The Future of Volunteer Work

However, volunteering does not only take place in emergencies, but also in sport, culture and the social sector. In this respect, it is important to safeguard volunteering in Austria and improve the conditions for volunteers. In 2020, the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the effects of the pandemic have made the tireless efforts and club life of the many volunteers considerably more difficult.

This is why the Austrian parliament has launched the "Future of Volunteering" crowdsourcing project. With new ideas from the crowdsourcing process on the future of volunteering, the parliament wants to provide impetus for volunteering in Austria and contribute to inclusion and integration. The patron of the crowdsourcing process is National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka.

All Austrians can contribute their ideas on the crowdsourcing platform https://crowdsourcing-oesterreich.gv.at until 30 September 2021. Past experiences of volunteers and new input will play a key role in the political decision-making process. The Austrian Parliament, which is the only one in the EU to have its own nationwide crowdsourcing platform, favours the interactive participation of all citizens in solving current issues.

The specialist area of Applied Political Science from the Department of Administration, Economics, Security, Politics at FH Campus Wien is providing scientific support for this citizen dialogue. Experts from the specialist area will scientifically analyse and evaluate the proposals submitted. The aim of the project is to maximise the benefits of the proposals submitted for our society and volunteers in Austria.