German courses for Vienna: New measures presented according to the value convent

German courses for Vienna: New measures presented according to the value convent

Integration City Councilor Christoph Return from the Neos presented important results of the Viennese value convent in the town hall on Friday. This congress had the task of identifying central values ​​that are crucial for living together in the democratic society of Vienna. One focus of the discussion was the importance of the German language in this context.

The values ​​convent, which took place under the motto "Principle Vienna", gathered around 200 people from different areas such as politics, religion and the general population. These participants were divided into eight working groups who deal with topics such as living together, education, healthcare and digital spaces. One result of this process was the decision to take concrete measures to support the German language.

measures to promote the German language

In order to improve the handling of young people with the German language, the city plans to increase the available places for German courses by 1,000 units in summer. These courses are aimed at children and adolescents in the mandatory school age. For the younger children who are located between kindergarten and elementary school, additional 1,000 course places will be offered next summer.

Return emphasized that participation in these courses should take place on a voluntary basis. Previous language status findings in the kindergartens make it possible to specifically address children with poor results. Although a legal regulation at the federal level would be necessary, return sees the need for such measures and has declared his support for corresponding changes in the law. Interestingly, he recently excluded mandatory language tests for toddlers, which led to an intensive discussion about the challenges of language support in Vienna.

Development of an integration guideline

In addition, a mission statement for integration in Vienna is being developed, which should be completed by summer 2025 at the latest. This mission statement will determine the essential principles and values ​​that should lead the coexistence in Vienna and serves as the basis for more active and binding integration in the city. A detailed implementation plan is also planned.

In addition, a study by sociologist Kenan Gungör is commissioned to analyze attitudes of young people with and without a migration background. The aim is to understand the reasons for possible devaluation attitudes and to develop solutions. Return expressed itself optimistic and explained: "We are rich in ideas and we implement them well - to get a consensus." Overall, the approach of the city of Vienna shows that a clear understanding and integration is aimed at to strengthen and promote living together in the diverse city.