styria East 11,9% 64,5% 23,6% 55,03 198,17 

Upper Styria West 13,5% 65,5% 21,0% 52,67 156,29 

Liezen 14,0% 65,7% 20,4% 52,27 145,90 

Districts 

Graz-City 12,8% 70,1% 17,1% 42,73 133,81 

Bruck an der Mur 12,3% 65,0% 22,6% 53,80 183,49 

Deutschlandsberg 13,7% 67,9% 18,4% 47,32 134,93 

Feldbach 14,3% 67,6% 18,1% 47,89 126,52 

Fürstenfeld 13,7% 67,3% 19,0% 48,66 138,31 

Graz-Umgebung 14,6% 68,3% 17,1% 46,43 117,18 

Hartberg 14,2% 68,5% 17,3% 46,04 121,74 

Leibnitz 14,0% 69,0% 17,0% 45,01 121,00 

Leoben 11,4% 64,1% 24,5% 55,96 214,27 

Liezen 14,0% 65,7% 20,4% 52,27 145,90 

Mürzzuschlag 12,0% 64,3% 23,7% 55,53 197,58 

Murau 13,8% 66,4% 19,9% 50,64 144,43 

Radkersburg 12,9% 66,6% 20,5% 50,15 159,64 

Voitsberg 12,8% 66,8% 20,4% 49,81 159,42 

Weiz 14,8% 67,9% 17,3% 47,31 117,16 

Murtal 13,3% 65,1% 21,5% 53,49 161,14 

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1.2. Development of resident population 3 

Between 2001 and 2012, the number of inhabitants all over Styria grew by around 2,5%. 

According to a prognosis by the Statistics Division, the population in Styria will have grown by 

another 4,8% inhabitants by 2050. While at state level the population has been continually and 

slowly growing, the situation is totally different at regional and district level. 

In the city Graz and in the districts around Graz the population will grow to a large extent, in all 

districts far away from Graz there will be a strong decrease of inhabitants. At regional level this 

means that in the Styrian central region there will be a population growth by 17,2%, in South- 

West Styria, as the second most dynamic region, the growth will be by 7,1%, in East-Styria by 

1,5% and in South-East Styria by 0,9%. The population in the upper Styrian regions will 

decrease between 5% and 12%. 

This development can be seen even more clearly at regional level. The districts with the 

strongest population growth are Graz-neighbourhood with 27%, Graz with 14% and Leibnitz 

with a growth of 11% by 2050. The strongest population decrease by 18% can be expected in 

the district Murau. 

Population development 2001 - 2050 

Resident 

population 2001 

Resident 

population 2012 

Development 

2001-2012 

Prognosis 

2050 

Development 

2012-2050 

Styria 1.183.303 1.213.255 2,5% 1.271.624 4,8% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 136.826 138.207 1,0% 148.010 7,1% 

East-Styria 176.786 177.287 0,3% 180.032 1,5% 


region 

411.136 460.842 12,1% 539.975 17,2% 

South-East Styria 91.268 89.575 -1,9% 90.343 0,9% 

Upper Styria East 175.701 164.839 -6,2% 147.999 -10,2% 

Upper Styria West 109.351 103.035 -5,8% 89.817 -12,8% 

Liezen 82.235 79.470 -3,4% 75.448 -5,1% 

Districts 

Graz-City 226.244 265.318 17,3% 304.683 14,8% 

Bruck an der Mur 64.991 62.155 -4,4% 58.828 -5,4% 


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Deutschlandsberg 61.498 60.762 -1,2% 62.108 2,2% 

Feldbach 67.200 66.828 -0,6% 68.375 2,3% 

Fürstenfeld 23.001 22.765 -1,0% 24.046 5,6% 

Graz-Umgebung 131.304 143.456 9,3% 183.345 27,8% 

Hartberg 67.778 66.617 -1,7% 64.985 -2,4% 

Leibnitz 75.328 77.445 2,8% 85.902 10,9% 

Leoben 67.767 62.728 -7,4% 54.899 -12,5% 

Liezen 82.235 79.470 -3,4% 75.448 -5,1% 

Mürzzuschlag 42.943 39.956 -7,0% 34.272 -14,2% 

Murau 31.472 29.243 -7,1% 24.030 -17,8% 

Radkersburg 24.068 22.747 -5,5% 21.968 -3,4% 

Voitsberg 53.588 52.068 -2,8% 51.947 -0,2% 

Weiz 86.007 87.905 2,2% 91.001 3,5% 

Murtal 77.879 73.792 -5,2% 65.787 -10,8% 

1.3. Factors for population development 4 

The different factors of population development and the effects on the region can be analysed in 

detail with the example of the year 2011. 

Generally we can assert that in almost all districts and regions the natural population 

development with regard to birth rates is negative. Only in the districts Weiz and Graz there 

were more births than deaths in the year 2011, in Graz around 14% and in Weiz 17%. With 

regard to the regions, the birth rate is currently only positive in the region East-Styria. In 2011, 

there were 1450 births too few, which means 1,19 births for every 1000 inhabitants, to keep 

the number of inhabitants stable in Styria. 

Due to the negative birth rates, an immigration of foreigners is necessary to keep the 

population stable in Styria. Due to a positive migration balance by 0,33% in 2011, a population 

growth by 0,22% was possible. However, the migration balance varies strongly in all Styrian 

regions. 

While the Styrian central region shows a clearly positive migration balance of 0,96% and the 

regions South-West Styria with 0,15% and East-Styria with 0,09% show a slightly positive 

migration balance, other regions in Styria (South-East Styria, upper Styria East, upper Styria 

West and Liezen) show a negative migration balance. 


Page 8 / 53 


The detailed analysis indicates that the strong immigration in the Styrian central region is due 

to two factors. First, the central region is the main destination of the cross-border migration and 

therefore profits most from immigration. Second, it can be seen that a large number of people 

from the surrounding districts move to the center. This results in a negative migration balance 

in the suburbs and a positive migration balance in the central area. Both regions, South-West 

Styria and East-Styria, profit from immigration of foreigners as well as from people moving from 

different Styrian regions to these areas. 

Analysis of the population development 2011-2012 

Population 2012 


Development 2011 

to 2012 

Immigration of 

indigenous people 

of that 


foreigners of that 

Styria 1.213.255 1.210.614 0,22% 2,73% 1,13% 3,54% 0,32% 0,84% 0,96% -0,12% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 138.207 138.140 0,05% 2,30% 0,61% 2,76% 0,15% 0,82% 0,95% -0,13% 

East-Styria 177.287 177.053 0,13% 2,00% 0,67% 2,57% 0,09% 0,94% 0,91% 0,03% 

Styrian Central Region 460.842 456.335 0,99% 4,09% 1,66% 4,79% 0,96% 0,89% 0,89% 0,00% 

South-East Styria 89.575 89.957 -0,42% 1,85% 0,55% 2,74% -0,34% 0,85% 0,95% -0,10% 

Upper Styria East 164.839 165.811 -0,59% 2,15% 1,00% 3,24% -0,10% 0,69% 1,19% -0,49% 

Upper Styria West 103.035 103.504 -0,45% 1,45% 0,94% 2,55% -0,17% 0,78% 1,09% -0,31% 

Liezen 79.470 79.814 -0,43% 1,26% 1,12% 2,65% -0,27% 0,77% 0,94% -0,17% 

Districts 

Graz-City 265.318 261.540 1,44% 4,69% 2,35% 5,74% 1,30% 0,95% 0,83% 0,12% 

Bruck an der Mur 62.155 62.500 -0,55% 2,06% 1,05% 3,25% -0,14% 0,71% 1,17% -0,46% 

Deutschlandsberg 60.762 60.851 -0,15% 2,15% 0,47% 2,55% 0,07% 0,76% 1,01% -0,24% 

Feldbach 66.828 67.046 -0,33% 1,77% 0,54% 2,62% -0,31% 0,86% 0,89% -0,03% 

Fürstenfeld 22.765 22.797 -0,14% 3,18% 0,82% 3,93% 0,07% 0,79% 1,06% -0,28% 

Page 9 / 53 

This project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co -financed by the ERDF 

Emigration of that 

Migration balance 

Births of that 

Deaths of that 

Birth rates (births 

and deaths)



Development 

2011 to 2012 


indigenous 

people of that 


foreigners of that 

Graz-Umgebung 143.456 142.553 0,63% 3,86% 0,84% 4,03% 0,68% 0,83% 0,88% -0,05% 

Hartberg 66.617 66.730 -0,17% 1,67% 0,72% 2,55% -0,16% 0,89% 0,91% -0,02% 

Leibnitz 77.445 77.289 0,20% 2,42% 0,72% 2,92% 0,22% 0,86% 0,90% -0,04% 

Leoben 62.728 63.104 -0,60% 2,24% 0,90% 3,19% -0,05% 0,68% 1,17% -0,49% 

Liezen 79.470 79.814 -0,43% 1,26% 1,12% 2,65% -0,27% 0,77% 0,94% -0,17% 

Mürzzuschlag 39.956 40.207 -0,62% 2,13% 1,07% 3,30% -0,10% 0,68% 1,23% -0,55% 

Murau 29.243 29.426 -0,62% 1,38% 1,25% 3,05% -0,42% 0,79% 0,99% -0,21% 

Radkersburg 22.747 22.911 -0,72% 2,10% 0,57% 3,10% -0,44% 0,81% 1,10% -0,29% 

Voitsberg 52.068 52.242 -0,33% 1,70% 0,48% 2,11% 0,07% 0,77% 1,20% -0,43% 

Weiz 87.905 87.526 0,43% 1,94% 0,59% 2,24% 0,28% 1,02% 0,87% 0,15% 

Murtal 73.792 74.078 -0,39% 1,47% 0,82% 2,35% -0,07% 0,78% 1,14% -0,36% 

1.4. Development of the age group up to 19 5 

In international and historical comparison, the number of people up to 19 years in Styria has a 

very low share of only 19%. According to forecasts, this already rather low share will continue 

to decline to 16,7% by 2050. In absolute numbers, the number of children and young people of 

currently 232.182 will decline to 213.315. 

The highest share of children and young people in 2050 will be found in the Styrian central 

region with 17,48% of the total population. This will also be the only region where the number 

of children and young people will increase by around 9,2%. In all other regions, the number of 

children and young people will continually decline. The strongest decrease of the number of 

young people will be in upper East-Styria with 28%, the slightest decrease (except for the 

central region) will be in South-West Styria with 11,55%. 


