30 years of refuge: The Vienna Integration House celebrates with open-air concert!

30 years of refuge: The Vienna Integration House celebrates with open-air concert!

The integration house in Vienna celebrates 30 years of support for refugees

in the heart of Vienna, at Engerthstraße 163, is the integration house, which has been a safe port for many refugees since 1995. It is particularly appreciated for its extensive support and sensitive support. One of the first residents of the house, ðaneta Memišević, fled with her three children from Sarajevo in 1994 after the medical treatment of her sick child in Ljubljana was no longer possible due to the Bosnia War. In June 1995, the family finally moved into the integration house, where they not only found the necessary privacy, but also received support in the authorities in their national language. Memišević, who is a trained elementary school teacher, took over afternoon care in the integration house and would also be active in learning German and sign language.

In the meantime, the integration house has developed a lot and offers 40 residential units for up to 110 people. Together with a team of 160 employees and over 50 volunteers, extensive support is guaranteed. The offer ranges from accommodation and meals to psychosocial support, consulting services and educational projects. It is all the better that the integration house 2023 will celebrate its 30th anniversary with an anniversary open-air concert on June 25th in the arena. Under the motto "Be a human!" Present artists such as Ernst Molden, Tini Kainrath and Christoph Seiler. Tickets are available from 49.50 euros.

Psychosocial support in Austria

In the current social discussion about the integration of refugees, psychosocial support also plays an important role. This is where the psychosocial centers for refugees and victims of torture (PSZ) come into play. These centers receive additional funding of 4.9 million euros as part of the federal refugee program in order to continue their important work. This support was recently requested by Federal Minister of Family Lisa Paus and approved on February 21, 2025. The PSZ not only offer therapeutic crisis intervention and social pedagogical advice, but also the support that is tailored to the special needs of those affected.

It is particularly noteworthy that the PSZ often works with clubs and employers to develop low -threshold offers. Psychosocial support plays a central role in working with refugee people who often fight with mental illnesses and face special barriers such as legal and linguistic hurdles. In 2023, the PSZ looked after a total of 12,348 people as part of the federal program, with 20 percent of which were minors. These numbers impressively show how important the work of these centers is.

The integration house and the PSZ together do valuable work in the support and integration of refugees in Austria. For everyone who wants to learn more about the integration house, information is available on the official website: Integrationhaus . Together, these initiatives can help people find a perspective and a home in need.