6.6 “Grätzlmarie” projects: Focus on Awareness-Raising and Sustainability

6. Projects from the Community-building pillar

Human library

A black rectangular board is being painted in bright colours with children’s motifs by children’s hands. A paintbrush and a flower-shaped paint palette are also lying on the board.

Fig. 57: Brightly-coloured children's paintings adorn the "human library" © Michell Formann

In autumn 2023, a "human library" was installed on Brigittaplatz as an interactive knowledge exchange for use by people of all ages. Inspired by the prompt "Things you always wanted to ask your grandparents, but didn't dare ...” young people were able to ask questions that were then answered by senior citizens. The answers were then placed in the display case for everyone to read.

Funding applicant: Patricia Lierzer
Year implemented: 2023

Recipes for success

A group of young people are cooking together with a group of older women and men.

Fig. 58: Communal cooking forges links across generations and cultures © Verein Back Bone – Mobile Jugendarbeit 20

In autumn 2023 a special cooking event was held at Brigittenau Adult Education Centre, based on the "5 Gs" defined by children's rights expert Otmar Mittermayr – "communal", "reasonably priced", "healthy", "intergenerational" and "fun" (all of which begin with the letter "G" in German). Involving members of the Karl-Meißl-Straße Senior Citizens' Club and young people from the Back Bone initiative, the focus was on shared activities and interaction between the two groups. The communal cooking and eating event helped to strengthen solidarity and community cohesion in the municipal district of Brigittenau.

Participants in the events are seated at the laid table and are looking forward, in high spirits, to the meal they have cooked together.

Fig. 59: Communal cooking is a fun activity that fosters community spirit. © Verein Back Bone – Mobile Jugendarbeit 20

Funding applicant: Verein Back Bone – Mobile Jugendarbeit 20 (community youth work initiative for the 20th district)
Year implemented: 2023

Computerg’schichten und Softwaresachen – free drop-in IT support

Three people are sitting in a room in front of a laptop; in the centre, a young woman is pointing at the screen. To the left is an elderly gentleman; to the right is a younger man, holding his chin. Behind them is a roll-up banner bearing the WieNeu+ logo.

Fig. 60: Computerg'schichten workshop © City of Vienna/Judith Rosenkranz

A free, low-threshold neighbourhood IT support initiative helps people with smaller IT problems they can't solve themselves or with the help of family and friends. Anyone can visit the free public once-a-month drop-in sessions at the "das Wallenstein" cultural centre to seek help with computer glitches, smartphone difficulties, and so on.

"To start with we thought that senior citizens would be the target group for our IT support, but actually people of all ages turned up. After all, the questions and problems of everyday digital life affect young and old alike. Thanks to the support from "Grätzelmarie" we were able to hold our IT support drop-in sessions in a barrier-free space directly on Wallensteinplatz." (Cornelia Roider-Kubat, "Grätzlmarie" funding recipient)

Funding applicant: Cornelia Roider-Kubat
Year implemented: 2024

Clothing repair workshops

A selection of colourful buttons and sewing kit laid out against a black background.

Fig. 61: Clothing is a valuable commodity. This project highlights the value of repairing it. © Anita Smith-Pixabay

The aim of this project was to allow young people to experience the value of repairing their own clothing. How can I prolong the life of my clothes? What skills and know-how do I need to do so? As well as passing on sewing tips and tricks, the "Grätzlmarie" project also aimed to show what fun communal sewing sessions can be. With this in mind, regular pre-planned group sewing sessions were held at the Verein Backbone youth centre, where young people used sewing machines to repair old, discarded items of clothing they had brought with them. Ideas were discussed within the group and then put into practice.

Funding applicants: Cornelia Brunner, Verein Back Bone (community youth work initiative for the 20th district)
Year implemented: 2024

Gemeinsam klimafit – Community climate action – workshops for repair and design at the queer feminist community hub

In the right-hand third of the diptych, two women’s hands are placing leaves and flowers onto a shirt that has been laid out for further processing. On the left, in the centre of the room, stands a wheel, which two people appear to be working on.

Fig. 62: Repair, upcycling and furniture-making workshops foster community life and help conserve resources. © Der Knoten

This "Grätzlmarie" project was designed to foster community life and create awareness for sustainable consumption and conservation of resources with the aim of helping to protect the climate. The focus was on activities such as bike repairs, upcycling of unworn items of clothing and furniture-building using old scrap wood. The hub space — which was equipped with sewing machines and screen-printing equipment as well as woodworking tools — was open to the participants on three Sundays. The hub space also featured a "swap shop" corner where people were able to exchange used but serviceable items for free.