Page 10 / 53 


Emigration of 

that 

Migration 

balance 

Births of that 

Deaths of that 

Birth rates (births 

and deaths)

Development age group 0-19 

Age group 0-19 

in 2012 

Share of the 

total 

population 

Age group 

under 19 in 

2050 

Share of the 

population 

Development 

in % 

Styria 232.182 19,14% 213.315 16,78% -8,13% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 27.564 19,94% 24.379 16,47% -11,55% 

East-Styria 36.488 20,58% 29.980 16,65% -17,84% 


region 

86.424 18,75% 94.379 17,48% 9,20% 

South-East Styria 17.834 19,91% 14.495 16,04% -18,72% 

Upper Styria East 28.193 17,10% 23.414 15,82% -16,95% 

Upper Styria West 19.900 19,31% 14.297 15,92% -28,16% 

Liezen 15.779 19,86% 12.371 16,40% -21,60% 

Districts 

Graz-City 47.382 17,86% 53.179 17,45% 12,23% 

Bruck an der Mur 10.997 17,69% 9.807 16,67% -10,82% 

Deutschlandsberg 11.958 19,68% 10.223 16,46% -14,51% 

Feldbach 13.585 20,33% 11.399 16,67% -16,09% 

Fürstenfeld 4.440 19,50% 4.283 17,81% -3,54% 

Graz- 

Neighbourhood 

29.636 20,66% 33.020 18,01% 11,42% 

Hartberg 13.627 20,46% 10.451 16,08% -23,31% 

Leibnitz 15.606 20,15% 14.156 16,48% -9,29% 

Leoben 10.225 16,30% 8.388 15,28% -17,97% 

Liezen 15.779 19,86% 12.371 16,40% -21,60% 

Mürzzuschlag 6.971 17,45% 5.219 15,23% -25,13% 

Murau 5.822 19,91% 3.740 15,56% -35,76% 

Radkersburg 4.249 18,68% 3.096 14,09% -27,14% 

Voitsberg 9.406 18,06% 8.180 15,75% -13,03% 

Weiz 18.421 20,96% 15.246 16,75% -17,24% 

Murtal 14.078 19,08% 10.557 16,05% -25,01% 

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1.5. Development of the age group 65+ 6 

Generally, the project YURA aims to develop a strategy for young people. The development of 

the age group of elderly people, however, will have an enormous impact on society and thus on 

the conditions of the development and chances of young people. For this reason, the 

development of retired people will be examined in more detail in the following section. 

In 2050, the share of people over 65 years will have increased from the – in historical and 

international comparison enormous number of 18,93% – to more than 30%. If one assumed 

that the current employment age remained the same, there would be already 75 people under 

employment age for every 100 people at employment age (in comparison to currently 47). The 

highest share of elderly people will be in the region Upper Styria West with 34,66% and in the 

region South-East Styria with 34,67%, but also in all other regions the share will be rather high 

with 32% and 33%. 

Only in the Styrian central region, the number of elderly people will be considerably low with 

around 27%. This means that the regions, in particular the districts outside of the Styrian 

central region, will have to cover considerably higher expenditures for elderly people and thus 

less budget will be available for other activities such as youth welfare activities. 

With regard to the districts in 2050, the greatest ageing of the population will be in the districts 

Radkersburg with 37%, in Murau and Mürzzuschlag with 35% each. The districts 

Deutschlandsberg and Leibnitz in the region South-West Styria will also have a rather high 

share of elderly people with 32% and 31%, respectively. 

Development age group 65+ 

Age group 65+ in 

2012 

Share of the total 

population 


2050 


population 

Styria 229.609 18,93% 387.131 30,44% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 24.372 17,63% 47.388 32,02% 

East-Styria 31.087 17,53% 59.234 32,90% 

Styrian central region 80.639 17,50% 145.619 26,97% 

South-East Styria 16.757 18,71% 31.318 34,67% 

Upper Styria East 38.890 23,59% 47.493 32,09% 

Upper Styria West 21.678 21,04% 31.130 34,66% 

Liezen 16.186 20,37% 24.949 33,07% 


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Districts 


2012 


population 

Age group 65+ 

in 2050 


population 

Graz-City 45.457 17,13% 73.939 24,27% 

Bruck an der Mur 14.072 22,64% 18.328 31,16% 

Deutschlandsberg 11.210 18,45% 20.353 32,77% 

Feldbach 12.086 18,09% 23.134 33,83% 

Fürstenfeld 4.325 19,00% 7.963 33,12% 

Graz-Umfeld 24.544 17,11% 54.311 29,62% 

Hartberg 11.530 17,31% 21.935 33,75% 

Leibnitz 13.162 17,00% 27.035 31,47% 

Leoben 15.346 24,46% 17.150 31,24% 

Liezen 16.186 20,37% 24.949 33,07% 

Mürzzuschlag 9.472 23,71% 12.015 35,06% 

Murau 5.809 19,86% 8.590 35,75% 

Radkersburg 4.671 20,53% 8.184 37,25% 

Voitsberg 10.638 20,43% 17.369 33,44% 

Weiz 15.232 17,33% 29.336 32,24% 

Murtal 15.869 21,51% 22.540 34,26% 

1.6. Educational level 7 

The educational level of a region is an essential indicator for the long-term economic 

development potential, since a positive development of existing companies and the creation and 

development of new enterprises strongly depend on the existing potential of qualified and 

professional workers. 

The most important indicator is the share of people who have only a compulsory school-leaving 

qualification as these people always have fewer chances in a highly qualified economy. 

Concerning this, the best situation can be found in the region Graz where only 14,87% of 

people at employment age have no further education. The worst situation is in South-East 

Styria, where there are 22,36% of the total population with no more than compulsory 

education. The South-West Styria is with a share of 19,65% in the lower third of the region 

Styria. 


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With regard to the share of high school and university graduates, which is very important for 

highly qualified professional fields in the future, the Styrian central region has the best record 

with a share of 37% of people with a Higher School certificate or a university degree. The 

region Upper Styria East ranks second with 21%, which is probably due to the university in 

Leoben. South-West Styria and East-Styria are second-last with each 18% and South-East 

Styria is last with 15%. 

Education level 2009 of people between 25-64 

Compulsory school 

(with/without 

graduation) 

Apprenticeship or 

vocational school 

Higher School 

Certificate 

(Matura) 

High School 

Styria 16,72% 57,56% 13,19% 12,53% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 19,65% 62,24% 10,58% 7,53% 

East-Styria 18,20% 63,76% 10,58% 7,46% 

Styrian central region 14,87% 47,50% 17,36% 20,27% 

South-East Styria 22,36% 62,32% 8,88% 6,44% 

Uper Styria East 16,23% 62,86% 12,19% 8,73% 

Upper Styria West 15,66% 65,99% 10,21% 8,15% 

Liezen 14,85% 66,49% 10,36% 8,29% 

Districts 

Graz-City 15,82% 37,00% 19,97% 27,21% 

Bruck an der Mur 16,12% 62,25% 12,71% 8,93% 

Deutschlandsberg 18,07% 62,50% 11,09% 8,33% 

Feldbach 23,51% 61,55% 8,85% 6,09% 

Fürstenfeld 19,50% 60,28% 11,25% 8,97% 

Graz-Umgebung 12,47% 60,23% 14,69% 12,61% 

Hartberg 19,54% 64,46% 9,52% 6,48% 

Leibnitz 20,89% 62,03% 10,18% 6,90% 

Leoben 16,59% 62,05% 12,06% 9,31% 

Liezen 14,85% 66,49% 10,36% 8,29% 

Mürzzuschlag 15,83% 65,11% 11,55% 7,50% 

Murau 14,66% 67,23% 9,66% 8,45% 

Radkersburg 19,00% 64,57% 8,98% 7,46% 

Voitsberg 16,75% 64,14% 11,88% 7,23% 

Weiz 16,82% 64,14% 11,22% 7,82% 

Murtal 16,05% 65,49% 10,42% 8,03% 

Page 14 / 53 


1.7. Education enrolment 8 

The education enrolment indicates the number of people aged 15 to 29 who are currently 

attending a secondary school or high school after the compulsory school. Generally, in Austria, 

the education enrolment is considerably lower than in many comparable European countries. 

There are two reasons for this. First, due to the dual teaching system, apprentices in Austria are 

already regarded as part of the working population while in other countries such training 

programmes are still part of the schooling system. Second, the number of people graduating 

from universities is considerably lower, because the education level of Austrian secondary 

academic schools is compared to other countries exceptionally high, which is why a further 

education at a university of applied sciences is often considered redundant. 

In Styria, there are 24 young people out of 100 at the age between 15 to 29 who are attending 

a school or a high school, the remaining are employed (or unemployed or involved elsewhere). 

Here it becomes apparent that the education enrolment in Styria is lowest in the regions South- 

West Styria and South-East Styria with 18 students/pupils for every 100 young people at the 

age between 15 to 19 years. Generally, it is obvious that the education enrolment is especially 

low in rural areas, which is due to their great distance to schools, high schools and universities 

compared to urban regions. The education enrolment is automatically higher in university cities 

as students are usually registered as permanent residents in that city during their years of 

study. 

Education enrolment 2009 

Number of people 

aged between 15-29 

Number of pupils and 

students 

Share of education 

Styria 224601 53411 0,24 

Regions 

South-West Styria 25186 4558 0,18 

East-Styria 33660 6315 0,19 

Styrian central region 89863 26757 0,30 

South-East Styria 16451 2946 0,18 

Upper Styria East 27415 6292 0,23 

Upper Styria West 17949 3672 0,20 

Liezen 14079 2871 0,20 

Districts 

Graz-City 55825 19165 0,34 

Bruck an der Mur 10400 2142 0,21 

Deutschlandsberg 10814 2116 0,20 


Page 15 / 53 


Number of people 

aged between 15-29 

Number of pupils and 

students 

Share of education 

Feldbach 12496 2199 0,18 

Fürstenfeld 4029 851 0,21 

Graz-Umgebung 25080 5804 0,23 

Hartberg 12971 2379 0,18 

Leibnitz 14372 2442 0,17 

Leoben 10359 2673 0,26 

Liezen 14079 2871 0,20 

Mürzzuschlag 6657 1477 0,22 

Murau 5466 1180 0,22 

Radkersburg 3955 747 0,19 

Voitsberg 8958 1788 0,20 

Weiz 16660 3085 0,19 

Murtal 12484 2492 0,20 

1.8. Employment Statistics 9 

According to a last survey in 2009, a total of 47,51% of the population in Styria is employed; 

the highest number of employed people can be found in East-Styria with 51,74%. South-West 

Styria is placed in the Styrian upper middle range with 49,5%. Upper Styria East has the 

lowest labor force participation with only 43,33%, which can be explained by the high share of 

27,22% retired people. 

The number of unemployed people, which is 2,95% of the total population, is also relatively low 

in international comparison, however, this number does not indicate the rate of unemployment 

(see below). 

Concerning the region South-West Styria, there is only a slight difference between the districts 

Deutschlandsberg and Leibnitz, which is a great advantage for the cooperation in the framework 

of the common region. 


