Stadt Wien - Wiener ArbeitnehmerInnen Förderungsfonds (waff)Europäischer Sozialfonds (ESF)

The Vienna Employees Promotion Fund (waff) is an institution of the City of Vienna that acts as an Intermediate Body (ZWIST) for the European Social Fund (ESF+) in Vienna. The waff supports job seekers and employed residents of Vienna through a variety of funding programs and projects, including counseling and financial grants for vocational training and further education, labor market policy measures, as well as programs promoting equal opportunities and active inclusion. Target groups include, among others, young people without apprenticeships, individuals with low qualifications, women and single parents, persons with mental health issues or addiction problems, and groups at risk of poverty. Through initiatives such as the Opportunity Voucher, the Education Account, the Skilled Workers Scholarship, BBE Woman Empowerment, and other ESF projects, the waff promotes professional qualification and sustainable integration into the labor market.

The waff is committed to improving the employment prospects and social inclusion of Vienna’s employees. As an intermediate body of the European Social Fund (ESF+), it works closely with the City of Vienna, the federal government, and other partners to create equal opportunities through targeted funding programs, combat poverty, enhance qualifications, and promote sustainable integration into the labor market. The goal is to provide all Viennese, regardless of origin, gender, or social status, with access to further education, counseling, and financial support, thereby strengthening economic and social participation.

The funding programs of waff are aimed at Vienna-based employees and job seekers of all age groups with diverse support needs. This includes, in particular, individuals with low educational or vocational qualifications, adolescents and young adults without training or employment relationships, women and single parents, people with mental illnesses or multiple psychosocial challenges, as well as persons at risk of poverty. Through individual counseling, qualification, and support measures, barriers in the labor market are to be reduced, professional prospects opened up, and social participation sustainably strengthened.