Best Practice in Politics
We curate exemplary political work that successfully tackles today’s most pressing issues. This platform is a hub of tried and tested best practices in politics.
#KeinPlatzfürHate (#NoPlaceforHate)
A series of targeted measures offer support to victims of bullying, as well as raising awareness and providing training on dealing with bullying, both on and offline.
48er-Tandler – A Circular Economy and Re-Use Initiative of the City of Vienna
The 48er-Tandler is a modern reuse shop initiative by the City of Vienna, promoting circular economy principles and waste prevention while making reuse attractive and accessible to a broad audience.
ALLES CLARA – Digital Relief and Care Counselling for Family Carers
Alles Clara provides digital support to Austria’s unpaid family carers, strengthening both individual resilience and the national care system.
Alpine Lamb Project
Four-legged lawnmowers, called sheep, are keeping ski slopes in good shape over summer and prevent erosion, overgrowth, and avalanches.
Anstellung und Bezahlte Pflege für Angehörige (Employment and Paid Care for Relatives)
By offering people who care of their relatives at home the opportunity to become paid employees, this project makes it possible for more people in need of care to remain at home with their families.
Apprenticeship in Vorarlberg
A new approach to recruiting apprentices aims to inspire the next generation of skilled workers through the use of new technologies and the creation of regional and national communication networks.
BRISE-Vienna
This digital platform completely digitises the building-permit process, combining high-tech methods of AI, AR, and 3D building modelling to make the process faster, more efficient, and more transparent, cutting the time it takes to obtain a building permit by up to half.
Brunnenpassage: A Space for Participatory Art Production
Brunnenpassage operates as a space for professional artists and amateurs to co-create art, thus fostering social cohesion in a highly diverse neighbourhood.
Cool Streets
A practice for heat adaptation in three of Vienna’s hottest areas converted urban streets to Cool Streets, offering water mist sprayers, seating, and neighbourhood-fostering features for four weeks.
Culture Token
Digital tokens use the carrot approach to reward environmentally-friendly behaviour with free access to arts and culture.
DEC112 – Digital Emergency Communication 112
In 2019, DEC112 was launched to provide an alternative to speech-based emergency communication by implementing a text-based service.
Ebner-Inklusiv-Eschenbach
The integration of local educational institutes into ‘learning neighbourhoods’ in Vienna enhances education and the wider community for children up to 18 years of age.
Everybody Gargles! Free PCR-testing for everyone in Vienna
Effective collaboration means that free and accurate PCR home testing kits are available for everyone living, working or studying in Vienna, enabling regular and convenient testing for COVID-19 which gives results within 24 hours.
Exchange Energy for a Better World
By fostering connectivity and ensuring energy security, eFriends empowers individuals to access and participate in green-energy initiatives, particularly photovoltaic projects.
Fee
This online platform makes it easy for volunteers to find the placements that suit them best, and for organisations to announce their vacancies.
Free Republic of Vienna
Free Republic of Vienna is a pioneering cultural initiative that radically democratises decision-making within Europe’s largest cross-over festival by empowering citizens to co-shape its future.
Graz Fund for Promotion and Development
Graz supports the professional development of the working population at risk of poverty, with grants for education and training.
green.LAB Graz
Brownfield sites in cities are transformed into usable spaces with portable, ‘green’ urban boxes.
Housing First Austria – Arriving Home
Housing First Austria aims to end homelessness for more than 2,000 individuals and establish a system in Austria that will eradicate homelessness altogether.
Innovation.linz.at Citizen Participation Platform
The Innovation.linz.at Citizen Participation Platform connects citizens with local administrative departments to generate dialogue on civic improvements and implement project ideas.
Jobticket
The Jobticket provides discounted public transport for employees, motivating urban commuters to relieve the environment and the whole community of individualised mobility.
KMU DIGITAL – The Austrian Digitisation Initiative
An initiative, with 500 certified consultants, targets small- and medium-sized enterprises and helps them take concrete steps towards digitising their business.
Learning in the Garden
A digital toolbox helps teachers plan outdoor lessons, facilitating a holistic approach to action-oriented learning, as well as bringing children and young people closer to nature.
MAGMA
MAGMA is the world’s first job guarantee project that addresses the issue of long-term unemployment by offering job guarantees, support services, and access to decent employment for job seekers.
Mayority
Children learn about democracy through the game “Mayority”, in which players take on the role of a Mayor.
Music Safari in Public Spaces
This project celebrates the music of different communities and brings people together in public space, engaging Chechen, Syrian, Bosnian, Turkish, Afghan, Sinti, Ukrainian, and Austrian citizens with their self-produced music.
Office for Participation and Empowerment – City of Vienna
The Office for Participation and Empowerment is a key institution of the City of Vienna dedicated to advancing participation and democracy by fostering co-creation and inclusive collaboration.
Open Commons Linz
The digital Open Commons Linz provides access to digital media for all, creating an inclusive and inspiring city environment.
Our Soil for Bees
To save the bees, ‘bee-friendly’ habitats are created in communities, focusing on soil conservation and planting wildflowers.