Page 16 / 53 


Residential 

population 

Employment Statistics 2009 

Under 15 Pupils and 

Students 

Employed Unemployed Household Pension 

and other 

Styria 1207414 13,93% 4,42% 47,51% 2,95% 8,81% 22,37% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 138050 14,49% 3,30% 49,50% 3,16% 8,33% 21,21% 

East-Styria 177048 14,88% 3,57% 51,74% 2,06% 7,49% 20,26% 

Styrian central region 450453 13,77% 5,94% 46,56% 3,27% 9,04% 21,43% 

South-East Styria 90266 14,55% 3,26% 51,05% 2,19% 7,30% 21,64% 

Upper Styria East 167133 12,24% 3,76% 43,33% 3,37% 10,08% 27,22% 

Upper Styria West 104238 13,95% 3,52% 45,83% 2,99% 9,74% 23,97% 

Liezen 80226 14,55% 3,58% 47,04% 2,74% 9,10% 22,99% 

Districts 

Graz-City 256319 13,13% 7,48% 44,33% 3,80% 9,94% 21,32% 

Bruck an der Mur 62858 12,78% 3,41% 44,05% 3,70% 9,86% 26,19% 

Deutschlandsberg 60976 14,28% 3,47% 49,00% 2,96% 8,21% 22,07% 

Feldbach 67218 14,92% 3,27% 51,42% 2,20% 7,36% 20,82% 

Fürstenfeld 22916 14,47% 3,71% 49,66% 2,63% 6,64% 22,89% 

Graz-Neighbourhood 141634 15,14% 4,10% 50,61% 2,31% 7,36% 20,49% 

Hartberg 66969 14,82% 3,55% 51,72% 2,21% 7,56% 20,14% 

Leibnitz 77074 14,65% 3,17% 49,90% 3,32% 8,43% 20,54% 

Leoben 63662 11,62% 4,20% 42,28% 3,34% 10,24% 28,33% 

Liezen 80226 14,55% 3,58% 47,04% 2,74% 9,10% 22,99% 

Mürzzuschlag 40613 12,37% 3,64% 43,86% 2,91% 10,15% 27,08% 

Murau 29718 14,32% 3,97% 48,23% 2,57% 9,08% 21,83% 

Radkersburg 23048 13,50% 3,24% 49,98% 2,15% 7,10% 24,03% 

Voitsberg 52500 13,17% 3,41% 46,50% 3,26% 9,17% 24,49% 

Weiz 87163 15,04% 3,54% 52,31% 1,81% 7,65% 19,66% 

Murtal 74520 13,81% 3,34% 44,87% 3,15% 10,00% 24,83% 

Page 17 / 53 


1.9. Unemployment rate 10 

According to European standard, in 2011 the annual average unemployment rate in Styria was 

around 3,3% which is, compared to European regions, at the front positions. However, the 

unemployment rate in the regions is only calculated according to Austrian methods, which in 

2011 determined a value of 6,4%. The results presented in the following are therefore not 

suitable for international comparisons as they would be much lower according to international 

standards. 

The lowest unemployment rate in 2011 was determined in East-Styria with 5,1%, the region 

South-West Styria with 6,4% was exactly Styrian average. The highest unemployment rate with 

6,8% was determined in the Styrian central region. The highest long-term unemployment rate 

was finally found in upper Styria East with 0,14%. Overall, the long-term unemployment rate 

with 0,11% in Styria is comparatively low. 

In South-West Styria it is striking that in 2011 the district Leibniz (together with the district 

Bruck) had the highest unemployment rate of Styria with 7,2%, while the district 

Deutschlandsberg only had an unemployment rate of 5,6%. Styrian top-rated districts are Weiz 

with 4,0% and Fürstenfeld with 5,2% unemployment rate. 

Unemployment 

rate in 2011 

according to EUmethod 

Unemployment 2011 

Unemployment 

rate in 2011 

according to 

AUT method 

Number of 

unemployment 

people 

Women Men Long-term 

unemploymen 

t rate (longer 

than 1 year) 

Styria 3,3% 6,4% 32.414 6,1% 6,6% 0,11% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 6,4% 4.065 6,2% 6,7% 0,10% 

The EU-unemployment rates are not 

calculated for the regions. 

East-Styria 5,1% 3.843 4,8% 5,4% 0,10% 


region 

6,8% 13.481 6,3% 7,4% 0,13% 

South-East Styria 6,2% 2.230 5,3% 6,9% 0,07% 

Upper Styria East 6,4% 4.294 6,8% 6,1% 0,14% 

Upper Styria West 6,1% 2.571 6,0% 6,1% 0,08% 

Liezen 6,1% 1.934 6,7% 5,5% 0,10% 

10 Source AMS Österreich und own calculations 

Page 18 / 53 


Districts 

Unemployment 

rate in 2011 

according to EUmethod 

Unemployment 

rate in 2011 

according to 

AUT method 

Number of 

unemployment 

people 

Women Men Long-term 

unemploymen 

t rate (longer 

than 1 year) 

Graz City and 

Umgebung 

7,0% 12.042 6,2% 7,8% 0,14% 

Bruck a.d. Mur 7,2% 1.795 7,3% 7,0% 0,10% 

Deutschlandsberg 5,6% 1.466 5,1% 6,1% 0,08% 

Feldbach 6,3% 1.646 5,4% 7,0% 0,06% 

Fürstenfeld 5,2% 572 4,4% 6,0% 0,13% 

GU see Graz 

Hartberg 6,0% 1.753 6,3% 5,9% 0,14% 

Leibnitz 7,2% 2.599 7,2% 7,2% 0,12% 

Leoben 6,6% 1.639 6,9% 6,3% 0,17% 

Liezen 6,1% 1.934 6,7% 5,5% 0,10% 

Mürzzuschlag 5,5% 860 6,2% 4,9% 0,17% 

Murau 5,7% 673 5,1% 6,2% 0,03% 

Radkersburg 6,0% 584 5,2% 6,7% 0,09% 

Voitsberg 6,6% 1.439 6,3% 6,9% 0,06% 

Weiz 4,0% 1.518 3,7% 4,2% 0,06% 

Murtal 6,4% 1.898 7,0% 5,9% 0,10% 

Page 19 / 53 


1.10. Youth unemployment 2011 11 

In 2011, the number of unemployed young people at the age between 15 and 25 was around 

6,6% in Styria. This means that out 1000 young people 66 were unemployed, the remaining 

were employed or in education process. Youth unemployment rates according to European and 

Austrian methods are not calculated for the regions; they would be much higher than the share 

of all young people indicated below. 

Here, there are great regional differences relevant mainly for the region South-West Styria. 

With 8,5%, the district Leibnitz has the highest share of unemployed young people of all young 

people, in Deutschlandsberg the rate of 6,4% is already much lower. The lowest share of 

unemployed young people was recorded in Weiz with only 4,8%. 

In absolute number presented, there are currently 641 out of 8.418 young people between 14 

and 25 in search for work in the region South-West Styria. 

Youth employment 2011 

Total number young 

people (15-25) 

Unemployed young 

people in 2011 

Share of unemployed young people 

of all young people. 

Styria 75.699 5.014 6,6% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 8.418 641 7,6% 

East-Styria 11.364 634 5,6% 

Styrian central region 30.196 1.915 6,3% 

South-East Styria 5.450 354 6,5% 

Upper Styria Ost 9.473 708 7,5% 

Upper Styria West 6.091 450 7,4% 

Liezen 4.707 313 6,6% 

Districts 

Graz City und Umgebung 27.254 1.678 6,2% 

Bruck a.d. Mur 3.493 293 8,4% 

Deutschlandsberg 3.659 235 6,4% 

Feldbach 4.105 275 6,7% 

Fürstenfeld 1.327 89 6,7% 

GU see Graz 

Hartberg 4.418 277 6,3% 


Page 20 / 53 


Total number of 

young people (15-25) 

Unemployed young 

people in 2011 

Share of unemployed young people 

of all young people. 

Leibnitz 4.759 406 8,5% 

Leoben 3.698 256 6,9% 

Liezen 4.707 313 6,6% 

Mürzzuschlag 2.282 159 7,0% 

Murau 1.786 105 5,9% 

Radkersburg 1.345 79 5,9% 

Voitsberg 2.942 237 8,1% 

Weiz 5.619 268 4,8% 

Murtal 4.305 345 8,0% 

1.11. Structure of employment 2009 by sectors 12 

In 2009, there was a total of 573.669 people employed or self-employed in Styria, in the region 

South-West Styria it was a total of 68.338 people. The number of employed people in the 

farming sector demonstrates that in South-West Styria there is still 9,2% of the population 

working in the agricultural sector. This is the fourth-highest number Styria-wide after the 

regions South-East Styria with 12,34%, East-Styria with 10,63% and upper Styria West with 

9,26%. The least agrarian area is the Styrian central region with only 2,95% and upper Styria 

East with 4,77%. 

In South-West Styria, the share of employed people in the production sector amounts to 

32,56%, which is relatively high compared on Styrian level. The employment within the services 

sector with 58,24% is relatively low compared to the Styrian average of 65,5%. The reasons for 

this low share in the services sector are a small offer of public institutions (administration, 

hospitals, universities etc.), a small number of technical and self-employed service providers 

and a small number of tourism companies. A more detailed analysis is possible in the following 

chapter through the detailed evaluation. 


Page 21 / 53 


Employed people in 

total 

Employment 2009 by sectors 

People employed in 

the agrarian sector 


the production 

sector 

People employed in the 

services sector 

Styria 573.669 6,75% 27,73% 65,53% 

Regions 

South-West Styria 68.338 9,20% 32,56% 58,24% 

East-Styria 91.612 10,63% 32,80% 56,57% 


region 

209.717 2,95% 20,38% 76,66% 

South-East Styria 46.083 12,34% 30,30% 57,36% 

Upper Styria East 72.414 4,77% 34,04% 61,19% 

Upper Styria West 47.770 9,26% 30,46% 60,29% 

Liezen 37.735 7,73% 28,79% 63,48% 

Districts Employed people in 

total 


the agrarian sector 


the production 

sector 

People employed in the 

services sector 

Graz-City 113.628 0,59% 15,37% 84,04% 

Bruck an der Mur 27.689 4,41% 32,97% 62,62% 

Deutschlandsberg 29.881 9,26% 32,01% 58,73% 

Feldbach 34.563 11,90% 32,22% 55,88% 

Fürstenfeld 11.381 8,30% 28,59% 63,11% 

Graz- 

Neighbourhood 

71.676 5,25% 25,35% 69,40% 

Hartberg 34.638 11,81% 32,38% 55,81% 

Leibnitz 38.457 9,16% 32,98% 57,86% 

Leoben 26.914 3,97% 32,70% 63,33% 

Liezen 37.735 7,73% 28,79% 63,48% 

Mürzzuschlag 17.811 6,56% 37,71% 55,73% 

Murau 14.334 13,76% 28,55% 57,69% 

Radkersburg 11.520 13,67% 24,55% 61,78% 

Voitsberg 24.413 7,20% 29,13% 63,67% 

Weiz 45.593 10,31% 34,17% 55,52% 

Murtal 33.436 7,32% 31,27% 61,40% 

Page 22 / 53 


1.12. Employment by industry groups 13 

The employment statistics by industry groups clearly demonstrates the different industry groups 

in which Styrian people are employed and where the economical focus points of the single 

regions and districts are. 

The great majority of a total of 573.669 employed people in Styria in 2009, namely 17,5%, are 

involved in the manufacture of goods, 14,8% are involved in trade, 12,9% in technical and 

economical services (groups K to N), 8,7% in construction business, 8% in the health and social 

sector, 7,8% in public institutions, 6,7% in the agricultural field, 6,7% in teaching, 5,5% in 

tourism and hospitality industry and 4,4% are involved in traffic. The remaining 7% are 

engaged in mining, energy, water, communication, art and other services. 

