Johannesburg

What Johannesburg does

Johannesburg GmbH is a German child and youth welfare and vocational education provider headquartered in Surwold, Emsland, operating continuously since its official opening on March 1, 1913 by Bishop Hubertus Voß. The organization serves approximately 650 young people daily across four integrated service pillars: child and youth welfare (Kinder- & Jugendhilfe) with 15 residential groups (Wohngruppen), 12 day groups (Tagesgruppen), outpatient family assistance (Ambulante Hilfen), and supported living (Betreutes Wohnen) for unaccompanied minor refugees from age 18; vocational orientation and training (Berufsorientierung/Berufliche Bildung) spanning 19 workshops across 40 training professions including rehabilitation apprenticeships, retraining, supported employment, and the PIT! inclusive alternative for people with disabilities; two state-recognized schools (the Pater-Petto-Schule Förderschule for emotional and social development serving up to 120 students, and the Berufsbildende Schule vocational school); and accompanying therapeutic and support services (Begleitende Dienste) covering psychological services, play therapy, developmental support, social skills/de-escalation training, and transportation across the Emsland district.

The organization's revenue is generated almost exclusively through institutional public-sector funding channels: Jugendämter (youth welfare offices) pay for child welfare placements, the Agentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency) funds vocational rehabilitation measures under §35 SGB IX, and state education authorities fund the two accredited schools. The company is organized as a GmbH (private limited company) but is wholly owned by the Kinder- und Jugendstiftung der Hiltruper Herz-Jesu-Missionare im Emsland, a Catholic non-profit foundation established in 1996, and is a corporate member of the Caritas Association for the Diocese of Osnabrück. It employs 360+ staff across education, social pedagogy, vocational training, therapy, and administration, and operates a secondary location — the Jugendgästehaus youth hostel in Papenburg — opened in 2011.

There is no proprietary technology platform underlying the service delivery; the offering is fundamentally human-capital intensive, relying on social-pedagogical methods, certified therapeutic modalities, and master-craftspeople-led vocational instruction. No AI, automation, or software product layer is documented. Recent strategic activity has focused on expanding the disability inclusion segment via the PIT! program (launched September 2022), broadening vocational workshops into Sales and Warehouse/Logistics, and a leadership transition with Annett Stindt as new Managing Director. The institution's moat rests on regulatory accreditation, foundation ownership and Caritas affiliation, integrated campus model, and 110+ years of operating history with referral authorities in the Emsland region.

Name

Johannesburg

Legal name

Johannesburg GmbH

Website

https://johannesburg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Johannesburg GmbH is a German child and youth welfare and vocational education provider in Surwold, Emsland, serving roughly 650 young people daily through residential care, day groups, state-recognized schools, and 19 vocational workshops across 40 professions, funded by public Jugendämter and employment agencies, with 360+ employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child and Youth Welfare Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education Vocational & Transition Programs (18–22) (EDAKAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transition & School-Readiness Support for Special Needs Children (HSAAAIAO), Special Education Staffing & Contracted Providers (Paras, Therapists, Specialists) (EDAJAKAL), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Youth residential care
• Vocational rehabilitation training
• Special needs education
• Social pedagogical support

Headquarters

HQ city

Surwold

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Child and Youth Welfare Services (Kinder- und Jugendhilfe): Government-funded social services through collaboration with youth offices (Jugendamt), providing residential care, day groups, and ambulatory assistance for young people in need.
2. Vocational Education and Training: Rehabilitation and vocational training programs funded through employment agencies (Agentur für Arbeit) and social rehabilitation recognition (§ 35 SGB IX), offering apprenticeships, retraining, and qualification measures for young people with special support needs.
3. State-Recognized Schools: State-recognized special needs school (Pater-Petto-Schule for emotional and social development) and vocational school operating under state educational funding frameworks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Johannesburg GmbH provides integrated child and youth welfare services, vocational education and rehabilitation training, and state-recognized special education schools on a single campus in Surwold, Germany. The organization operates 15 residential groups, 12 day groups, outpatient family assistance, 19 vocational training workshops across 40 professions, and two state-recognized schools serving approximately 650 young people daily with 360+ multi-professional staff.

