bsj Marburg

What bsj Marburg does

bsj Marburg e.V. (full legal name: Verein zur Förderung bewegungs- und sportorientierter Jugendarbeit e.V.) is a non-profit registered association founded in 1986 in Marburg, Germany. The organization delivers sports-oriented, body-and-movement-based youth social work through adventure and experiential education, serving children and adolescents aged 3-27 — with particular emphasis on disadvantaged youth, school-avoidant youth, children of mentally ill parents, and children and youth with disabilities. It operates an 18-program portfolio across early childhood education (AbenteuerKindheit), school social work (Spinnennetz forest weeks, Schulsozialarbeit), school absenteeism intervention (Flex Fernschule Hessen, Die 2. Chance), urban adventure pedagogy (City-Bound), inclusion programs (ZERUM Ueckermünde, national Fachstelle Inklusion), vocational orientation (Komm rein, mach mit!), political and aesthetic education, and international cooperation via the EOE-Network.

The organization's underlying technology is pedagogical methodology rather than software: structured adventure-and-experiential-learning frameworks including City Bound (urban adventure pedagogy), nature-based AbenteuerKindheit for early childhood, Spinnennetz (forest-based week projects with up to 115 annual projects), and the ZERUM inclusion model featuring accessible sailing and motor catamaran expeditions. These methodologies are codified in co-authored academic publications with Philipps-Universität Marburg and disseminated through professional training programs and conferences. Delivery infrastructure includes four outdoor education centers (Wolfshausen, Weidenhausen, a third Hesse location, and ZERUM in Ueckermünde, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania) plus direct on-site delivery at partner schools and institutions.

bsj generates revenue primarily through commissioned public project funding — multi-year grants from Landkreis Marburg-Biedenkopf (school social work, Spinnennetz), Stadt Marburg (Auszeit, open youth work), Land Hessen via the Hessisches Ministerium für Arbeit, Integration, Jugend und Soziales (Hessische Fachstelle AbenteuerKindheit through June 2029), the Federal Kinder- und Jugendplan des Bundes (national Fachstelle Inklusion), and project-specific grants from Stiftung Aktion Mensch and Erasmus+. Secondary revenue streams include fee-based professional training (e.g., 'Soziales Lernen im Abenteuer' qualification series) and modest bookshop sales of publications (€5.10-€39.90 per item). The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: long-term partnerships with schools, municipalities, and youth welfare offices, complemented by thought-leadership positioning through federal conferences, EOE-Network engagement, and the LAG OKJA Hessen network. Services to beneficiaries are free at point of use; the organization employs approximately 80-100 staff across social work, pedagogy, training, administration, and house economics.

Name

bsj Marburg

Legal name

bsj e.V. Marburg (Verein zur Förderung bewegungs- und sportorientierter Jugendarbeit e.V.)

Website

https://bsj-marburg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

bsj Marburg e.V. is a German non-profit founded in 1986 that delivers adventure and experiential youth social work, serving disadvantaged children, school-avoidant youth, and youth with disabilities across Hesse and nationwide through publicly funded school, inclusion, and early education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Social Work / Outdoor Experiential Education

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

Keywords

• Outdoor youth education
• Adventure-based social work
• Experiential education programs
• School social work services
• Inclusive youth programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Marburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Project Funding: Primary revenue stream — commissioned project work funded by public institutions: Landkreis Marburg-Biedenkopf (e.g., school social work, elementary programs), Stadt Marburg (e.g., Auszeit project, open child/youth work), Land Hessen (e.g., Hessian Ministry for Labor, Integration, Youth and Social Affairs funding for Fachstelle AbenteuerKindheit and Fachstelle Inklusion), and Federal Ministry for Family Affairs (Kinder- und Jugendplan / KJP funding for the national inclusion office). Projects are typically multi-year grants.
2. Bookshop and Publications Sales: Sale of bsj's own publications including yearbooks (Jahrbücher), conference proceedings (Tagungsdokumentationen), project documentations, and academic handbooks. Prices range from €5 to €40 per item. Physical goods sold via an online order form.
3. Professional Training and Continuing Education: Fee-based further education programs for professionals in social work, youth welfare, schools, and disability services. Includes the 'Soziales Lernen im Abenteuer' qualification series for school staff and weekend workshops. Training delivered at bsj's Bildungsstätten (outdoor education centers) in Wolfshausen and Weidenhausen.
4. Erasmus+ and EU Transnational Project Grants: EU-funded transnational youth projects (Erasmus+ Youth in Action, Leonardo da Vinci) in which bsj serves as lead or partner organization. Grants cover mobility costs, project coordination, and conference hosting across multi-country partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