South-West Styria can be characterized by a high share of 9,2% especially in the field of 

agriculture and forestry, compared to the country average of 6,7%, and a high share of 13,2% 

in the field of construction compared to the country average of 8,7%. 

A rather low share in South-West Styria can be found in economical and technical services with 

only 10,8% (groups K to N), compared to the country average of 12,9%, and in public 

administration with only 5,1% compared to the country average of 7,8%. 


Page 23 / 53 


Total number of employed 

people 

A Agriculture and Forestry 

B Mining 

Employmend 2009 by industry groups 

C Manufacture of goods 


D Energy supply 

E Water supply und waste 

management 

F Construction 

G Trade 

Styria 573669 6,7% 0,2% 17,5% 0,6% 0,6% 8,7% 14,8% 4,4% 5,5% 1,5% 2,6% 1,0% 5,0% 4,3% 7,8% 6,7% 8,0% 1,0% 2,9% 

South-West Styria 68338 9,2% 0,2% 18,3% 0,5% 0,5% 13,2% 16,8% 4,4% 4,8% 1,2% 2,5% 0,8% 3,9% 3,6% 5,1% 5,0% 7,0% 0,7% 2,5% 

East-Styria 91612 10,6% 0,3% 20,3% 0,4% 0,6% 11,2% 14,5% 3,3% 5,4% 1,0% 2,2% 0,6% 3,6% 3,7% 4,8% 7,2% 6,7% 0,7% 2,8% 

Styrian central region 209717 3,0% 0,1% 13,3% 0,6% 0,9% 5,4% 14,7% 4,4% 5,2% 2,4% 3,1% 1,5% 7,5% 5,3% 10,4% 8,5% 8,9% 1,6% 3,3% 

South-East Styria 46083 12,3% 0,3% 15,2% 0,4% 0,7% 13,7% 16,3% 4,3% 5,7% 0,8% 2,4% 0,6% 3,4% 3,3% 6,3% 3,5% 7,6% 0,6% 2,7% 

Upper Styria East 72414 4,8% 0,6% 24,6% 1,0% 0,6% 7,2% 14,3% 5,1% 5,5% 0,9% 2,3% 1,0% 3,9% 3,9% 6,9% 6,3% 7,9% 0,7% 2,5% 

Upper Styria West 47770 9,3% 0,3% 20,7% 0,7% 0,3% 8,5% 13,7% 5,1% 5,4% 0,6% 2,3% 0,7% 2,6% 3,6% 8,8% 5,8% 7,9% 0,8% 2,8% 

Liezen 37735 7,7% 0,4% 18,4% 0,7% 0,4% 9,0% 13,6% 6,0% 8,4% 0,7% 2,6% 1,3% 3,2% 4,1% 7,9% 3,8% 7,9% 1,0% 3,0% 

H Traffic 

I Hospitality industry 

J Information and 

Communication 

K Finance and insurance services 

L Renting and real estate 

M Self-employed and technical 

services 

N Other economic services 

O Public administration 

P Upbringing and education 

Q Health and social services 

R Art, entertainment and 

recreation 

S Other services

Total number of 

employed 

people 

A Agriculture 

and Forestry 

B Mining 

C Manufacture 

of goods 

Employment 2009 by industry groups 


D Energy supply 

E Water supply 

und waste 

F management 

Construction 

G Trade 

H Traffic 

I Hospitality 

industry 

J Information 

and 

K Communication 

Finance and 

insurance 

L services Renting and 

real estate 

M Selfemployed 

and 

N technical Other 

economic services 

O services Public 

administration 

Graz-City 113628 0,6% 0,0% 10,0% 0,5% 0,4% 4,5% 13,1% 4,1% 5,8% 3,0% 3,1% 1,9% 9,4% 6,1% 10,6% 11,5% 9,5% 2,1% 3,7% 

Bruck an der Mur 27689 4,4% 0,7% 25,0% 1,2% 0,4% 5,6% 14,7% 4,7% 6,0% 1,0% 2,2% 1,1% 3,6% 4,0% 4,7% 7,9% 9,4% 0,6% 2,5% 

Deutschlandsberg 29881 9,3% 0,3% 20,8% 0,5% 0,3% 10,1% 15,2% 4,0% 4,6% 1,1% 2,4% 0,8% 3,9% 3,7% 5,1% 7,2% 7,6% 0,7% 2,5% 

Feldbach 34563 11,9% 0,2% 16,2% 0,5% 0,6% 14,7% 16,9% 4,2% 5,3% 0,9% 2,3% 0,6% 3,4% 3,6% 4,9% 3,4% 7,2% 0,7% 2,6% 

Fürstenfeld 11381 8,3% 0,1% 18,2% 0,6% 0,3% 9,4% 13,7% 3,1% 7,2% 0,8% 2,7% 0,6% 3,5% 3,9% 4,9% 8,9% 9,1% 1,0% 3,7% 

Graz-Neighbourhood 71676 5,3% 0,1% 16,7% 0,7% 1,7% 6,0% 16,7% 4,8% 4,1% 1,8% 3,1% 1,0% 5,8% 4,4% 10,5% 5,3% 8,1% 1,0% 2,8% 

Hartberg 34638 11,8% 0,4% 17,2% 0,3% 0,7% 13,8% 15,4% 3,6% 6,0% 1,0% 2,1% 0,5% 3,3% 2,8% 5,9% 5,8% 5,6% 0,7% 3,1% 

Leibnitz 38457 9,2% 0,1% 16,3% 0,5% 0,6% 15,5% 18,1% 4,7% 5,0% 1,2% 2,6% 0,8% 3,9% 3,5% 5,0% 3,3% 6,6% 0,7% 2,5% 

Leoben 26914 4,0% 0,8% 22,0% 0,6% 1,0% 8,4% 14,3% 5,1% 5,0% 1,1% 2,2% 1,1% 4,5% 4,6% 8,7% 6,2% 7,2% 1,0% 2,5% 

Liezen 37735 7,7% 0,4% 18,4% 0,7% 0,4% 9,0% 13,6% 6,0% 8,4% 0,7% 2,6% 1,3% 3,2% 4,1% 7,9% 3,8% 7,9% 1,0% 3,0% 

Mürzzuschlag 17811 6,6% 0,0% 27,8% 1,4% 0,4% 8,1% 13,5% 5,7% 5,3% 0,7% 2,4% 0,8% 3,5% 2,9% 7,4% 3,7% 6,8% 0,5% 2,6% 

Murau 14334 13,8% 0,0% 13,6% 0,9% 0,3% 13,8% 12,1% 4,6% 6,2% 0,5% 2,3% 0,4% 2,3% 2,5% 9,2% 5,9% 8,3% 0,6% 3,0% 

Radkersburg 11520 13,7% 0,6% 12,3% 0,2% 0,8% 10,7% 14,5% 4,6% 7,0% 0,7% 2,7% 0,4% 3,4% 2,5% 10,2% 3,8% 8,6% 0,5% 3,0% 

Voitsberg 24413 7,2% 0,4% 19,1% 1,1% 0,8% 7,9% 16,2% 4,0% 5,2% 1,5% 2,8% 0,8% 4,0% 4,1% 9,4% 4,0% 8,5% 0,6% 2,7% 

Weiz 45593 10,3% 0,3% 23,1% 0,5% 0,6% 9,8% 14,0% 3,1% 4,4% 1,0% 2,1% 0,7% 3,9% 4,4% 4,0% 7,8% 7,0% 0,6% 2,3% 

Murtal 33436 7,3% 0,4% 23,7% 0,7% 0,3% 6,3% 14,4% 5,3% 5,0% 0,7% 2,3% 0,8% 2,8% 4,1% 8,6% 5,8% 7,8% 0,9% 2,7% 

P Upbringing 

and education 

Q Health and 

social services 

Page 25 / 53 

R Art, 

entertainment 

S and Other recreation services

2. General aims of the regional strategy 

The general aims of the regional strategy basically correspond with the vision of the province of 

Styria 2020, where in 2011 a youth strategy was developed together with departments and 

experts. There are some regional focus areas, which are additionally required to achieve these 

aims. Therefore, the vision and strategy of the province of Styria is presented in this section 

(General aim). In the second part (Priorities), concrete practical aspects of implementation are 

worked out and regional focus areas are deduced. 

2.1. Strategy of Styria: Strategic orientation of children and youth work in 2020 

Children and young people have to face an increasing pressure concerning their education and 

the constant competition for career-opportunities. They are expected to be self-confident, 

flexible and adaptable for any sort of situation. Besides the parents’ educational work and 

education in schools, youth work seeks to be a third, additional component in order to provide 

young people with all social and pedagogical support they need to successfully face the 

challenges of their lives. 

Extracurricular education as provided in Styria, has a long tradition and is meant to offer a 

diverse range of activities, provided by a broad spectrum of professional institutions. 

According to the following vision we have come up with a strategic orientation of child and 

youth work in 2020: Children and young people should be able to face current and future 

challenges self-responsibly and, according to their age, self-determinedly. They should be 

provided with ideal surrounding conditions to be able to develop their own personality according 

to their individual interests and notions. Children and young people should be regarded as 

independent individuals with all their diversities. Their individual needs should be taken into 

account as well as their regional circumstances. Children and youth work is struggling every day 

to make this vision come true. 

The official youth work in Styria will focus on the following six thematic areas: 

Life-worlds: children and young people in Styria should be provided with experimental spaces, 

which are designed according to their needs and offer them the opportunity to develop freely. 

They are regarded as equal partners to adults concerning the shaping of these areas and they 

are offered the opportunity to participate in social developments. 

Information on how to include children and young people in this development are being passed 

on to multipliers and decision-makers. This will create a basis for the participation of children 

and young people in the social developments surrounding them. 

Within the different regions of Styria there are youth-managers who will pass on the specific needs of children 

and young people within their area to the local decision-makers. They also connect the regions to the Styrian 

youth-management and the specific services available. 

Page 26 / 53 


Youth-information and counselling: all children and young people have sufficient access to 

information. They know how to deal with this information and they can evaluate it. By this they 

are able to make self-responsible and self-determined decisions that fit their own goals and 

interests. 

Children and young people are being questioned about their favourite form of information 

(internet, flyers,...) and the information offered is being adapted to their ideas. Furthermore, a 

process will be started, that enables us to adapt to changing needs. 

A specific focus will be placed on offers for children and young people with special needs. This 

mainly targets special situations such as mobility language and media-access are concerned. 

Protection of minors and prevention: children and young people can evaluate risks and dangers 

self-responsibly. They know about the effects of their decisions. Prevention-activities will 

strengthen children and young people in their dealing with risks and dangers. 

Adults, parents and decision-makers in economy, education and society are aware of their 

responsibility. They are well informed and able to cope with children and young people’s urge to 

take risks. 

Youth-culture and creative expression: children and young people should be strengthened in living 

and communicating their specific cultures. Non-formal education should motivate them to 

express their interests and needs in their contact to the social environment. 

