OUR ORGANIZATION
The Austrian Service Abroad is a non-governmental non-profit organization accredited and sponsored by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health Care and Consumer Protection. It provides Austrians of all genders the opportunity to do a volunteering service abroad. Under certain conditions such volunteering services may be acknowledged as an alternative to Austria’s mandatory military or national service for male Austrians. The organization was founded in 1998 by Andreas Maislinger, Michael Prochazka and Andreas Hörtnagl.
The organization prepares candidates for their service abroad, sends them to their placement and supports them during their stay abroad. The preparation period consists of conferences (online & physical), seminars (online & physical), voluntary-based contributions to the workflow of the Austrian Service Abroad organization, literature clubs, study trips, workshops and educational visits. During their service, Austrian Servants Abroad maintain contact with their sending organization.
The Austrian Service Abroad consists of its internal structure according to the organization’s organigramm in addition to organizational projects.
The Austrian Service Abroad provides the opportunity to do a Gedenkdienst, Austrian Social Service and Austrian Peace Service and has partner institutions around the world organized in 9 geographical areas.
Working with young adults brings with it major challenges. Their protection is the club’s top priority and requires ongoing, critical reflection
and acting responsibly so that they can feel safe and comfortable in the association. To this end, measures are taken through the Violence Prevention and Integrity Plan (GPIP – Safeguarding Policy). These measures aim to provide a safe and responsible environment for the volunteers, to ensure the protection of individual interests and the to ensure the quality of the association’s work at a high level.
Jean-Lou studied political science, communication science and business administration. With more than 20 years of leadership experience in media, communications, life sciences, research funding, the private sector and NGOs he brings a broad range of management expertise. He has extensive experience in strategic communications, change management, and international stakeholder engagement. In senior leadership roles, he has guided transformation processes, realigned organizations, and built sustainable partnerships. This background enables him to continue the successful work of the Austrian Service Abroad and to advance its further development together with the team and its partners.
Jens studied social sciences and history in Bonn and Prague, specialising in Eastern European history and the history of the Romani people. After completing his studies, he gained experience in administration and management in politics and educational institutions. He has been head of administration and consultancy since 2024.
Aleksandar Novakovic is the head of education and a student of Sinology at the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of Vienna. He is writing his master’s thesis on transitional justice and memory politics in Taiwan and is interested in questions of peaceful conflict resolution in international relations. During his studies, he spent one year at Nanjing University and one year at National Taiwan University. In 2021, he completed his Gedenkdienst at the Cape Town Holocaust and Genocide Center. The final project of his memorial service was titled “(Im)Possibilities of a Comparative Approach to Transitional Justice.”