Product overview

Johannesburg GmbH is a comprehensive child and youth welfare and vocational education provider operating since 1913 in Surwold, Emsland, Germany. The organization offers an integrated portfolio of services organized around four core pillars: (1) Kinder- & Jugendhilfe (Children & Youth Welfare) including residential groups, day groups, outpatient assistance, and supported living; (2) Berufliche Bildung/Berufsorientierung (Vocational Training/Career Orientation) spanning 19 training workshops, 40 training professions, career preparation, apprenticeships, and PIT! inclusive alternative to disability workshops; (3) Schulen (Schools) comprising the state-recognized Förderschule Pater-Petto-Schule for emotional/social development, Berufsbildende Schule, and Schulsozialarbeit across 20 primary schools; and (4) Begleitende Dienste (Support Services) including psychological services, play therapy, developmental support, social skills training, and transportation. Additional offerings include a youth guest house, boarding school, and a support association (Förderverein). The organization serves approximately 650 young people daily with 360+ employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pater-Petto-Schule: Förderschule (special school) for emotional and social development, serving up to 120 children and youth with identified support needs.
• Berufsbildende Schule
• Förderverein Johannesburg e.V.
• PIT!
• Jugendgästehaus Johannesburg

Products and services

• Kinder- & Jugendhilfe (Child and Youth Welfare) Comprehensive child and youth welfare services for young people whose well-being and development are at risk, including residential groups, day groups, outpatient family assistance, and supported living. Funded through youth welfare offices (Jugendamt).
• Berufsorientierung (Career Orientation)

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Förderverein Johannesburg e.V.minorOthers · 1 March 2009Support association founded in March 2009 that provides additional financial and ideal support for young people in special life situations. Financed through membership fees, charity event proceeds, and donations. Provides PC for training, riding therapy, driver's licenses, and other developmental support not covered by institutional funding.
• PKF WMS OmbudsteamminorOthersExternal ombudsman team based in Osnabrück that handles whistleblower reports in compliance with the Whistleblower Protection Act (Hinweisgeberschutzgesetz). Provides anonymous reporting system for employees to report legal violations.
• Caritasverband für die Diözese Osnabrück e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Johannesburg is a corporate member of the Caritas Association for the Diocese of Osnabrück, connecting it with facilities and services with charitable missions. The partnership strengthens professional exchange, bundles common interests, and supports reliable development of human service work.
• Kinder- und Jugendstiftung der Hiltruper Herz-Jesu-Missionare im EmslandcoreOthersFoundation established as the legal trustee of the Johannesburg, owning the facility and ensuring its charitable mission continuation.
• Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie AschendorfminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal psychiatric partner for cooperation when young people require specialized psychiatric care beyond the scope of psychological services provided internally.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SOS Kinderdorf e.V. Operates residential villages and youth welfare services for at-risk children and adolescents across Germany. Closely comparable in the Kinder- & Jugendhilfe residential and ambulatory segment, though with less vocational training depth than Johannesburg.
• Graf Recke Stiftung: Düsseldorf-based confessional foundation operating residential youth welfare, special education, and vocational rehabilitation services. Highly comparable in combining Kinder- und Jugendhilfe with school and Werkstatt-style offerings, with similar funding mix (Jugendamt + SGB IX).
• bbw (Berufsbildungswerke) e.V. National association of Berufsbildungswerke delivering vocational training for youth with disabilities under §35 SGB IX. Directly comparable to Johannesburg's Berufliche Bildung / PIT! offerings, with similar funder base (Agentur für Arbeit, Rentenversicherung).
• CJD (Christliches Jugenddorfwerk Deutschland e.V.): Germany's largest Christian-affiliated youth welfare, education, and vocational training network. Operates residential groups, special schools, and Berufsbildungswerke under a similar SGB VIII / SGB IX framework, making it the closest direct comparator to Johannesburg's integrated model.
• Stiftung ICP München: Munich-based foundation providing special education schools, early intervention, and vocational training for children and youth with disabilities. Directly comparable in combining Förderschule, Heilpädagogik, and Berufsvorbereitung under a single mission-driven operator.

Emerging players

• Phorms Education SE: For-profit operator of bilingual K–12 schools and nurseries in Germany. Adjacent in the K–12 special/specialty education space but private-pay rather than publicly funded; useful as a for-profit benchmark for the German education services category.

Broad incumbents

• Diakonie Deutschland: Protestant equivalent of Caritas and a major operator of Jugendhilfe, special education, and rehabilitation services in Germany. Comparable funding structure (Jugendamt, SGB IX) and youth welfare scope, though far larger and more diversified than Johannesburg.
• AWO Bundesverband e.V. One of Germany's six Spitzenverbände der freien Wohlfahrtspflege, with nationwide Kinder- und Jugendhilfe, school social work, and vocational programs. Overlaps broadly with Johannesburg but as a federation of many local providers rather than a single integrated campus operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/johannesburg.surwold
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/johannesburg-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/johannesburg_surwold

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Johannesburg