Special impulses should be given in regions where there are not yet any offers for children and 

young people to express their culture. This should help to reach new areas and target-groups. 

Socio-political education and participation: the given offers in the area of socio-political education 

and participation help young people to develop their judgment-skills and the competence to 

self-determined political opinions. They participate in political processes in a self-responsible 

and active way. Sustainable offers for participation should be installed in regions and 

communities (e.g.: manifestation in the mission-statement, seats in committees). 

Educational and vocational orientation: children and young people discover their vocation and are 

able to turn it into a profession. They are being supported according to their potentials and 

talents and can access high quality offers of vocational and educational orientation. 

Offers of vocational and educational orientation will be presented online in a way that is easily 

accessible und understandable for children and young people. 

Communicators working in the open youth work will be qualified to help with vocational and 

educational orientation or to provide contact to specific offers concerning these topics. 

The aim is to provide activities in all regions of Styria, which concentrate on all of those six 

thematic areas. So it is this set of clearly formulated priorities that should guide the Styrian 

youth work. Especially in times, where we have to face financial difficulties it is important to 

give clear directions in order to make efficient youth work possible. 

Finally it is of vital importance to keep children and youth work as dynamic and permanently 

adapting to new situations, as it has been in the past years. Only the willingness to stay flexible 

and to openly face every new development in young people’s cultures and problems make the 

realization of our vision for 2020 possible. 

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Cross-sectoral aims and activities 

Working with children and young people is cross-sectorally based on common grounds. It is 

paid attention to a balance of the reached target groups and to a regional availability of offers. 

The quality of the offers are continually improved and developed further. The content of the 

offers are supplemented by cooperation and networking. 

Principles and Contents 

The living situations and interests of children and young people are diversified and in constant 

change. This poses a major challenge to youth and children work. A good cooperation and the 

willingness to explore new paths are essential preconditions for the development of current and 

adequate offers. 

- New ideas for an interdisciplinary cooperation in children and youth work are promoted 

- The province of Styria deals with international trends and developments and provides 

access to this knowledge. It provides information from other federal states and nations 

to support the development of new ideas 

- Actions and projects are based on the latest developments and utilise synergy effects. 

Forms of access of the work with children and youth in the province of Styria 

There are different forms of access to reach children and young people. For example: 

- Open youth work: children and young people are assisted and guided in youth centres, 

youth clubs/cafés and also in public spaces. Children and young people are provided with 

opportunities and offers, which are mainly focused on social developments. The cooperation of 

the groups is in constant change as well as is the intensity of the offers. 

- Youth work in organizations: this is the oldest form of youth and children work in Austria. 

In unions and organizations with clearly defined values and ideologies, young people and 

children are assisted in „becoming adults“. This form of youth work guarantees a higher level of 

regularity of the offers and homogeneity of the groups. 

- Social work in schools: here the access to children and young people is made possible 

through schools. This form of work deals with social issues, which cannot be coped with in class 

and which are often the reason for the high number of poor students. This offer should also 

support teachers. However, the issues do in no way differ from those of the open youth work or 

the organizational youth work. 

- Social Media: young people use social media to inform themselves about their social 

environment, but also to orient themselves concerning political and civil-social questions, to 

establish and involve themselves as well as to encourage others to participate. Thus, working 

with children and young people has the function to provide, to instruct and guide a place for 

self-defined exchanges of young people. 

These forms of access display a great number of interfaces of content and synergies. The 

province of Styria aims to use these synergies in order to contribute to an efficient and effective 

agreement of the offers in Styria. 

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Target groups 

The offers of youth and children work support the individual developments taking into account 

the diversity „in all facets“. According to the principles and aims of the „Charta des 

Zusammenlebens in Vielfalt in der Steiermark“ entry barriers are to be removed and children 

and young people should be given the possibilities to participate in social life independent of 

their education level, their origin or their family background. Children and young people often 

share the same interests, however, in many respects, they have also different requirements, 

which are determined by age, sex, family background, regional conditions as well as their 

individual, specific talents and interests. 

Basically, children and youth work should address all children and young people who these 

offers are relevant for. The diversity of the reached target groups should be an approximate 

representation of the actual social diversity in Styria. 

Regionality 

In the next few years, the province of Styria will support projects, which contribute to 

providing an approximate representation of the actual diversity in Styria for the reached 

target groups. One important aim will be to improve fairness and to include groups that 

have so far been underrepresented 

A particular concern is to support institutions and projects, which set out to equally 

reach all different target groups. 

The province of Styria supports institutions and projects, which address the problem of 

social exclusion and remove entry barriers by specific measures and thus encourage and 

promote the autonomous participation of deprived target groups in social life. 

The focus on the particular target group only makes sense if this is the basis for the 

participation of the target group in a pluralistic, diverse life in the first place. 

The province of Styria is a federal state with special regional features. Consequently, the youth 

and children’s interests vary by region. Additionally, the infrastructural and cooperative 

preconditions vary. 

The offers of children and youth work should be available all over Styria. The offers vary 

by region. It is a major concern of the province of Styria to provide a balanced regional 

offer for all children and young people in Styria. 

To guarantee this balance, the regional networking is promoted on site by local youth 

managers. They should function as central interfaces for children and youth work in the 

region and, in agreement with the regional management, undertake tasks, which might 

comprise the following fields: coordination of regional offers, strategic cooperation with 

political assemblies, lobbying at regional multipliers, recovery of regional needs of 

children and young people as well as the working out of development concepts with 

institutions, children and young people on site. 

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Quality and Criteria for eligibility 

The province of Styria cooperates with people engaged in youth and children work for the 

operational implementation of the fields of action and their direction of effectiveness. The 

province of Styria promotes educational and advanced training of people working with children 

and young people by establishing a training course for youth and social work. It ensures the 

comparability of trainings at a higher education level of persons who work with children and 

young people to guarantee the quality of children and youth work and to provide youth and 

children workers with versatile development opportunities. 

The province of Styria promotes institutions and projects. The current criteria for eligibility 

provide a clear framework with regard to the necessary strategic orientation and quality of the 

work with children and young people. 

People who work with children and young people have the following qualifications: 

Basic pedagogical education (for example university study, college...), additional issuespecific 

certificated trainings 

Experience in using and applying the methods 

Institutions and projects are characterised by: 

Good functional concepts and variety of methods. They refer to existing offers of 

the respective field of action. 

Inclusion of target groups in the process of development and evaluation as part 

of quality control processes 

Obligation to self-evaluation with regard to measuring the effectiveness 

The application of the offers is designed in a way that the selected media, regional 

structures and accesses enable the participation of the intended target groups 

(see also diversity of the target groups) 

All arrangements and activities, in any case, meet the principles of children and youth 

work in Styria (see also the section basic principles) 

Adherence to the law for the protection of youth in Styria 

The province of Styria particularly supports the development of 

cooperative and interdisciplinary ideas which promote innovation as well as 

networking 

projects which have the potential to show structural changes 

Youth and children work requires a profound planning basis in order to set the right priorities 

in the province of Styria. Accounts of promotion (projects and basic promotion) provide a quick 

overview of statistical data and qualitative characteristics of institutions and projects. 

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The province of Styria ensures that the reporting and promotion system contains 

relevant statistical data and valuable practical information with regard to the direction 

and, above all, the measurement of effectiveness. 

Cooperation and networking 

Children and youth work needs adults as well: children and young people are supposed to 

participate actively in creating their lifeworlds. This presupposes that adults provide their 

children and young people with the opportunities to participate in creating processes. 

The province of Styria contributes to sensitization, attempts to bring about an understanding 

and establishes processes that give young people and children the possibility for participation. 

Specifically this means: 

The province of Styria supports cooperation and networking of youth and children work – 

within the province of Styria as well as with other federal states. 

Youth and children work is interface work – it overlaps with other family- and socio-politically 

relevant fields of politics. It is actively involved in villages and communities as well as intermunicipally 

and in schools. The province of Styria endeavours to establish cooperation on a 

partnership basis for youth and children work. It is actively advocating a continual exchange 

and the cooperation of policy and administration with the following aims: 

Agreement of activities, promotions, quality standards 

Development of common standards of the education of youth, health and social workers 

The main principles of children and youth work 

All institutions involved in working with children and young people are obliged to observe the 

following main principles: 

Meeting on equal terms: adults give children and young people the feeling of selfesteem 

and respect 

Voluntariness: children and young people decide on their own whether to use an offer 

or not 

Openness and low-threshold: all people who show interest are allowed to participate 

Low competitive pressure and dispensation with performance assessment in 

the conventional sense: the offers assist integral development of children and young 

people. They obtain feedback and suggestions for self-reflection. 

Orientation of resources: the focus is on discovery and development of own talents 

Qualification for independent acting and thinking: young people are encouraged in 

their reflective faculty and in making and realizing their own decisions independently 

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Self-responsibility: the possibility, ability and willingness to take the responsibility for 

the own actions and to bear their consequences 

Co-determination and active participation: the offers are designed and created 

together with children and young people 

Interconnection of acting and learning: young people learn by independently testing 

and operating in their environment as well as by instructed reflections on these activities 

and the resulting experiences. 

Orientation in the living environment: young people are considered individuals 

within the complex interaction of aspects of their life world; the offers therefore include 

the lifeworlds 

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2.2. Basis of the regional strategy 

The following paragraphs will briefly explain the foundation, which the regional strategy of 

South-West Styria is based on. This strategy is framed by the Youth Strategy 2020 of the 

province of Styria, by current research reports, literature and strategy papers of the European 

Union and regional politics. 

The principles of the Gender Mainstreaming, the diversity and the inclusion should be taken 

account of on all levels. The equality of women and men is part of the common values the 

European Union (EU) is based on (Art. 2 EUV). The promotion of equality of women and men 

belongs to the European Union’s list of tasks (Art. 3 Par. 3 EUV) as well as the duty to abolish 

inequality in all EU activities and the promotion of equality of women and men (Art. 8 VAEU). 

Regarding diversity, the Charta of Coexistence, which was created by the province of Styria, 

becomes important. There it is stated that the aspect “social diversity” is taken into 

consideration for all plannings referring to coexistence since equality of opportunity can only 

exist where there is barrier-free access to public and publicly financed services and offers. 

Discriminations due to sex, skin colour, religion, national and social origin, sexual orientation, 

age, disability etc. is to be tackled in a resolute way as discrimination causes considerable 

material and immaterial damage and represents serious obstacles of social coexistence. The 

principle of inclusion will be also considered in the planning of strategies. The principle of 

inclusion believes that every human being is a valuable part of society independent of origin, 

disability, sexual orientation and age. 

Moreover, the results of the pilot action “future laboratory South-West Styria” of a regional 

participation process were included in the regional strategy to sufficiently consider regional 

requirements. The results of the future laboratory show that the attachment to a region is a 

crucial factor for people in deciding to stay in the region or, after the completion of a study and 

the acquisition of experience outside the region, to come back to the region. 

