One in five under-20s in Tyrol is at risk of poverty

One in five people under 20 in Tyrol is at risk of poverty, ORF reports, citing figures that put the total number of people affected in the region at about 93,000. Caritas Tirol says poverty is becoming entrenched despite a slight year-on-year decline.

The latest Tyrol poverty report puts 12% of the population, or around 93,000 people, at risk. The share of people facing persistent poverty rose from 7.8% to 9.5%.

Caritas Tirol, a social services organisation, says financial hardship and psychological strain often go hand in hand for young people. Its staff report that some families cannot afford their electricity bills, while some teenagers arrive at a youth centre hungry.

Young people ask for food

Staff at Space, a Caritas youth centre in Innsbruck’s Reichenau district, say some teenagers arrive in the afternoon as soon as the centre opens without having eaten. Food or money may be lacking at home, while some parents have little time for their children because of work.

Young people have been asking for food more often since the recent rise in prices, centre director Sebastian Gabl said. Space now uses part of its budget to provide food and regularly cooks with visitors. Gabl said sharing meals also helps build trust and make conversation easier.

The centre has been open for 10 years and receives around 50 to 100 children and young people aged 12 and over each day. Visitors seek support with poverty, mental health pressures, family conflict, school or training difficulties and substance use, issues that often overlap, Gabl said. Many feel they must constantly perform, he added, and need a place where they can simply be themselves.

More than 4,300 social consultations

Caritas Tirol had carried out more than 4,300 social consultations by the end of October 2026. Support includes short-term financial assistance, help with applications and advice on saving energy.

Caritas director Elisabeth Rathgeb said the people who seek help represent only “the tip of the iceberg”, since asking for support requires overcoming a barrier. The organisation can ease immediate hardship but cannot solve the social causes of poverty on its own.

Caritas is also under pressure to cut spending and is increasingly relying on volunteers alongside donations. Rathgeb said children and young people must not be overlooked, adding that early support can strengthen their development and help prevent social problems later.