AK Science Award to MCI: effects of the pandemic on vulnerable groups in Tyrol

Due to its outstanding quality and high relevance for employees, the submission by Lukas Kerschbaumer, Sascha Gell and Pia Reichmann of the Center for Social & Health Innovation at MCI | The Entrepreneurial School^® stood out among a total of 15 papers on the general topic "Social impacts of the Corona pandemic" and receives the Science Award of the Chamber of Labor Upper Austria.

In the course of their survey, funded by the State of Tyrol and the Chamber of Labor Tyrol, they interviewed 179 people and investigated the impact of the Corona pandemic on vulnerable groups in Tyrol. In addition, the researchers were in close exchange with the Tyrolean poverty research forum.

The findings revealed that the pandemic increased precarious living conditions and the challenges of fighting poverty. Although many support services were available, eligible people were unable to access them due to bureaucratic hurdles, unawareness of possible support services, lack of digital literacy, or shame. Children in particular felt the effects of the pandemic, as they lacked financial resources for home schooling, places to retreat due to cramped living conditions, and social contacts. People with disabilities and their families also reported experiencing social isolation and restrictions on their self-determination.