Funding applicant: Der Knoten community hub
Year implemented: 2024

Grätzl-Blattl community newspaper

Black-and-white magazines arranged side by side in a rectangle. The background is pink.

Fig. 63: The GrätzlBlattl with local news and info for people in the neighbourhood © Grätzlblattl

The "Grätzl-Blattl“ community newspaper acts as an information platform for the residents of the Volkertviertel and Alliiertenviertel neighbourhoods as well as local initiatives and institutions. The objective is to promote multicultural, multigenerational and multilingual dialogue.

Funding applicant: GRÄTZL-BLATTL. Association for the promotion of communication, arts and culture in the Volkertviertel and Alliiertenviertel neighbourhoods
Years implemented: 2023 to 2025

Carrots in Jars

A bustling group of young people standing in front of saucepans and jars filled with carrots.

Fig. 64: Local residents get together at the Carrots in Jars food preservation workshop © City of Vienna/Bojan Schnabl

Carrots in Jars organised four low-threshold events — three practice-based workshops plus a public discussion session — dealing with the subject of neighbourhood waste prevention. The events provided information about food preservation, circularity and conservation of resources while helping to foster community cohesion in Brigittenau (20th district).

Funding applicant: CAN – Civil Action Network
Year implemented: 2025

Weniger Müll im Grätzl – awareness-raising activities for waste prevention

Fig. 65: With a bit of skill and professional help, any bike can be repaired. Makes sense! © amtabor-evang.at

A varied programme of events was organised to raise awareness for waste prevention in the local community. Two flea markets provided access to second-hand products, two repair workshops allowed participants to sharpen up their repair skills, and two litter-picking events helped to clean up the neighbourhood.

Funding applicant: Leopoldstadt and Brigittenau Lutheran Parish
Year implemented: 2025

Zukunft im Grätzl (community media project) "Community reporting: Where's the nearest bin?"
Three teenagers are chatting in the park. The one in the middle is holding the microphone for the one on the right; the girl on the right is listening and holding a pair of headphones in her hands.

In two reporting workshops the young participants recorded an audio trail of conservations in their local neighbourhood, exploring topics such as cleanliness and community. In a follow-up media workshop, they then learnt the basics of radio production and put together an audio feature based on the recorded interviews. The resulting report was broadcast on Radio Orange 94.0 and also published in podcast format.

Funding applicant: Verein 280 Prävention.Bildung.Teilhabe (community youth work initiative)
Year implemented: 2025

Zukunft im Grätzl – energy conservation & waste prevention workshops

Three people, two of whom are wearing yellow high-visibility vests and gloves, are working head-on at a recycling plant, sorting waste materials on a conveyor belt.

This project invited young people from the neighbourhood to participate in two practice-based workshops where they learned about sustainable use of energy and resources. Combining theoretical know-how, practical exercises, creative techniques and an interesting tour of the Rautenweg landfill site, the workshops were designed to strengthen their everyday skills in energy conservation and waste prevention.

Funding applicant: Verein 280 Prävention.Bildung.Teilhabe (community youth work intiative)
Year implemented: 2025

“Hunger to participate” community kitchen

The picture shows two full roasting tins containing a red-orange bean dish. Several hands are holding them.

The "BOK Gastro" training initiative and the Back Bone youth centre are a perfect match: healthy, nutritious, tasty meals were prepared in the BOK Gastro kitchen and then served up to youngsters at the Back Bone youth centre. The community kitchen prepared food for 35 to 40 regular visitors to the Backbone open sessions on Tuesday afternoons. A total of ten community kitchen sessions were planned and delivered during the project period.

Funding applicant: Verein Back Bone – Mobile Jugendarbeit 20 (community youth work initiative for the 20th district)
Year implemented: 2025

Very Vacant_The Blank Space Within

A bustle of activity in a brightly lit ground-floor premises with four tall arched windows. In front of it stands a tree and various stands, suggesting there are benches in front of them.

The Kaeshmaesh cultural initiative focussed on vacant commercial premises. Its t/abor community arts studio put on daily changing shows by different artists in the period from 5 to 11 May 2025, finishing off with a series of discussion sessions and performances. The project vividly highlighted the impact of vacant premises on the surrounding neighbourhood and the resulting ecological consequences.

Funding applicant: Kaeshmaesh cultural initiative
Year implemented: 2025