In the Wegscheid district of Linz, the motto applies “all inclusive”

“Excited and a little scared too” was Vanessa Geissler about two months ago. The 27-year-old had lived with her mother her whole life. In mid-May she finally left home and has since been a member of a 15-person living group in the Wegscheid district of Linz. The fear is now “completely” disappeared. “I like it here, I think we’ll be a real family soon”says Geissler.

The residential group is integrated into a new Lawog residential complex with a total of 217 residential units in the south of Linz. The special thing about the project: Around a quarter of these apartments, a total of 58, are intended for people with disabilities or people in need of care.

According to the president of Lebenshilfe Oberösterreich, Stefan Hutter, the goal was together with the association pro mente ein “inclusive district” to create in which people with the most diverse demands live together.

In addition to the 15-person residential group, which deliberately accommodates young people between the ages of 18 and 31, there are also two in Wegscheid “training apartments”. There, people with disabilities learn step by step how to become self-employed. The accompaniment by the supervisors, for example when cooking, washing dishes or cleaning, is adapted to the respective needs.

Andreas Hammerl from Linz moved into one of these apartments. So far, the 25-year-old has lived with his grandparents, but he’s wanted to move out for a long time: “I have to do everything myself now, but I’m fine with it.” Hammerl has been working full-time as a customer advisor at a fashion store in Plus City in Pasching for two years. Hammerl also travels to work independently with public transport. At the moment there is even a permanent position in the room.

“Rethink inclusion”

For Social Provincial Councilor Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (VP) is the settlement “a new way of thinking about inclusion” and part of the housing expansion program, in which 129 housing units for people with disabilities are to be built in Upper Austria this year.