Jugendorganisationen

Youth Organisations: Austrian youth organisations are mainly oriented towards particular philosophies or political viewpoints, religions, or labour unions. The most important children´s and youth organisations are united under the umbrella organisation Bundesjugendring, Österreichischer (ÖBJR), which represents the interests of young people to the public, the government, and public representatives and authorities in Austria, and establishes contacts to youth organisations in other countries. The religious youth organisations include, among others, the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Katholischer Jugend Österreichs (AKJÖ, a Catholic association), the Evangelisches Jugendwerk in Österreich (EJW, Protestant), the Jugendgemeinschaft Christlichen Lebens in Österreich (JGCL, Christian), and the Katholische Jungschar Österreichs (KJS, Catholic). Among the politically oriented youth organisations are the Junge ÖVP (Young Austrian People´s Party, JVP), the Österreichische Kinderwelt (children´s organisation of the above-mentioned JVP), the Sozialistische Jugend Österreichs (Socialist Youth of Austria, SJÖ), the Rote Falken Österreichs (social-democratic children´s movement), the Kinderfreunde (children´s organisation belonging to the Austrian Social Democratic Party), the Ring Freiheitlicher Jugend (RFJ, associated with the Austrian Freedom Party), as well as youth organisations of the KPÖ (Austrian Communist Party), such as Kinderland and the Kommunistische Jugend Österreichs/Junge Linke (KJÖ). A large number of Austrian young people belong to labour organisations such as the Österreichische Gewerkschaftsjugend (ÖGJ), the Österreichische Jungarbeiterbewegung (ÖJAB), or the Österreichische Landjugend (ÖLJ), to organisations similar to the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, such as the Österreichischer Pfadfinderbund (ÖPB) or the Österreichische Pfadfinder und Pfadfinderinnen (ÖPP), or to organisations such as the Naturfreundejugend Österreichs (NFJ, a nature organisation) or the Österreichischer Alpenvereinsjugend (youth organisation of the Austrian Alpine Club). All youth organisations offer group-oriented recreational activities for young people and try to convey their respective values to their members.