But: "I had dropped out of school and didn't have a school-leaving certificate. So I first worked hard on myself and did a lot of voluntary work." Larissa worked for Caritas in a buddy programme for unaccompanied refugee minors and as a social worker at Pro Mente. One of her first permanent jobs was at Wiener Assistenz Genossenschaft. And: it also worked out with the university entrance qualification examination and a place on the Bachelor's degree programme in Social Work at the University of Applied Sciences Burgenland.

She now works as a social worker in a women's shelter in the Vienna Women's Shelters Association. After many different experiences, she knows:

The women and their children live in the women's refuge for around six months, depending on the level of risk. Larissa's tasks are varied: "We support the women with issues such as residence permits, divorce proceedings, custody, criminal proceedings, trial support and psychosocial counselling as well as job and housing prospects. In other words, on the path to independence and self-determination. We are there for the women in acute situations." There is room for up to 16 women and their children. It is the smallest centre in Vienna and the clients are young - between 16 and 26 years old.

She feels well prepared for the job thanks to her degree programme, but clarifies: "You can't learn some things in a degree programme. You only experience them in practice. I always come across new challenges, but I learn something new every day. That's what makes my job so exciting."

When asked about the highlight of her time at university, Larissa replies: "When I think back, it's clear that we were all like rough diamonds at the beginning of our studies and I think it really crystallised who was right for what and what the person was passionate about. I found it very exciting how we were able to develop."

In general, she emphasises that there was always room for exchange, friction and mistakes during her studies at University of Applied Sciences Burgenland.

Her bachelor's thesis, for which she was awarded the Burgenland University Prize, focussed on women affected by violence who have experienced migration or flight.