[Please note that German language skills are required to participate in this program.]

NextGenBuddies is a program launched in 2010 by WU, Caritas Vienna, and BILLA to promote educational equality. Through Volunteering@WU, approximately 130 WU students volunteer each semester as study buddies, music buddies, and sports buddies. They provide weekly support to around 260 children and teenagers aged 6 to 18 from various Caritas and Red Cross institutions.

The guiding principle of the program is mutual learning and collective growth. For the children and teenagers, the students serve as role models, boosting their self-confidence, supporting academic progress, and fostering social engagement. At the same time, the students broaden their perspectives and cultivate a sense of responsibility. The program incorporates the service-learning method, where students engage in volunteer work (service) while attending seminars, supervision sessions, and completing reflective assignments (learning). Participants earn 3 ECTS credits per term, and after two semesters, they become eligible for WU’s social skills certificate.

For more information about the program and to sign up click here.

DID YOU KNOW?

STaR has a webpage specifically dedicated to ways you can GET INVOLVED and support sustainable development on and beyond WU'S campus.