It is therefore deeply rooted in rural areas and is the first port of call for many young people when it comes to experiencing community, taking on responsibility and making a difference.
Diversity of topics and opportunities
The range of topics is broad: from agriculture and the environment, culture and customs to sport, education and social commitment, rural youth cover almost all areas of life. One project could be organising a harvest festival, another could be providing support for flood damage or collecting donations for families in need. International encounters, competitions and seminars are also part of the fixed programme - this promotes thinking outside the box.
An important aspect: rural youth is pure grassroots democracy. Each local group designs its own programme, makes decisions together and thus ensures that the concerns of young people are at the centre of attention.
Volunteering plays a central role in this. Year after year, the members put in countless hours of voluntary work - be it renovating a playground, organising sports tournaments or charity events. According to internal surveys, this totals several million volunteer hours throughout Austria. This makes the Landjugend not only a leisure organisation, but also an important social motor that strengthens coexistence in rural regions.
Urfahr-Umgebung rural youth & the Volunteer Day 2025
This year, the rural youth in the Urfahr-Umgebung district impressively demonstrated the strength of voluntary work. On 14 September 2025, the Volunteer Day took place for the first time in Sonnberg im Mühlkreis - under the motto "Hauts eich her, san ma mehr!". An atmospheric field fair in the morning attracted numerous visitors. This was followed by club and information stands, hands-on programmes, a colourful children's programme, music and regional delicacies. The individual local groups also presented themselves creatively along the "rural youth trail".
The feedback was overwhelming: the Volunteer Day brought people together, made the diversity of volunteering visible and left the impression that working together in the Urfahr-Umgebung district is not just a tradition, but the future.
Support from the business world: Zellinger shows responsibility
To make such events possible, not only committed volunteers are needed, but also strong partners. One of these is Zellinger GmbH from Walding - a family business with around 130 employees, specialising in waste disposal, transport and excavation. Managing Director Jürgen Humer-Zellinger emphasises: "We support this day because volunteering is the foundation of our society. Anyone who takes part here strengthens the community and the future of the region."
#We think it's #schongenial that this Volunteer Day was also supported by another #schongenial partner, the Hochreiter Group from Bad Leonfelden.