The attachment to the region results from offers of the region and from active involvement of 

young people in the region. Young people who are engaged in associations and play an active 

part in the region generally feel more comfortable and better informed and involved than young 

people who are not part of an association. Furthermore, young people who are actively 

participating think that for them it is easier to find a job in the region than for those who are 

uninvolved. The attachment to the region is increased through jobs, education and advanced 

training opportunities as well as through leisure facilities and active participation. 

Above all, there are two issues, which seem to be especially significant regarding this aspect. 

This became apparent from the results of the questionnaires and the results of the focus groups 

of the future laboratory. 

Information and mobility also have a direct influence on all other fields of action and should 

therefore particularly be taken into consideration, especially with regard to life quality and the 

attachment to the region. Also, there has to be put a focus on the issue of gender as it is 

especially difficult for young women and girls in rural areas. This concerns several areas 

(participation in associations, leisure facilities, mobility, and education/profession) 

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In general, it can be said that a great number of young people already show high attachment to 

the region South-West Styria (particularly to the municipality) and enjoy living here. They 

speak especially positively about the beauty of the surroundings (nature, calmness, idyll, 

safety, pure air, mountains) and also the culture (wine restaurants, events) is regarded as 

positive. 

Most young people of South-West Styria think that the ideal region would a combination of 

urban and rural areas – all advantages of rural life combined with all advantages of urban life 

(trams, pubs, leisure facilities, diversity, education and job opportunities). A great number of 

young people would even accept to commute to be able to combine these things, mainly 

because they do not want to give up their social networks in the region (family, friends). 

The perfect region was described by young people of the focus groups in the following way: the 

perfect region has a good public transport system, offers a great variety of associations and 

organisations, offers enough leisure facilities affordable and adequate for young people, 

provides enough education and advanced training opportunities and reaches the information 

competence of young people. 

Information 

It can be seen from the pilot action “future laboratory South-West Styria” that the media and 

the methods that inform young people about the region often do not correspond with the 

channels young people use. However, valuable information is very important for young people 

to be informed about opportunities for mobility, possibilities of participation, job- and education 

opportunities, leisure facilities for young people and it also plays an important role when it 

comes to increasing the attachment to the region. (comp. YURA report) 

Many young people for instance criticize that they are not enough informed about the 

opportunities they have after graduating from school. In their opinion, neither schools nor other 

institutions provide enough and good information. They especially miss direct and easy access 

to information (compare Dax, 2002, p. 150) 

For this reason, it is important to work towards information competence. Information 

competence refers to the abilities that are necessary to find information and to evaluate and 

use it. Especially for young people it is essential to know how to do research properly and to 

detect the aspects, which indicate whether information is reliable and relevant as well as the 

ability to organize information and to pass it on to third parties in an adequate form. According 

to researchers, the development during the last years clearly indicates that the amount of data 

and information and the availability of technologies are constantly growing. 

The strengthening of information competence and transfer can also be seen in the context of 

the European Charta Youth Information, which states that in a complex society and an 

integrated Europe entailing a lot a challenges and possibilities, the access to information and 

the ability to evaluate and use information is more important than ever for Europeans. 

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Mobility 

Mobility is a central issue for young people in the region South-West Styria. 

Municipalities face the challenge to create sustainable offers for people despite a decreased flow 

of funds and to promote the many positive aspects of rural life as well as to constantly adjust 

the offers to young people’s needs. In the course of the future laboratory it became clear that 

there is a wide range of leisure facilities offered in the single municipalities. In this area there 

will be special need for regional cooperation to reduce costs and share resources. This means 

that there is need for mobility opportunities in the evening and on weekends especially for 

younger people to be able to observe the offers. Very often, the missing of public transfer is 

substituted at home, which means that parents have to become their children’s taxi drivers. 

“Everything is scattered and spoilt. There is hardly anything in the near surrounding.” 

This shows that there is need for optimized and flexible offers to meet the young people’s 

needs, the need for public transport, however, changes with motorization (moped, car) from 

leisure facilities towards going out in the evenings. The most important issues for young people 

are improved (especially uniform) transport connections, flexible and affordable taxis, more 

public transport on weekends and especially in the evenings (concerts, going out, events, 

cinema) but also better connections to shopping centers. 

“Nobody knows when and where the busses are running and where they are going”. 

Most young people start to commute between home and work very early on. With the help of 

proper mobility opportunities it could be possible to keep young people who work outside of the 

region in their home region. The stronger the attachment to the region the more probable is it 

for young people to accept commuting if it is later necessary. 

With regard to the expansion of individual spheres of operation, the expansion of public 

transport also plays a crucial role. It would be rather important to establish a public transport 

system, which covers also peripheral rural regions and enables a consumer-orientated usage in 

order to reduce the dependency on costly and environmentally polluting private motorized 

transport (which is rather important for young people). Thus, young people could have easier 

access to local and regional offers and the exclusion of development- and participation 

possibilities could be avoided. (cf. Dax, 2002. p. 177) 

Young people living in rural areas have to be mobile. As they are to a great extent dependent 

on their parents and public transport, the purchase of a car or a moped happens rather early. 

This enhances independence and the social status. With respect to the difference between girls 

and boys it is a fact that girls still have less mobility opportunities than boys. The lack of 

particularly higher qualified and future-safe education-/ job-/ advanced training opportunities 

forces young people to commute and moreover contributes, especially in structurally weaker 

regions, to the migration pressure of younger qualified working people (especially young 

women) 

Prevention and Health 

Concerning prevention and health there will be no direct focus in our region. However, we will 

attempt to include preventive and mobile offers for young people more strongly in the region as 

they are an important support for young people, especially in a crisis situation. 

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For young people health is never an end in itself. They do not wish to live healthy; they only 

want to be beautiful and feel comfortable, which means that diabetes prophylaxes does not 

make young people eat healthier food. They eat healthier food to stay slim or because they 

think it will make them feel more comfortable. 

If someone wants to reach young people with this issue it is essential to use the proper 

language code. Communication among young people generally focuses on images, which means 

that one has to convey the message by means of images and symbols. It has become more 

difficult for young people to grow up healthy. Stress and pressure to perform have increased. 

Even young people have to show that they can meet the demands. Mental, physical and social 

problems among young people and children have increased during the last years. Already 

teenagers hear that they have to plan their lives. They also hear that they have no time to lose 

and that they can never catch up on what they miss now. It would be therefore most important 

to give young people back an unplanned life of freedom and spontaneity (cf. Heinzlmaier, 2012, 

p. 35). 

Leisure time 

The number and range of leisure facilities offered in the region play a key role - they have 

already been a focus of the future laboratory – as they can enhance the attachment to the 

region and the quality of life. This in turn has a considerable influence on the decision whether 

people stay in the region or leave it. In this context, it was noted that there is need for cultural 

events appropriate for young people (concerts, theatre, …) and youth centers that offer play 

activities (Darts, Billiard,…) as well as cinemas, an indoor swimming pool and shopping 

possibilities. 

“There are already many offers, but we can hardly afford them”. 

Also youth pubs, sports facilities (football, skatepark) and culinary offers (kebab stands) are 

subjects of discussion among young people. 

“We need offers suitable for young people … why should I go ice-skating or bowling with a sixty 

year old? Money is not important, it can be any room. But I don´t want to have any strange 

psychologists or caretakers at my side” (compare YURA “Zukunftslabor” report). 

To young people, fashion (consumption), music and sport are rather important things; sport, 

though, is increasingly done in a post traditional context, which means outside of traditional 

sports clubs. When young people do sports, the central focus is cast on the body. 

More and more young people spend their leisure time outside of their family environment. This 

means that young people prefer to spend time with people of the same age. Such “peer groups” 

play a crucial role in children and young people’s creation of their lifestyle and leisure activities 

and are an important socialization entity, which significantly supports the development of 

standards and behaviour patterns. 

Many young people in rural areas combine traditional and modern elements in their leisure 

activities. Punk, Disco, rural youth and national costume associations do not exclude each other 

anymore. What young people decide to do in their leisure time in the end also depends on the 

resources and offers they have. Apart from rooms for clubs and associations, there are several 

public places young people use as meeting points. If there is a high discrepancy between 

aspiration level and real possibilities in rural areas it can happen that the need for action 

“deviates from the rails”. (cf. Freilinger, 2005, 56ff) 

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All in all, the amount of young people’s leisure time has strongly decreased. What is striking is 

the high level of passivity and the strong tendency towards consumption of young people in 

their leisure time. Young people today like watching TV, listening to music and passively taking 

part in events. This demonstrates that young people today feel attracted to consumption offers 

and do not wish to become an active part in the creation of their environment. Young people 

tend towards consumption because they are searching for youth culture, people of the same 

age, sociability, independence and because they want to be someone. As these things hardly 

can be found in the commercial sector, disappointment is very often the result of consumption. 

Young people cannot find the things they expect to find through consumption. Consequently, a 

lot of young people suffer from behaviour similar to addiction (alcohol consumption, vandalism) 

(cf. Hiessl, Kern, 1997, S38ff) 

The understanding of leisure time has changed in quality and quantity. Leisure time is more 

than relaxation time. It means life quality and well-being. 

Participation 

Specifically in order to ensure that young people use leisure facilities, it is essential to involve 

young people in plannings and offers for young people and to reflect on such issues together 

with them. During the pilot action future laboratory it became apparent that the active 

participation of young people in political processes is a good idea. The participation of young 

people in decision processes concerning themselves is even anchored in law (UN – Convention 

on the Rights of the Child, EU – White Paper, national action plans, styrian citizen´s rights law, 

styrian law for youth promotion, styrian law for the protection of children and youth) 

The young population can be regarded as a bad sign for a successful future of the region 

because of their underrepresentation. However, young people are just the people who are 

positive towards change and who have the possibility to create their own life to be able to 

actively take part in structural processes of renewal and reorientation. Unfortunately, young 

people who are highly qualified are exactly those who tend to leave the “crisis region”. Young 

people just as adults need appropriate incentive structures, which facilitate the active 

participation in their cultural and social environment. This is especially the case for those groups 

of young people who are less involved in the development of rural areas and who have to be 

motivated in the first place to become involved in such processes. 

The results of the inquiries of the province of South-West-Styria also show that neither 

stakeholders nor young people are satisfied with the participation opportunities. Both sides 

express an interest in improving this situation. It will be necessary to find new opportunities for 

participation, which adjust to the everyday language and culture of young people. In this 

context, it is furthermore important to be familiar with young people’s lifeworlds and means of 

expression and to get to know the social infrastructure relevant for young people. 

SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE 

Social infrastructure is examined on two levels. First, on the level of privately used and “useful” 

infrastructure young people can find in their region and second on the level of the infrastructure 

young people use in a broader context of their lifeworld analogous to the field of action of the 

strategy “Lebenswelten”. 

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Many things have already been well developed in South-West Styria (health care, Pubs, 

educational institutions, apartments, leisure facilities). In concrete cases, as abovementioned it 

is about mobility and information. 

PROFESSION, EDUCATION AND ADVANCED TRAININGS 

This was also the main issue of the future laboratory South-West Styria and will be a decisive 

factor for young people to stay in a region or leave it. Above all, career- and educational 

orientation should be given particular consideration, because, even though they are 

systematically anchored, the methods used are apparently not applicable to inform young 

people. 