bsj Marburg e.V. delivers publicly funded, adventure-based youth social work and experiential education programs for children and adolescents aged 6–27, including school social work, school absenteeism reintegration, nature-based early childhood education, inclusive outdoor education, urban adventure education, vocational orientation, and professional continuing education. Services are commissioned by municipal, state, and federal institutions and delivered directly at partner schools, residential Bildungsstätten, and through state-mandated advisory offices (Hessische Fachstelle AbenteuerKindheit and nationale Fachstelle Inklusion).

Product overview

bsj Marburg e.V. is a non-profit youth organization offering a diverse portfolio of educational and social programs centered on outdoor adventure education, experiential learning, body and movement-based pedagogy. The portfolio includes nature-based programs (AbenteuerKindheit, Auszeit, Pegasus), urban adventure education (City-Bound), school support services (Flex Fernschule, 2. Chance, Spinnennetz), inclusion programs (Fachstelle Inklusion, Inklusion am Haff/ZERUM), youth work (Offene Kinder- und Jugendarbeit, Kommunale Jugendarbeit), political and cultural education (Politparcours, Ästhetisch-kulturelle Bildung), career orientation, and international cooperation. The organization operates educational facilities in Wolfshausen, Weidenhausen, and Ueckermünde, and serves as an officially approved out-of-school youth education institution in Hesse with approximately 80-100 employees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Spinnennetz – School Social Work at Elementary Schools School social work program delivering up to 115 week-long forest projects per year for elementary school classes; reaches approximately 20,000 children and 1,000 teachers since 2015 and is funded by Landkreis Marburg-Biedenkopf.
• Die 2. Chance – School Re-entry Program Individual pedagogical counseling and relationship-based support program for school-avoidant youth; has supported 400+ young people in severely burdened life situations to resume their school path since 2006.
• Flex Fernschule Hessen Alternative education program helping school-avoidant youth achieve their Hauptschulabschluss or Realschulabschluss through flexible learning paths; 26 young people achieved main or secondary school certificates in a single school year.
• Hessische Fachstelle AbenteuerKindheit State-mandated Hessian advisory service providing free consultations, training, digital dialogues, lectures, publications, and specialist days for early childhood educators integrating nature experiences into daycare settings.
• Inklusion am Haff – ZERUM Ueckermünde Inclusive Outdoor Programs Intensive nature, movement, and group experiences for children and youth with and without disabilities aged 6–27, featuring canoeing, accessible sailing (Rollisegler), motor catamaran expeditions (SilaVega), climbing garden, and family seminars.
• Fachstelle Inklusion im Freizeitbereich (national) Nationwide advisory service for inclusion in leisure time of children and youth, qualifying youth work professionals, providing networking support, consultations on structural decisions, and inclusive project development across Germany.
• City-Bound – Urban Adventure Education Urban adventure education methodology using the city as an adventure space, focusing on communication, mobility, orientation, and social encounter; helps young people develop self-efficacy through progressive challenges in real urban environments.
• Auszeit – Weekend Retreats for Children of Mentally Ill Parents Nature-based weekend retreat program for children aged 8–12 whose parents are affected by mental illness or who live in strained family situations, offering respite, adventure activities, and opportunities to make new friends.
• Stärkenorientierte Berufsorientierung – Komm rein, mach mit! Strengths-based career orientation week-long program for students from lower secondary tracks (Förder-, Haupt- and Realschulen) in Landkreis Marburg-Biedenkopf, helping them discover abilities and career interests through practical vocational workshops.
• Misch mit! – Miteinander Vielfalt (er)leben Federal project promoting engagement for diversity and societal participation of children, youth, and adults, offering events in the district and financial subsidies for participants' own initiatives.
• Offene Kinder- und Jugendarbeit (Open Child and Youth Work) Open children and youth work across various Marburg districts and selected municipalities, offering movement-oriented leisure activities and socialraum-oriented programs.
• Politparcours – Demokratie unter Druck Political education program with three pillars covering activism, democratic decision-making, and media literacy for youth groups and schools.
• Ästhetisch-kulturelle Bildung Aesthetic and cultural education offerings including Landart (nature as art), theater projects, and shadow theater as expression possibilities for youth.
• Fortbildung & Beratung – Professional Continuing Education Fee-based continuing education and consulting services for professionals, including the 'Soziales Lernen im Abenteuer' training series for teachers and school social workers on adventure pedagogical group processes.
• Publikationen / Bookshop Mail-order sale of bsj's own publications (yearbooks, conference documentation, handbooks, project documentation) on outdoor adventure education and experiential learning, priced €5.10–€39.90 plus shipping.
• International Cooperation & Erasmus+ Transnational Projects International youth exchange programs, training courses, and innovative projects delivered as EOE-Network member and Erasmus+ lead/partner, including Nature 360° Youth Meeting, IVET-Venture, ELaDiNa, ESPRIT, and NEXT projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26 young people achieved school graduation (Haupt-/Realschulabschluss) at Flex Fernschule Hessen in a single school year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Erasmus+ Consortium (Nature 360° Youth Meeting)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Co-funded transnational Youth Meeting (2022) with 24 participants from Finland, Slovenia, UK, and Germany under Erasmus+ Youth in Action Program. Focus on aesthetic outdoor education. Additional Erasmus+ projects: IVET-Venture (2013–2015, with Austria, Turkey, Romania); ELaDiNa (2020–2023, with Slovenia and Sweden on early language development in nature); ESPRIT (2007–2013, with Italy and Lithuania); NEXT (2000–2006, seven European partners on youth at risk).
