Stronger Together: Reflections on World Social Work Day

Department of Social Work connects practice, research, and teaching, sending a strong signal for social work legislation in Austria

Under the umbrella of the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), professional societies and Social Work associations around the world organize events each March to mark World Social Work Day. This year, World Social Work Day (WSWD) was held under the motto “Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society.” Across Austria, social workers from practice, academia, and research participated in numerous initiatives to mark the occasion.

In Austria, WSWD 2026 placed particular emphasis on the joint effort to establish a professional law for Social Work: Although Social Work and its practitioners play a central role in promoting social cohesion, the legal status of Social Work as a profession has not yet been secured in Austria. The passage of such a law is a goal of the Austrian federal government’s agenda, and the Federal Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Health, Care, and Consumer Protection (BMASGPK) is currently working on initial draft legislation.

As part of this initiative, two major events took place in Vienna, at which the MCI Department of Social Work was represented by Moritz Reisberger, research & teaching assistant at MCI and board member of ogsa (Austrian Society for Social Work). In the morning, the Vienna Chamber of Labor (AK) hosted a professional event on the current status of the draft bill featuring Wolfgang Heissenberger (senior legal advisor, BMASGPK). Following his insightful remarks on the ministry’s activities, a panel discussion took place with experts in Social Work.

Participants included Julia Pollak (social worker and executive director of obds – Austrian Professional Association of Social Work), Dagmar Fenninger-Bucher (university professor and board member of ogsa), Elfriede Gravogel (chair of the works council at “Rettet das Kind”), Silvia Rosoli (lawyer and head of the department of Safety, Health, and Labor – Vienna Chamber of Labor), and Stefan Rudolph (social worker in the “YOUNION” project of MA 11 – office for youth and family, Vienna).

In the course of the lively discussion, it became clear that, from the perspective of those present, the push for the adoption of a professional law was not an end in itself, but a necessary safeguard for all employees in the social sector. For example, a professional law for Social Work would also ensure that activities in the practice of Social Work must meet the highest quality standards. A university degree, for example from the MCI department of Social Work, would thus be the prerequisite for practicing the profession and simultaneously ensure a professional and innovative orientation.

Following this and other events in the capital, including at Campus Wien, university of applied sciences, a large rally took place at Human Rights Square. Approximately 400 people were in attendance, including students, practitioners, researchers, and educators in Social Work, as well as representatives from advocacy groups, civil society, and politics. In her speech, Korinna Schumann (federal minister for Social Affairs, Health, Care, and Consumer Protection) emphasized the systemic importance of Social Work and her support for the timely establishment of a professional law. She noted that the strong commitment of all those present remains necessary to achieve the next milestones in this regard.

In conjunction with the rally in Vienna, obds Tyrol (the Tyrolean regional office of the Austrian Professional Association of Social Work) and the MCI Department of Social Work jointly organized a “get-together” for social workers in Tyrol. The focus was on initiatives that highlight how active and innovative the Social Work profession is in the state.

David Kaserbacher (Queeze) traced the history of the queer youth center in Innsbruck and showed how an idea evolved into a meaningful space for young people. David Sporschill (PSP) shared the story of a young client whose resilience was put to the test – an honest look at complex life situations and the support provided by Social Work. Ayse Maluhan (Verein Beziehungsweise Lernen) presented the idea of understanding German not as a foreign language but as a language of friends, and showed how the Verein Beziehungsweise Lernen has developed around this concept. Julia Pollak joined online from Vienna to report on the events taking place there.

Thus, in keeping with the WSWD motto “Pulling Together,” the circle between Vienna and Innsbruck was closed – a clear sign of mutual support, cooperation, and commitment. All of this can be seen as a positive signal for a strained social economy in challenging times in Austria.

The MCI Department of Social Work has demonstrated itself as an active partner in all these contexts for the professional development of the Social Work profession and thanks all participants for their valuable contributions.