High-quality education and advanced training opportunities are essential for young people. Most 

people are used to commuting, however, they nevertheless would be happy about offers in their 

region (workshops and courses, for example Zumba, apprenticeship after school leaving 

examination, offers for self-improvement, non-formal education offers). As far as job 

opportunities in the region are concerned, the majority of people seems to be satisfied; due to 

the low distance to Graz, most people do not consider commuting a problem. Concerning this, it 

seems to be slightly easier for boys. The educational biography of every single person, of 

course, plays a key element when it comes to the decision of leaving or staying in the region. 

For most students it is rather important to find their dream job, to enjoy their work, to have a 

comfortable working atmosphere and of course wages, safety and career prospects also play 

important roles (surprisingly not as important as expected). 

Several young people think that it is a disadvantage to have mainly small companies in the 

region, because they believe that they have better opportunities in bigger companies (especially 

as far as stays abroad are concerned). Moreover, the information about companies and 

opportunities in the region is comparatively not very extensive at present, especially with 

regard to smaller companies. 

“The family environment has advantages and disadvantages. Money is not everything. The 

surroundings should be appropriate.” 

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REGIONAL YOUTH MANAGEMENT 

The regional youth management installed in South-West Styria in March 2012 should in 

particular contribute to the implementation of the regional strategy. 

In order to regionally connect youth work, there are focal points in each of the seven greater 

regions in Styria. They coordinate actions referring to the six fields of action according to the 

strategic direction “children and youth work 2020”. They operate at the (EU-)regional 

management. Models with youth-relevant institutions are worked out in strategic cooperation 

with political bodies and also together with young people. 

The overall aim is to strengthen youth work in the region and to understand their offers as 

socio-pedagogical field of action in addition to the upbringing by parents, school education and 

professional training. Furthermore, “youth” should already play an important factor in the 

planning phase of different regional issues and children and young people should be included 

until the decision phase. After all, central services of departments of youth work should be used 

in the region according to the needs and target groups. Finally, the regional youth management 

is concerned with lobbying on site through public relations. An important area of activity is 

therefore the connection of youth work among itself and the connection with politics and 

administration. 

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3. Regional strategy and measure plan 

The regional strategy/measure plan is divided into the same six thematic fields as the Styria 

Youth Strategy “Strategic orientation of children and youth work in 2020”. 

3.1. Lifeworlds/Social infrastructure 

Children and young people in Styria find fields for experimentation and rooms for creation, 

which match their needs and provide place for them to develop freely. They are acknowledged 

as equal partners of adults in the creation of these “rooms” and have the possibility for 

participation in society. 


- The lifeworld comprises the entirety of all spatial and social references and relations of a 

child or a young person. Besides the concrete social environment it can also include 

virtual worlds. 

- The different needs of children and young people and their diversified lifeworlds were 

collected. A rolling process makes it possible to cover the dynamic changes of children 

and young people’s needs, to keep the knowledge up to date and deduce needful offers. 

- Information about the possibilities of how to integrate children and young people into the 

creation process of these rooms is transferred to multipliers and decision makers in order 

to create a basis for the consideration and participation of children and young people. 

- Current national and international insights into “lifeworlds” are integrated into the work 

Target groups 

- Young people, independent of their level of education, social environment, regional origin 

etc. 

- Decision makers in municipalities, regions and at national level 

Regionality 

- Regional youth managers work in the different regions and communicate the needs and 

interests of children and young people of the region to decision makers. They function also as 

link between the regions, the administration and the departments and their offers 

Quality and eligibility criteria 

- Besides the generally applied eligibility criteria in the context of the law for youth 

promotion, there are specific guidelines for open and organised youth work of the field of 

action 


- On the part of the province of Styria, inter-agency synergies (youth is an interdisciplinary 

issue) are made visible and possibilities for cooperation are recognized 

- The regional youth managers work as lobbyists in the regions and form links to relevant 

regional actors 

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Regional Strategy: 

- Collection of existing offers 

Measures: 

- A municipality QuickCheck focus youth will be conducted covering the entire area of the 

region to collect information about existing infrastructure, leisure facilities, participation 

offers, mobility and possibilities of information. This will be conducted in cooperation 

with the province of Styria FA6a, beteiligung.st – department for citizens, children and 

youth participation and the Association for open youth offers 

- Compaction of this data by young people and regional actors 

Representation of existing infrastructure for young people: 

- Offers for young people which are deduced from the municipality QuickCheck will be 

provided online and made transparent in appropriate channels for young people, 

stakeholders and regional actors 

- Transfer of the results to regions, municipalities and youth centers 

The planning of necessary offers: 

- With the planning of necessary additional offers a regional discussion process will be 

initialized due to the results together with departments, young people and political 

actors. This will be mainly done by the regional youth management. 

- Regional survey of demand in cooperation with departments and the province of Styria: 

where is need for mobility offers to be able to use leisure facilities, where is need for new 

offers, which and for whom? 

- Implementation of concrete regional projects (youth centers, streetwork, school social 

work, mobility offers) 

According to the principle: “staying before commuting before leaving”: creating incentives for 

young people that make them stay in the region during and also after their period of education; 

or at least to make them prefer the option of commuting to moving away from their region (for 

instance by providing cheap housing for young people, young families, support of mobility, 

childcare facilities, etc.) 

- Discussion with regional actors about realization options 

- Discussion process about new models with regard to coexistence and mobility (for 

instance generation-spanning living, market for rideshare opportunities) 

- Realization of concrete regional projects as good practise examples 

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3.2. Youth information and counselling 

All children and young people living in Styria have sufficient access to information and know 

how to evaluate and handle information. This gives them the ability, depending on age, to make 

decisions self-determinedly and self-responsibly to plan their future according to their interests 

and needs. 


- The possibility of information transfer to persons who are interested will be optimized. 

Therefore, intern (mainly personal) knowledge about institutions and offers concerning 

children and youth work in Styria will be made available to all assistants 

- Young people and children will be questioned about their preferences concerning 

accesses to information (internet, flyer,…) and consequently the offers will be perfected 

according to this results. In addition, a process will be created which makes it possible to 

continually observe changes in the needs. 

- A major focus will be put on the creation of access to offers for children and young 

people in specific circumstances. There is paid particular attention to specific conditions 

in the fields of mobility, language and availability of media/internet. 

- A wide-ranged basic offer for the initial contact of children and young people is ensured 

and deepening offers for specific annual focus areas are created 

Target groups 


etc. 

Regionality 

- Regional youth managers will collect data concerning the needs of children and young people. 

These results will be taken into consideration in the creation of regional information and 

consulting services 

Quality and eligibility criteria 


promotion, action-specific quality criteria will be worked out and transparently 

presented. 

- Qualitatively examined and uniform information folders on specific topics will be created 

together with the providers 

- There will be conducted training sessions for actors in the field of action on information 

competence and the annual focal areas 


- Cooperation with multipliers in the field of parental training, family counselling, schools, 

shelters and municipalities will be established 

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Cooperation with multipliers in the field of parental training, family counselling, schools, 

municipalities, departments, district commissions and organisational, communal and open youth 

work will be established: the aim here is also to create information networks 

- Establishment of networks and support by regional youth management 

- Trainings and workshops for multipliers on information competence 

- Workshops in schools on current topics (e.g. confident in web 2.0.) 

- Creation of uniform information folders on specific topics in cooperation with the 

province of Styria 

- Counselling and youth-relevant information through the regional youth management 

(Youth Information Day / Consultation hour in the region) in the office of the regional 

youth management 

- Holding information events on specific topics in the region 

To strengthen cooperation outside of schools, low-threshold transfer of information (open youth 

offers such as youth centres, youth street work, school social work, associations) 

- Transfer of information to institutions that work directly with young people. Especially 

offers by departments are transferred to multipliers and target groups by the regional 

youth management 

- Education offers on information competence for youth workers 

- Counselling and youth-relevant information by the regional youth management 

(Youth Information Day / Consultation hour in the region) in institutions / places where young 

people can be found 

Presentation of the results from YURA to local decision makers (e.g. Which channels do young 

people use, what might be improved in this respect?) 

- Presentation of the project in diverse committees and on events for multipliers 

- Presentation of the results and compression by the participation in events where young 

people can be found (schools, game events, education and job fairs) 

Online presentation of offers and information opportunities for young people 

- Offers for young people deduced from the municipality QuickCheck will be provided 

online and made transparent in appropriate channels for young people, stakeholders and 

regional actors 

- Transfer of the results to regions, municipalities, youth centers 

- Cooperation Juba Project – Online map on the topic of educational and vocational 

orientation for young people, parents and experts 

- Regular transfer of information through relevant media (homepages, facebook, web 2.0) 

by the regional youth management 

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3.3. Youth protection and prevention 

Children and young people are able to self-responsibly evaluate and recognize risks and 

dangers. They are aware of the consequences of their decisions. Preventive measures in the 

field of action strengthen children and young people in dealing with dangers in a selfdetermined 

way. 


- The styrian law for the protection of the youth is amended and the styrian-wide uniform 

enforcement of the law for the protection of the youth is guaranteed. Youth-relevant 

“paragraphs” from other instructions and laws (for example the issue of piercings in the 

trade regulation act) are provided for information 

- The pedagogical principles and personal safety factors in the field of prevention are 

precisely prepared for the actors in all fields of action and forwarded to them. In this 

way, a common understanding of the subject of prevention will be established 

- In order to enable the actors to act rapidly and independently in a respective situation, 

departments will prepare checklists on central topics. In so doing, national and 

international developments of such checklists will be considered 

Target groups 


etc. 

- Adults, parents and actors in economy, education and society are aware of their 

responsibility and their function as idols. They are well informed and can deal with 

children and young people’s “urge to take risks” 

Regionality 

- The regions are supported in uniformly implementing the guidelines from the styrian law 

for the protection of the youth 

Quality and criteria for eligibility 


promotion, field of action-specific quality requirements will be made visible also in 

specific topics (e.g. Social Media) 


- In order to enforce the law for the protection of the youth, a network of the most 

important authorities (e.g. starting with district commissions) will be established 

- The province of Styria connects with central authorities that have interfaces to the law 

for the protection of the youth 

- To transfer information and to increase the motivation of the actors and multipliers, 

several activities are launched 

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Regional strategy: 

To enforce the law for the protection of the youth a network of the most important authorities 

will be established (e.g. starting with district commissions, police) 

- Cooperation of the regional youth management in relevant committees: e.g. child and 

youth-safe district Deutschlandsberg (possible expansion to the region) 

To transfer information and to increase the motivation of the actors and multipliers, several 

activities are launched (e.g. information events of departments, offer of an alcohol-free cocktail 

bar: “we can do differently” on events, projects between operation organisations and young 

people) 

Stricter monitoring of the law for the protection of the youth: 

- Fundings are taken into account 

- Workshops with young people, sensitization 

Low-threshold offers of support for young people: 

- Establishment of streetwork in the region 

- Establishment of school social work 

- Implementation of concrete projects with a preventive character (e.g. weekend night 

sports – a project of the sports union, which offers free sport facilities on Friday evenings 

and on weekends as an alternative to going out) 

- Strengthening of associations in the region and qualifying and sensitizing assistants in 

this field 

- Establishment and realization of zones of freedom for young people 

- Strengthening of young people’s maturity and responsibility, establishing non formal 

education opportunities and prevention offers 

Workshops for students and teachers, youth associations, institutions, youth centers 

focusing on specific topics: 

- To create workshop catalogues for individual target groups 

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3.4. Youth culture and creative forms of expression 

The aim is to strengthen children and young people in their everyday culture and to encourage 

them, in the context of non-formal education processes, to express and realize their interests 

and needs in their examination of society. 


