Jelena, the probation officer

"I initially thought I wanted to become a teacher and started a teaching degree in German and English," she says. However, her desire to help people in a different way soon grew. "I took part in social projects as a pupil, such as for the Pannonian Food Bank. That made a big impression on me."

Like many others, Jelena applied for the Bachelor's degree programme in Social Work at Burgenland University of Applied Sciences. It wasn't until her second attempt that she was accepted... and then came corona. "Looking back, I have to say that the degree programme went very well despite the pandemic. We had online teaching, but socialising was still very important. That's also important, because the fellow students from back then became our colleagues on the job."

Jelena also has only the best memories of the numerous internships during her studies. She herself worked in support work for people with disabilities, child and youth welfare and probation services at the Neustart association.

After graduating, she gained experience at a women's counselling centre, but remained active at Neustart on a voluntary basis. She has now been working there full-time since March.