ÖJAB (Österreichische Jungarbeiterbewegung - Austrian Young Workers Movement) is a youth organisation, independent of any party or religious obligation, which offers, as a non-profit organisation, accommodation for students, pupils, apprentices, young workers and senior citizens. At present about 3.500 young people and 500 senior citizens live in the 24 student hostels, youth residences and senior citizens' residences and nursing homes run by ÖJAB (all over Austria).

ÖJAB is working in four different fields:

  · Youth work

  · Work for senior citizens

  · European and international educational work

  · Development co-operation

The basic idea of ÖJAB is distinctly displayed by its coat of arms (see above):

  · the red-white-red field represents the Austrian flag: as a declared belief in Austria.

  · the black, the red, and the blue fields stand for those three parties which were represented in
    parliament during the first years of ÖJAB: as a sign of political independence.

  · the cogwheel is a symbol of the common work with the main goal to give youth a chance.

  · the cross in the middle of the coat of arms as a symbol of humanism based on a Christian philosophy
    of life.

Others about ÖJAB (in German language)