Vienna in Repair Fever: Young People as the New Heroes of Sustainability
On December 17, 2025, Vienna was the scene of a remarkable recognition in the field of education for sustainable development. The project ‚Jugend-Reparatur-Kultur‘, an innovative collaboration between the Verein Wiener Jugendzentren, DIE UMWELTBERATUNG and the Reparaturnetzwerk Wien, won second place in the prestigious BNE award. But what lies behind this success and why does it captivate the masses? We dive deep into the world of young tinkerers.
What is the BNE award?
The BNE award stands for ‚Education for Sustainable Development‘. This award recognizes projects that link education with sustainability and thereby contribute to environmental protection and social responsibility. In a world where sustainability is becoming increasingly important, such initiatives are invaluable.
Repairing Instead of Throwing Away: The Philosophy Behind the Project
The heart of the ‚Jugend-Reparatur-Kultur‘ project is low-threshold workshops that teach young people practical skills. These workshops are designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Participants learn to repair bicycles, service game consoles and even assemble computers. A practical report on these workshops is available on DIE UMWELTBERATUNG's website.
- Repair bicycles
- Repair game console controllers
- Mobile phone maintenance
- Assembling computers
A project with social and environmental benefits
Christian Holzhacker, educational director of the Vienna Youth Centers association, explains: 'In the workshops, young people gain the know-how to carry out simple repairs and maintenance themselves. They learn practical skills, save money, and can also help out within their families and among friends.' These skills are not only beneficial for the participants but also make an active contribution to environmental protection by reducing waste and conserving resources.
The success story: From idea to implementation
The first workshops were carried out in 2024 at the Hirschstetten and Seestadt youth centers. Due to the great success, the activities were expanded to six youth centers in 2025. In total, 72 workshops took place in which not only bicycles and electronic devices were repaired, but also donated laptops from the company TechLine were restored to working order. These laptops are now available to the young people and enable digital participation.
A look at the numbers
The positive impacts of the project are impressive:
- Low-threshold access to repair know-how
- Avoiding waste and saving raw materials
- Cost savings through repairs
- Climate-friendly mobility through repaired bicycles
- Digital inclusion through functional laptops
Markus Piringer, circular economy expert at DIE UMWELTBERATUNG, emphasizes: "Repairing reduces waste and also saves resources that would be needed to produce new products. The young people thus also make an active contribution to environmental protection."
The path to the future: sustainability as the key to success
Although the project runs until the end of 2025, the Vienna youth centers plan to continue the repair activities. The cooperation with the repair network and DIE UMWELTBERATUNG has shown that such projects are not only feasible but can also be sustainably successful. The waste-prevention funding from the collection and recycling systems for packaging financially supported the project and will likely continue to play an important role in the future.
Expert opinions and visions for the future
A fictional expert in sustainable education, Dr. Max Grünwald, says: 'This project is a prime example of how education and sustainability can go hand in hand. It shows that through practical education we not only impart knowledge but can also have a direct impact on the environment.'
The vision for the future is clear: more projects like this that combine sustainability and education to create a better world for future generations.
A model for other federal states
The success of the project in Vienna could serve as a model for other federal states. At a time when sustainability is widely discussed, similar initiatives could also be launched in other cities and regions. The benefits are obvious: education, environmental protection, and social integration combined.
The city of Vienna has set a milestone with this project and shows how well-conceived educational projects can positively influence not only young people but society as a whole.
