Skip to content
  • Linkedin
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Mail
  • Search
The Innovation in Politics Institute
The Innovation in Politics Institute
  • HOME
  • INSTITUTE
    • About
    • TEAM
    • Partners
    • Jobs
      • Jobs at Innovation In Politics Institute
      • Jobs at European Capital of Democracy
    • CONTACT
  • ADVISORY
    • About
    • H2 Convention
    • Bildungsfestival
    • re_use Linz
    • Safe Democracy
  • Briefings
  • Awards
  • Showroom
  • Articles
  • Press
  • Linkedin
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Mail
  • Search

We Are Active

AustriaThe Innovation in Politics Awards (Finalist 2017)Human RightsCivic EngagementCommunityEmpowermentJobs

Citizens enable the integration of refugees in a small town in Western Austria by providing language training and job orientation.

CITIZENS PROTECT REFUGEES

Engagement by citizens and numerous negotiations with authorities prevented the deportation of a group of refugees to Hungary. Under the slogan 'We are active', almost 120 citizens protected refugees by organising a human chain and providing countless services.

PEOPLE SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND PRESERVE HUMAN DIGNITY

"Preserving the human dignity of refugees and organising self-help for accelerated integration into society and the labour market." This slogan describes the initiative in a nutshell. Mobilising citizens as mentors for tasks, such as language learning or job orientation, was key to successful integration work. The initiative aims to help people to help themselves.

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN OFFICE

An office was established and staffed with refugees on a voluntary basis, with engaged citizens supporting them. The office’s main tasks were to organise volunteer work by refugees for the local population and job orientation visits for refugees in local companies. For job orientation, a comprehensive concept was worked out based on the principle of traineeship. After actively involving refugees, the project changed its name to 'We are active' (Wir sind aktiv) for good.

Project owner
Angelika Schwarzmann
Mayor of the Municipality of Alberschwende
Back to main page

Related Projects

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.

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.

Fee

This online platform makes it easy for volunteers to find the placements that suit them best, and for organisations to announce their vacancies.

©2025 The Innovation in Politics Institute
Footer navigation
  • About
  • Advisory
  • Awards
  • Showroom
  • Articles
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Imprint & Legal
  • Gender Equality Plan
  • Terms & Conditions

Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}