FSJ celebrates the state prize: an evening full of appreciation and commitment!

FSJ celebrates the state prize: an evening full of appreciation and commitment!

On April 11, 2025, Vienna's bathing ship was given a special honor: The Voluntary Social Year (FSJ) received the State Prize for Volunteer Coordination. At a festive event that was celebrated by the team and board of the association to promote voluntary social services, the importance of this award was in the foreground. The State Prize is one of the highest honors for voluntary commitment in Austria and was awarded from more than 200 submissions. The managing director Elisabeth Marcus underlined how important this honor is for the mission of the FSJ.

The evening was not only shaped by worthy conversations, but also offered a room for inspiring exchange and good food. Veronika Prüller-Hunterufel, the volunteer chair of the association, emphasized the appreciation for all employees and volunteers who contribute to the success of the FSJ. The event offered an opportunity to appreciate the achievements of the FSJ since its foundation in 1968 with the carrier organizations, such as the Catholic Youth and the Scouts in Austria.

voluntary Engagement in Austria

The voluntary commitment in Austria is booming - over 49 percent of the population aged 15 and over volunteer work. An important part of this work is the voluntary social year, which can only be completed by recognized providers, are subject to strict approval procedures. This ensures that the quality and framework conditions for the volunteers remain high. The Ministry of Social Affairs supports this commitment through attractive framework conditions and has implemented the Volunteer Act (FreiwG) since 2012, which sets precise requirements for the promotion of volunteer work.

According to the fourth Austrian volunteer report, around 3.7 million people voluntarily get involved in Austria. About 25.8 percent of these take part in organizations and associations, while 36.7 percent are actively active in the informal area or in neighborhood aid. The results of the report, which is created every five years, provide valuable insights into the functions, objectives and motives of the volunteers.

awards and recognition

It was not until December 2023 that the State Prize for voluntary and voluntary commitment was awarded as part of a gala in the museum district in Vienna. A total of 26 clubs, initiatives, projects and organizations were awarded in five categories. Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Minister of Social Affairs Johannes Rauch and State Secretary of Youth Claudia Plakolm presented the awards, which were also associated with prize money of up to EUR 5,000. The winners were selected by a specialist jury and was documented in a streaming event, which was interested in the opportunity to understand the award results.
OTS , voluntarily engaged , Social Ministry .