Boys’ Day seeks to bring more men into care work
Thursday 12th November 2026 on 05:45 in
Austria
Austria’s annual Boys’ Day is introducing boys and young men to careers in care and social services, with 13 care and support centres in Lower Austria taking part on Thursday, ORF reported.
At Volkshilfe Niederösterreich in Wiener Neustadt, participants can try using walking aids and practise bandaging on a care mannequin. They can also learn about different care jobs, the training required and what the work involves.
Men remain underrepresented in the sector. The Lower Austrian Health Agency says men make up 16.7 per cent of care staff at clinics and care and support centres in its network, or about one in six employees. In childcare, around 60 male early childhood educators worked alongside more than 5,000 women, according to figures from the state in May 2025. Men accounted for 1.1 per cent of the workforce.
The 13 participating centres include facilities in Eggenburg, Waidhofen an der Thaya, Himberg, Wilhelmsburg and Herzogenburg. Boys and young men aged 12 to 25 can learn about care workers’ duties and the support provided to older people, and speak with staff. The programme also includes school workshops and talks with men working in social, care and educational professions.
Lower Austrian education councillor Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister said boys should be encouraged to consider careers beyond traditional gender expectations. She said society needed men working in kindergartens as well as care and social services, just as girls are encouraged to enter technical fields.
The campaign comes as demand for workers is expected to grow. The Public Employment Service in Lower Austria forecasts that employment in health and social services will rise by about 9,000 people by 2030, citing demographic changes and increasing care needs. In 2025, there were an average of 1.2 jobseekers for each vacancy in care and social professions, compared with 3.5 across all sectors.
Boys’ Day takes place across Austria each year, and participation is free. Some events require advance registration.