• European Institute for Outdoor Adventure Education and Experiential Learning (EOE-Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996bsj is a founding member of the EOE-Network, established in 1996 in Spital, Austria by academic, social, and youth work practitioners from across Europe. The network promotes outdoor adventure education research and practice, organizes annual international conferences (bsj hosted the 4th in 2001 and 19th in 2022), and develops shared professional standards. bsj co-edited the network's landmark publication 'Other Ways of Learning' and hosts the ENOC (European Network of Outdoor Centres) initiative under the EOE umbrella.
• ZERUM Ueckermünde (Outdoor Inclusion Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1993bsj has operated the ZERUM outdoor education center in Ueckermünde, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania since 1993. ZERUM specializes in inclusive adventure education integrating children and youth with and without disabilities through nature-based programs on the Stettiner Haff. Includes accessible sailing with the Rollisegler (barrier-free large sailing vessel), motor catamaran expeditions (SilaVega), and a climbing garden.
• Philipps-Universität Marburg (Department of Erziehungswissenschaft)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation with the University of Marburg's Education Sciences department, particularly with Prof. Dr. Peter Becker (founder of the Master's in Adventure and Experiential Education), Prof. Dr. Ivo Züchner, and Dr. Katrin Peyerl. Collaborations include: joint studies (e.g., 'Wozu Jugendarbeit?' 2021), co-authored publications, academic supervision of bsj projects, and co-production of the Marburg Youth Report. bsj served as a practical partner for university research and as a co-author of academic works including the EOE-network publications.
• Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (Prof. Dr. von Schwanenflügel, Marcel König)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences on youth welfare research. bsj participated in the study 'Wozu Jugendarbeit?' (2021) led by Prof. Dr. von Schwanenflügel. Also partnered on an inclusion survey with Marcel König on leisure behavior and wishes of children and youth with disabilities, results published at hausderjugend-marburg.de/alle-dabei.
• Berufsbildungszentrum Marburg (BBZ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerbsj partnered with BBZ Marburg to deliver the 'Komm rein, mach mit!' vocational orientation program (2011–2017). BBZ provided real vocational workshops, practical training spaces, praxis instructors, and apprentices. bsj contributed pedagogical expertise in strength-based youth work. The collaboration required ongoing translation between different professional cultures (vocational training logic vs. social pedagogy) which was a deliberate strength of the project.
• LAG OKJA Hessen (Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Offene Kinder- und Jugendarbeit)coreStrategic or Co-development Partnerbsj is a founding member of the Hessian State Working Group for Open Child and Youth Work. The LAG networks youth welfare organizations, develops quality standards, and advocates for the field at state level. A current bsj employee serves as chair of the LAG OKJA Hessen. bsj co-organizes state-level events including the Landeskongress Jugendarbeit 2026 in Marburg.
• Universitätsstadt Marburg (Municipal Youth Welfare Office)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStadt Marburg is a key public commissioning partner, funding multiple bsj programs including the Auszeit project for children of mentally ill parents, open child and youth work, school social work, and the municipal youth report (co-produced with Philipps-Universität Marburg). The city also co-commissioned the Marburg Youth Report and the youth space concept developed with bsj.
• Landkreis Marburg-BiedenkopfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary public funding body for bsj school social work, Spinnennetz elementary programs, and open youth work in the rural districts. Funded the Spinnennetz project (up to 115 week-projects/year reaching 20,000 children since 2015) and the 'Die 2. Chance' school absenteeism project (400+ youth served since 2006).
• ENOC — European Network of Outdoor CentresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerENOC was founded as a special interest group under the EOE-Network by Brathay Trust (UK), bsj Marburg (Germany), CŠOD (Slovenia), and Metsäkartano (Finland). The 2018–2020 strategic partnership (Erasmus+ funded) focused on aesthetic approaches in outdoor learning, producing a downloadable handbook.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Metsäkartano: Finnish outdoor education center and ENOC co-founder. Shares bsj's focus on using nature-based challenge for youth development and social inclusion, with comparable public-sector and Erasmus+ project funding structure.
• Outward Bound Deutschland: German arm of the global Outward Bound network, delivering adventure-based experiential education with a similar youth and adult learner focus. Most direct peer in adventure education methodology within Germany, though oriented more toward outdoor/wilderness settings than bsj's hybrid urban (City Bound) + residential model.
• CŠOD (Center šolskih in obšolskih dejavnosti): Slovenian national outdoor education center and ENOC co-founder with bsj. Delivers school-based outdoor residential programs with strong public-sector commissioning model analogous to bsj's Bildungsstätten operations.
• Naturfreundejugend Deutschlands: German youth organization of the Naturfreunde movement delivering nature-based and outdoor experiential education to children and youth. Comparable in combining environmental/adventure pedagogy with youth welfare objectives, though more volunteer-driven and federal in structure.
• Brathay Trust: UK-based outdoor education charity and ENOC co-founder alongside bsj. Comparable mission of combining adventure and experiential learning with social outcomes for disadvantaged young people, and direct partner through EOE-Network and Erasmus+ projects.

