NEOS focuses on equal opportunities: New speaker for language development!

NEOS focuses on equal opportunities: New speaker for language development!

In Vienna there has recently been a breath of fresh air in the district council: the NEOS have a new district spokesman and his deputy may be refreshingly different. With years of experience in the district team, election campaigns and constant conversations with passers-by, he not only brings a clear sense of exchange and openness, but also broad professional experience in business. “For me, politics is a combination of exchange and clarity,” says the newcomer, who has been volunteering at a Viennese charity for the poor for years.

He has a good knack for structure and strategies, which he sees as central to successful political work. He develops these skills not least through his passion for teamwork. Since 2015, he has been particularly influenced by language support for young people with refugee experience. A political perspective that is both factual and human characterizes him and brings fresh input into the work of NEOS.

Equal opportunities in focus

A central concern of the new deputy is equal opportunities. There is currently a worrying trend in schools: around 48,400 students at compulsory schools need intensive German support. This is an increase of 54 percent compared to four years ago. The first grades of elementary school are particularly affected, where 23.2 percent of children need support. Many of these children have come to Austria in recent years, often through family reunification or as a result of flight and expulsion. After all, good knowledge of German is crucial for your educational path, because without it a lot falls by the wayside.

The NEOS are therefore in favor of doubling German funding. “We need real measures to meet these challenges,” emphasizes the new district spokesman. The focus is on providing more money and targeted and effective support programs.

Language as the key to success

But why is language support so important? That answers this question Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Language plays a crucial role in knowledge, social contacts and personal development. Good language skills are the basis for a successful life as an adult. If children are not adequately supported, the consequences can be really serious.

One way to achieve more equal opportunities on this basis is through early support measures. Over 90 percent of children between the ages of three and six attend kindergarten or similar institutions where language education is extremely important. It is also necessary to integrate more digital formats into language education in order to provide the children with the best possible support.

The new district spokesman wants these issues to finally get the attention they deserve. This is the only way to ensure that every child, regardless of their background, has the same educational opportunities. A big step in the right direction to make Vienna an even fairer city.

He will continue to stand for issues such as personal responsibility and efficient framework conditions and hopes to be able to achieve concrete and sustainable changes for the people in the district with his team. Nothing less than real equality of opportunity – that is the goal.

NEOS Vienna provides a fresh political approach, and the commitment of all stakeholders will be crucial to bringing this vision to life.

NEOS have an ambitious goal in mind: improving integration through language support and more equal opportunities for all children in Vienna.