🇦🇹 Preparation Activities – Austria

ECAPT Project | National Preparation Phase

1. Introduction and Context

As part of the preparation phase of the ECAPT project, the Austrian partner conducted a comprehensive exploration of discrimination in everyday life, focusing particularly on the lived experiences of young people in Vienna. Given Vienna's cultural, social, and religious diversity, the topic was approached not only as a social challenge but also as an opportunity to highlight inclusion, empathy, and mutual respect.

The preparation activities combined research, interviews, creative outputs, and visual storytelling, allowing participants to critically examine discrimination across different social fields and educational contexts

.2. Understanding Discrimination in the Austrian Context

Participants defined discrimination as unjustified disadvantage or unequal treatment based on characteristics such as origin, gender, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background. The research showed that discrimination in Austria often appears in subtle and structural forms, rather than openly.

According to the collected testimonies and written analysis, discrimination is most commonly experienced in:

  • Schools and educational institutions

  • Neighbourhoods and public spaces

  • Cultural and social environments

  • Sports and extracurricular activities

Young people reported experiences such as derogatory comments, stereotyping, unequal treatment, and exclusion due to language, appearance, clothing, name, or financial situatioN. 

A key concept highlighted throughout the preparation work was intersectionality, where individuals experience multiple forms of discrimination simultaneously (e.g. gender and migrant background, disability and social class).

3. Interviews as a Core Preparation Tool

3.1 Interview with a Women's Football Trainer

The interview with a women's football trainer revealed gender-based discrimination in sports, particularly the constant pressure on women to prove competence beyond performance. Despite equal commitment and training intensity, women's teams often receive less recognition, poorer conditions, and limited media visibility.

Key insights include:

  • Discrimination rooted in outdated gender stereotypes

  • Emotional pressure and frustration among players

  • Strong team solidarity as a coping mechanism

  • The importance of visibility, advocacy, and institutional change

The interview emphasized that equality is a long-term process that requires continuous commitment from clubs, coaches, and institutions

3.2 Interview with a Theatre Educator

The theater educator highlighted social discrimination linked to socio-economic background, especially among young people facing difficult life situations. Many participants were school dropouts, migrants, or youth lacking family support.

Theatre was presented as:

  • A safe and inclusive space

  • A tool for emotional expression and healing

  • A method to ensure equal participation regardless of background

The educator stressed that discrimination is often normalized and overlooked, especially when individuals judge reality only through their own lived experience. Raising awareness through creative education was identified as essential.

3.3 Interview with a Special After-School Care Educator

This interview focused on discrimination in special education and after-school care, particularly involving children with disabilities behavioral differences. The educator described how inclusion often "exists only on paper," while in practice children are punished rather than supported.

Key challenges identified:

  • Prejudices and rigid expectations

  • Lack of understanding and resources

  • Early internalization of discrimination by children

The preparation activities highlighted emotional education, music, movement, and role-playing as powerful tools for building empathy, self-esteem, and mutual respect among children.

4. "Same Problem – Different Stages" Analysis

One of the central analytical outputs was the comparative framework "Same Problem – Different Stages", which examined discrimination across:

  • Women's football

  • Theatre education

  • Special school care education

Despite different environments, the findings showed a shared pattern:

  • Structural discrimination

  • Lack of institutional support

  • Constant need for individuals to prove their worth

  • Long-term emotional and social impact

This analysis clearly demonstrated that discrimination adapts to context but follows similar mechanisms across life stages and educational practices

5. Creative and Visual Outputs

Participants produced a series of posters and visual materials addressing racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, classism, ageism, lookism, and religious discrimination. These visuals used strong symbolism, inclusive messaging, and accessible language to communicate complex social issues.

Key messages included:

  • "We may look different, but our hearts all beat the same"

  • "Don't hate who others love"

  • "Discrimination is everywhere – but change is possible"

The creative approach allowed participants to transform research findings into public-facing awareness tools, reinforcing the educational impact of the preparation phase.

6. Key Findings

The Austrian preparation activities led to the following conclusions:

  • Discrimination can be visible or invisible, but always has real consequences

  • There are many interconnected forms of discrimination

  • Young people are particularly affected during critical developmental stages

  • Creative expression and open dialogue are powerful tools for change

  • Awareness, education, and safe spaces are essential for inclusion

These findings were grounded in interviews, personal experiences, and participants' social environments

7. Conclusion and Contribution to ECAPT

The Austrian preparation phase provided a deep, reflective, and practice-oriented foundation for the ECAPT project. By combining research, interviews, creative work, and critical analysis, participants developed a nuanced understanding of discrimination and its impact on young people.

This work not only strengthened participants' awareness and empathy but also contributed valuable insights and methodologies to the transnational project. The Austrian outputs clearly demonstrate that change begins in everyday life—through listening, courage, solidarity, and mutual respect.