Broad incumbents

• Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Kinder- und Jugendhilfe (AGJ): Federal association for child and youth welfare in Germany. Broader incumbent in the same youth welfare policy ecosystem in which bsj operates its school social work and inclusion programs; relevant policy counterpart rather than a delivery competitor.
• Deutsche Sportjugend (dsj): National youth organization of the German Sports Confederation. Larger, established umbrella body delivering sports-oriented youth work with policy and funding reach across all German states; overlaps with bsj's sports-oriented youth work heritage but covers a far broader portfolio.
• Bundesvereinigung Kulturelle Kinder- und Jugendbildung: Federal umbrella for non-formal cultural, political, and experiential youth education in Germany. bsj participates in adjacent federal/state advisory structures; analogous scale and policy role at the national level, though covering a wider portfolio of methodologies.

Regional players

• Erlebnispädagogik in Bayern e.V. Bavarian association of experiential education providers. Comparable practice community with quality standards and training offerings, but operating in a different German state and structured as an industry association rather than direct service provider.

Others

• Stiftung Aktion Mensch: Major German social lottery funder that has funded bsj's Pegasus inclusion project (2018-2022). Not a peer in delivery but a critical funder relationship and ecosystem participant whose funding priorities shape bsj's inclusion portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bsj-marburg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 bsj Marburg