Interpreting Services for People with Disabilities

The Fonds Soziales Wien (FSW) supports people with disabilities in Vienna through an annual grant for disability-specific interpreting services. This funding offer is aimed at deaf, deafblind, and hearing-impaired individuals who rely on sign language, Lorm, sign-supported communication, or symbol language. The goal is to facilitate participation in social life, educational institutions, and private everyday life – from official matters and doctor’s appointments to parent-teacher meetings and leisure activities. The funding covers both sign language interpreting and tactile interpreting for educational purposes and social rehabilitation. The procedure follows an individual needs assessment and professional evaluation by multiprofessional experts of the FSW. The decision on grants is based on the criteria of cost-effectiveness, appropriateness, and proof of disability-specific interpreting competence.

The maximum funding amount is €3,000 per year (up to €6,000 for sign language interpreting). A reasonable deductible in accordance with the Vienna Minimum Security Regulation is taken into account in the calculation. Only services that are not otherwise legally or contractually financed and whose waiting time does not exceed half an hour are eligible for funding. Applications can be submitted at any time to the FSW Customer Service – Disability Assistance Advisory Center. Required documents include, among others, proof of disability, income statements for the last three months, official photo ID, registration certificate, and proof of citizenship. Further funding requirements include main residence or habitual residence in Vienna as well as Austrian citizenship or equivalent status according to the EEA Agreement. Applicants commit to promptly reporting any changes in personal or financial circumstances.