Public viewing and martial arts at the Kolpinghaus Graz
18. June 2024
Roland Maurer-Aldrian
I am the (no longer quite so) new guy at Kolpinghaus and am very much looking forward to my task of taking over the management from Hermann Krogger. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and my career.
I was born in 1976 and spent the first few years of my life in Köflach, where I fell in love with soccer from an early age. Soccer then also got me into children's and youth work in Graz: After graduating from high school, I started as a soccer coach at LUV-Graz and coached children and young people for years alongside my sociology studies, helping them grow up. After moving to Vienna for a loved one, I started my youth center career there, which then took me via Mureck to WIKI in Graz in 2010. At WIKI, I was responsible for children and youth work for several years and was also responsible for community work as well as sports and education projects. I was also part of the management team responsible for organizational development and innovation. I switched to SOS Kinderdorf in 2017 when I was offered a job in youth street work. I have initiated and implemented numerous projects in my positions in children and youth work, community work and recreational sports. This has resulted, for example, in Austria's first Skateboard World Cup in Graz, the children's rights project Heimspiel and the first inner-city disc golf course in Graz.
In my private life, I am married and the father of two children. We live in Graz, where we enjoy nature with our dog, but also appreciate the proximity to the city. You can meet me on various sports fields, at the movies and museums and whenever possible by the sea. Occasionally, I also find time to work with children as a volunteer soccer coach and teach courses at universities and universities of applied sciences.
Before joining the Kolpinghaus in August last year, I managed the Jugendstreetwork department at the SOS Kinderdorf in Graz and completed my second degree (social work), as well as supporting innovative projects such as Hobby Lobby Graz and Wunderteam Graz in all aspects of project development.
I am now devoting all my energies to Kolpinghaus Graz in order to further develop our services for young people in a timely manner and to continue to be a house that enables young people to grow up well and become independent. Good cooperation in a (currently already great team) is just as important to me as the participation of young people and the mission that Adolph Kolping gave us.
To make this mission a success, we must all play our part and be open to change. Accordingly, my doors are always open at the Kolpinghaus and I am always happy to see people, talk to them and receive new ideas as well as appreciative criticism.
With this in mind, I look forward to continuing to work with you, to many more conversations and experiences and remain with best regards,