- Children and young people are questioned about their preferred forms of creative 

expression (music, theatre, …). The results are taken into consideration in the 

development of the offers 

- Specific focus areas of society, which children and young people are concerned with and 

interested in, are referred to in the creation of the offers 

- The intermediary and accompanying offers in the field of action of youth culture and 

their creative forms of expression are adapted to the needs of children and young 

people. A process will be established, which allows to early detect dynamic developments 

of relevant topics of children and young people as well as preferred forms of creative 

expression and consequently to considerate these results in the development of offers 

- Methods will be examined, tested and developed further in order to better circulate 

information and offers and thus to reduce entry barriers for so far underrepresented 

groups of children and young people. In this process, current and national results and 

examples will be used 

Target groups 


etc. 

Regionality 

- In order to open up new regions and reach new target groups, a stronger focus is put on 

Styrian regions where there is still a lack of offers in the fields of youth culture and 

creative forms of expression 



promotion, the field of action-specific quality requirements for youth culture and creative 

forms of expression are valid 

- To enhance the quality and the accuracy of fit of the offers, a simple but effective 

reporting system will be established 


- Appropriate access to new centers and institutions for children and young people will be 

granted 

Page 46 / 53 


Regional Strategy 

Elicitation of offers: 

- Quick Check Focus: Youth. Elicitation and presentation of leisure time and youth offers in 

the region 

- To create opportunities of mobility to existing offers 

- The study and collection of examples, which are subsequently partially realized (e.g. 

game spectacle in Leibnitz) 

- Stronger focus to open up new regions (where there is still a lack of offers – particularly 

district Deutschlandsberg) 

- Cooperation with relevant actors 

- Cooperation with committees that deal with the topic of youth/culture 

- Since associations apparently strongly contribute to the emotional bonds of young 

people with the region, it seems to make sense to (further) specifically promote youth 

activities of associations 

- It is recommended to provide alternative offers (e.g. youth centers, youth areas, offers 

of youth culture, participation projects etc.) for those young people (but not only!) who 

cannot be reached with offers of associations 

- Implementation of youth in action projects in the region and presentation of this 

programme 

- Provision of free areas and infrastructure for young people (rehearsal rooms, rooms free 

of consumption) 

- Workshops referring to youth culture in school, youth centers etc… 

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3.5. Socio-political education and participation 

Young people acquire an extensive judgment as well as the qualification of self-determined 

political thinking through the offers in the field of action “socio-political education and 

participation”. They voluntarily and actively take part in political processes. 


- New methods are tested and children and young people are “picked up” on topics 

directly relevant to them 

- A wide range of tested field of action-specific methods to support the actors are 

established and provided 

- There follows a consultation with the actors about how to include socio-political topics in 

everyday professional life in order to reach target groups even more successfully. 

Existing offers and action-field-spanning synergies are used more intensively in this 

process 

Target groups 


etc. 

- A focus is put on children and young people who left formal school education at an early 

stage 

Regionality 

- Sustainable participation structures are to be created in regions, smaller regions and 

municipalities (e.g. manifestation in the mission statement, seats in committees) 



promotion, action-specific quality criteria will be worked out and presented in a 

transparent way. 


- An event with all interested actors in the field of action will be organized to transfer the 

results and examined methods 

Page 48 / 53 


Regional Strategy 

Creation of participation structures: 

- Sustainable participation structures are to be created in regions, smaller regions and 

municipalities (e.g. by a written description in the mission statement, seats in 

committees, determination of persons responsible for young people) 

- Education offers on the topic of youth and youth work in the region are provided for 

responsible persons: municipal councils for young people etc. 

- Creation of platforms for young people at regional level 

- Cooperation with regional NGO´s 

- Cooperation with multipliers especially in the school area (Regional and Municipal 

Education Authority) 

Sensitization of politicians on this issue including the idea of a participation process in the 

province of South-West Styria. 

Since it became clear during the questioning that despite a relatively high number of young 

people and stakeholders experienced in participation projects the satisfaction level was 

generally low with regard to participation opportunities, it is important to pay close attention to 

sustainability and to choose the appropriate method for future projects of this kind 

- Planning, cooperation and accompaniment by departments 

New, exciting opportunities and also low-threshold participation opportunities which are also 

addressed, invented and created by young people: 

- To initiate participation projects, which do not raise unreasonable expectations in young 

people and which are oriented towards the life environments and forms of expression of 

young people (forum theatre, film competition, new media) 

Page 49 / 53 


3.6. Education and vocational orientation 

Children and young people discern their vocation and are able to turn it into a profession. In 

this process, they are optimally promoted and supported according to their potentials and 

strengths and can find a highly qualitative offer of educational and vocational orientation in 

Styria. 


- The accompanying offers of educational and vocational orientation follow the principles 

of lifelong learning. They focus on young people’s interests, abilities and potentials and 

aim to contribute to a best possible individual and professional development by 

accompanying them. 

- The offers in the field of educational and vocational orientation in Styria will be presented 

online in a way so that they are clear and understandable for children and young people 

- There follows an improved coordination and consultation of existing offers – gaps in 

offers will be filled, innovative approaches will be tested and promoted 

Target groups 

- Fairness in the promotion of talents and qualifications of girls and boys as well as the 

choice of professions is very important to us 

- In the context of life environment orientation, parents are addressed through 

educational parental programmes as important supporters in the career choice of young 

people 

- Workers of educational parental programmes are sensitized and supported in the 

development of the programmes 

Regionality 

- The representation of educational and vocational orientation offers is prepared 

specifically according to the regions 

- Regional coordination platforms are established 


- Education for multipliers: workers of open youth work will be qualified to conduct offers 

in the context of educational and vocational orientation by themselves or to function as a 

contact person for appropriate offers 

- Quality criteria are constantly reflected and discussed involving all relevant stakeholders 


- Educational and vocational orientation is interface work. Business associations, 

educational institutions and political decision makers have different perspectives and 

specific offers. They should be agreed on in the interests of children and young people 

- Experts of educational (parental) programmes and other fields of action of children and 

youth work are integrated in the development of strategies and concrete actions 

Page 50 / 53 



Strengthening of associations as multipliers for information and job opportunities 

- Building up of networks by the regional youth management 

- Cooperation of the regional youth management in relevant committees 

- Public events/cooperation with media to make the work of associations visible 

- Support of associations in the form of projects / promotion counselling 

- Workshops / education trainings for multipliers 

Stronger cooperation with schools: 

On the one hand to successfully transfer information and offers to teachers and students, on the 

other hand to make cooperations and projects possible 

- Projects in schools / economy (regional companies). This is precisely important in a 

region with a strong focus on the secondary sector 

- Projects in non-formal education schools (through more contact to schools, projects with 

non-formal educational aspects could also occur more often. Teachers would also be 

good multipliers to help young people with access to information and teach them the 

ability to evaluate information) 

- Projects in politics / regional management – schools (information about how decision 

processes in the region happen, about current developments and challenges, about 

where participation / contact possibilities can be found) 

Special offers of support in the field of educational and vocational orientation for girls 

and young women: 

- networking through the regional youth management with departments 

(Frauengesundheitszentrum, Mafalda, zam) 

- Follow-on project: No women, No Future 

- Cooperation of the regional management in projects (Juba – Bab) and committees 

Moreover, methods and cooperation partners are selected to make offers in the area 

of educational and vocational orientation accessible also in extracurricular context for 

young people: 

- Youth welfare, social work 

- Youth centers 

- Associations 

- Mobile youth work 

- Initiatives of youth culture 

Besides general efforts to create new jobs in the region, the model “apprenticeship after school 

leaving examination” might keep young people who have completed grammar school in the 

region. 

- To provide low-threshold advanced education trainings in the field of non-formal 

education in order to enhance the qualification of young people 

- Transfer of information through the RJM on events (job fairs etc.) 

Page 51 / 53 


Mobility 


Survey of demand (When, for whom and where is need for special offers?): 

- Specific mobility offers such as youth taxis, nightline busses, market for rideshare 

opportunities? 

- To discuss and clarify possibilities of support of mobility with regional actors 

- To develop alternative mobility projects, collect best practical examples 

- To provide information of an offer of public transport for youth-relevant routes (youth 

centers, sports infrastructure, schools, pubs etc…) 

Open offers for young people with a regional focus 

Seats in committees, consideration of young people’s interests in developing transportation 

concepts 

Page 52 / 53 


4. Implementation and evaluation plan 

The implementation of the regional strategy (YURA) and the inclusion of all considerations 

concerning the “Youth Topic” in the new „Leitbild“ (regional strategic working plan) is one aim 

of the Regional management concerning the YURA strategy. 

That means on the one hand to work with the results of the pilot action as well as to recognize 

youth/ youth work as a cross cutting issue and on the other hand to work on the issue of 

demographic change, and the migration of young people from rural areas. 

A central point in implementing the strategy was the establishment of a (regional) youth 

manager within the Regional management. This person should be kind of the interface between 

young people, youth initiatives, regional actors and politicians as governmental structures and 

connects people working in the field of youth work. This initiative is funded by the province of 

Styria. 

These results of the project YURA and the common Youth-Strategy of Styria will be a main focus 

of the work for the regional youth management. 

As a great success of the pilot action “Future Laboratory” and part of the whole YURA project 

implementation, the Quick Check for municipalities, called “Focus Youth”, was adapted for all 

styrian municipalities. Aim of this initiative is, to get a systematic overview about infrastructure, 

leisure time /youth work offers, possibilities to participation and information, mobility offers for 

young people the quick check should be a basis for next steps considering youth work. 

Implementation of the regional strategy: 

• Presentation of the YURA results in regional political committees 

• Presentation of the YURA results in conferences for experts and institutions 

• Presentation of the YURA results for teachers, students, youth centres 

• Derivation of operational initiatives and actions 

• matching the results with other surveys / studies 

To ensure regular evaluation and review, there will be a continuous exchange with various 

interest groups. There will be coordination between the Regional management with the regional 

youth management, regular intervisions, and coordination between regional youth 

management, experts and the province of Styria, as discussion in regional committees with 

political and social partners. 

Quantitative evaluation will take place annually. On the one hand in evaluating the statistics of 

the labor market, on the other hand in evaluating regional offers/ initiatives (advisory, lowoffers, 

etc. ...). It can also be thought about evaluating – with a survey based on life 

satisfaction indicators – the mood of youngsters in the region to see if concrete measures raise 

the satisfaction. 

Page 53 / 53

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