Participatory Children and Youth Million
With the Participatory Children’s and Youth Million, young people in Vienna submit their ideas and decide themselves which of their projects will be implemented with 1 million EUR.
Points4Action
Points4Action brings together young and elderly people to combat social isolation and improve quality of life, while offering young people exposure to careers in caregiving roles and supporting local businesses.
Rein ins Rathaus! (Into the City Hall!)
For one week in summer, children aged 6 to 13 year old come to the City Hall to study and work in their own Children’s City, governed by them.
RemiHub – Inner-City Delivery Hubs
Public transport operational areas become dual-use intelligent distribution hubs, to help reduce delivery vehicle traffic and promote sustainability goals in the city.
Respect – Stronger Together
The prevention programme addresses everyday problems at school by giving children a voice and involving social workers, teachers and parents.
Schule im Aufbruch – School Gets Going
This initiative aims to enable and encourage students to be enthusiastic and creative by establishing a new learning culture, instead of fixating on fulfilling given curricula.
Schwammstein (Sponge Stone) – Sustainable Rainwater Management for Urban Green Spaces
The Schwammstein offers an efficient and innovative new solution to the market that regulates the discharge of rainwater into tree pits and green spaces.
Students As Experts 4 Change
Students As Experts 4 Change is an Educational Design with the goal to allow school students to become active agents of change, by supporting them to develop their own social impact strategies.
Summer City Camps in Vienna
Affordable summer childcare options are provided to all interested families in Vienna.
The Integration Year
A one-year integration programme stops refugees from being condemned to waiting and instead allows them to start their education and gain qualifications, shortly after entering the country.
Understanding – the Key to Political Participation
The capito.digital app is an AI writing assistant which automatically translates highly complex language into three easy-to-understand language levels.
Vienna Climate Law
Vienna’s Climate Law sets a binding framework to guide the city’s climate neutrality efforts by 2040, implementing practical measures, climate impact assessments, and community engagement to ensure effective climate action.
Vienna Climate Teams
This project links participatory budgeting with climate action, empowering citizens to design and implement climate-friendly solutions in their district.
Vienna Repair Voucher
A voucher scheme subsidises the costs of repairs, encouraging consumers to fix old items instead of throwing them away and buying new ones.
Vienna Urbanites / Guidance through the Network of Social Services
Urban volunteers at six locations guide people in need through the extensive social services network of the city, help make appointments, and assist in applying for financial support.
#KeinPlatzfürHate (#NoPlaceforHate)
A series of targeted measures offer support to victims of bullying, as well as raising awareness and providing training on dealing with bullying, both on and offline.
48er-Tandler – A Circular Economy and Re-Use Initiative of the City of Vienna
The 48er-Tandler is a modern reuse shop initiative by the City of Vienna, promoting circular economy principles and waste prevention while making reuse attractive and accessible to a broad audience.
ALLES CLARA – Digital Relief and Care Counselling for Family Carers
Alles Clara provides digital support to Austria’s unpaid family carers, strengthening both individual resilience and the national care system.
Alpine Lamb Project
Four-legged lawnmowers, called sheep, are keeping ski slopes in good shape over summer and prevent erosion, overgrowth, and avalanches.
Anstellung und Bezahlte Pflege für Angehörige (Employment and Paid Care for Relatives)
By offering people who care of their relatives at home the opportunity to become paid employees, this project makes it possible for more people in need of care to remain at home with their families.
Apprenticeship in Vorarlberg
A new approach to recruiting apprentices aims to inspire the next generation of skilled workers through the use of new technologies and the creation of regional and national communication networks.
BRISE-Vienna
This digital platform completely digitises the building-permit process, combining high-tech methods of AI, AR, and 3D building modelling to make the process faster, more efficient, and more transparent, cutting the time it takes to obtain a building permit by up to half.
Brunnenpassage: A Space for Participatory Art Production
Brunnenpassage operates as a space for professional artists and amateurs to co-create art, thus fostering social cohesion in a highly diverse neighbourhood.
Cool Streets
A practice for heat adaptation in three of Vienna’s hottest areas converted urban streets to Cool Streets, offering water mist sprayers, seating, and neighbourhood-fostering features for four weeks.
Culture Token
Digital tokens use the carrot approach to reward environmentally-friendly behaviour with free access to arts and culture.
DEC112 – Digital Emergency Communication 112
In 2019, DEC112 was launched to provide an alternative to speech-based emergency communication by implementing a text-based service.
Ebner-Inklusiv-Eschenbach
The integration of local educational institutes into ‘learning neighbourhoods’ in Vienna enhances education and the wider community for children up to 18 years of age.
The Winners
of the Innovation in Politics Awards 2024
Citizens of Ankara: Re-Assemble!
This innovative Citizens’ Assembly fosters trust and engagement among citizens and local stakeholders, building a more resilient and cohesive social and political landscape across the City of Ankara.
SeaProtectorOne, Aarhus
The SeaProtectorOne robot is installed at the river mouth in Aarhus, where the river flows into the harbour, removing rubbish before it enters the sea.
Foodcard: dignified state food aid for people in need
The Foodcard is an innovative solution which gives people the freedom and dignity to choose what food and necessities to buy, and from where.
