Buurtwerk

What Buurtwerk does

Buurtwerk (legally operating as 'gro-up buurtwerk') is a division of gro-up, a Dutch social services organization that delivers neighborhood work ('buurtwerk') on behalf of municipalities across the Netherlands. The organization is commissioned by local governments to improve livability and social cohesion in neighborhoods, providing three primary service lines: Jeugdwerk (youth work for children in primary school age, up to 13 years), Jongerenwerk (youth work targeting teenagers and young adults), and Volwassenenwerk/Maatschappelijk Werk (social work for adults and elderly residents).

The organization employs a proprietary methodology called the '4V's approach' (vinden/verbinden/versterken/vinger aan de pols — Find, Connect, Strengthen, Monitor), which structures how staff identify community needs, connect residents, strengthen social fabric, and maintain ongoing monitoring. Supporting tooling includes Gruppets (a community meeting organization platform) and the Activiteitenzoeker (activity finder), which allow residents to locate neighborhood programs. The service also extends to residential facilities, notably a youth residential training house in Vianen.

Commercially, Buurtwerk is a non-profit social enterprise that generates revenue exclusively through municipal service contracts negotiated with individual Dutch municipalities. Its go-to-market is direct engagement with municipal government commissioners (welfare/social affairs departments). The organization operates physical presence across multiple municipalities in the Utrecht region and South Holland region, with recent expansion to Uithoorn. It is privately held under the gro-up parent organization with no external investment or public listing, and reports no disclosed financials, headcount, or certifications in the input data.

Name

Buurtwerk

Website

https://buurtwerk.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Buurtwerk, a division of Dutch social services group gro-up, delivers commissioned neighborhood work services on behalf of Dutch municipalities. It provides youth work, adult social work, and community engagement programs using a proprietary 4V's methodology across multiple Dutch neighborhoods.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Neighborhood social work
• Community social services
• Youth community programs
• Social cohesion services
• Municipal social work

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Municipal Service Contracts: Buurtwerk generates revenue through service contracts with Dutch municipalities. They are commissioned to improve liveability and social cohesion in neighborhoods, providing youth work, adult social work, and community activities. The organization operates as a non-profit social enterprise under the gro-up parent organization.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Buurtwerk provides neighborhood social work services on behalf of Dutch municipalities, focused on improving livability and social cohesion. Its core offerings include Jeugdwerk (youth work for children up to 13 years), Jongerenwerk (youth work for teenagers and young adults), and Volwassenenwerk/Maatschappelijk Werk (social work for adults and elderly). Services are delivered through the proprietary 4V's approach (vinden/verbinden/versterken/vinger aan de pols) and embedded local staff in commissioned neighborhoods.

Product overview

Buurtwerk is a social neighborhood work service provided by gro-up, operating as a multi-module service offering that encompasses youth work (Jeugdwerk for children up to 13 years, Jongerenwerk for teenagers and young adults), and social work for adults and elderly (Maatschappelijk Werk/Volwassenenwerk). The service employs a proprietary 4V's methodology (vinden, verbinden, versterken, vinger aan de pols) and uses tools like Gruppets for organizing community activities and an Activiteitenzoeker (activity finder) for residents. Buurtwerk operates on behalf of Dutch municipalities to improve livability and social cohesion in neighborhoods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Buurtwerk Neighborhood Work Services

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• DOCK: DOCK is a Rotterdam-based social neighborhood work organization delivering youth work, adult social work, and community activities on behalf of Dutch municipalities using methodologies comparable to Buurtwerk's. It directly competes for the same municipal commissions in the South Holland region.
• Combiwel: Combiwel is an Amsterdam-based social work organization offering youth work, community development, and social cohesion programs commissioned by municipalities. Directly comparable in service mix, customer base, and contract-based revenue model.
• WIJ Amsterdam: WIJ Amsterdam is a municipal social-services organization providing neighborhood-level youth work, social support, and community programs commissioned by the Amsterdam municipality. Highly comparable service portfolio and commissioned-government business model.
• Volkskracht: Volkskracht is a Utrecht-based social services organization focused on neighborhood work and community building commissioned by municipalities in the Utrecht region. Directly comparable because Buurtwerk also operates in the Utrecht region with overlapping service lines.
• Travers Welzijn: Travers Welzijn is a Dutch social work organization delivering neighborhood work, youth services, and community activities commissioned by municipalities. Comparable service lines, target populations, and commissioned-revenue model.

Regional players

• Farent: Farent is a Brabant-region social services organization providing community work, youth support, and social cohesion programming commissioned by municipalities. Comparable service portfolio but operates in a different Dutch region.

Broad incumbents

• Kwintes: Kwintes is a larger Dutch social care organization providing housing support, social work, and community services to vulnerable populations across multiple regions. Broader portfolio than Buurtwerk but competes for overlapping municipal social-services commissions.
• Philadelphia Zorg: Philadelphia is a Dutch care organization supporting people with intellectual disabilities and adjacent social-services needs across multiple regions. Comparable commissioned-care business model and Dutch social-services customer base, though focused on a different beneficiary group.
• Cordaan: Cordaan is a large Amsterdam-based social care and youth services organization providing neighborhood-level and residential services commissioned by Dutch municipalities. Comparable commissioned-government model and social-services portfolio at larger scale.
• Leger des Heils Nederland: The Salvation Army in the Netherlands operates a broad portfolio of social services including youth work, community support, and social cohesion programs commissioned by municipalities and the national government. Comparable target populations and commissioned model, but at significantly larger national scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buurtwerk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Buurtwerk