aktuelles forum

What aktuelles forum does

aktuelles forum e.V. is a registered non-profit association founded in 1964 and headquartered in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, that delivers civic and political education, youth engagement, and historical remembrance programming. Its portfolio spans flagship initiatives including Servicestelle NRW (a service and competence center for civic education providers in North Rhine-Westphalia), Eurodesk Gelsenkirchen (European youth mobility information), Erstwahlprofis (first-time voter training, with more than 700 young participants trained since 2017), Demokratiewerkstatt, and the Jugendgipfel Weimarer Dreieck. Its beneficiaries are young people, civic educators, schools, and community organizations across NRW and, increasingly, the broader European civic education ecosystem.

The organization's revenue model is built almost entirely on public institutional funding rather than commercial sales. Core funding flows through North Rhine-Westphalia's Weiterbildungsgesetz and project grants from the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Erasmus+, and the European Solidarity Corps. Supplementary income comes from fee-based Bildungsurlaub seminars (approximately 600 EUR) and resilience training programs (approximately 995 EUR), plus annual membership fees of 60 EUR. Current staffing stands at approximately 8 employees, supplemented by a network of freelance educators, and the organization maintains Gütesiegel Weiterbildung certification through October 2027 — a quality credential required for institutional funding eligibility.

Strategically, aktuelles forum broadened its footprint through a 2021 merger with the Bildungswerk der Humanistischen Union and secured a structurally more stable revenue base when its Servicestelle NRW transitioned to permanent NRW government funding in 2022. Nina Schadt became the organization's first female chairperson in 2023. With more than 55 years of continuous operation, the organization is positioned within a small set of long-standing civic education providers anchored in Germany's subsidiarity-based adult education system, with growth driven primarily by adding funded project layers rather than scaling commercial activity.

Name

aktuelles forum

Legal name

aktuelles forum e.V.

Website

https://aktuelles-forum.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

aktuelles forum e.V. is a German non-profit civic education association founded in 1964 in Gelsenkirchen, delivering political education, youth engagement, and European integration programs across North Rhine-Westphalia, funded primarily through public institutional grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic and Political Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Civic Education & Community Engagement (Voting, Local Government) (EDAAAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Engagement & Service-Learning Partnerships (EDALAOAI), Nonprofit, Social Services & Community Development Congresses (THAHAJAO)

Keywords

• Political education
• Civic education
• Youth work
• Democratic participation
• Continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Gelsenkirchen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Institutional Funding: Primary revenue source from government funding. Recognized as a provider of political continuing education under NRW's Weiterbildungsgesetz. The Servicestelle NRW für mehr internationale Jugendarbeit is financed by the Ministry for Children, Youth, Family, Equality, Flight and Integration of NRW (MKFFI). Also funded by Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, Erasmus+, European Solidarity Corps, and Land Nordrhein-Westfalen.
2. Fee-based Seminars and Educational Events: Revenue from paid seminars, educational trips, and workshops. Some events are free while others charge participation fees (e.g., 0 EUR for some seminars, 260 EUR program fee plus accommodation costs for education vacations, 995 EUR for resilience training course).
3. Membership Fees: Annual membership fee of 60 EUR generates free funds for activities beyond usual financing, providing flexible resources for the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

aktuelles forum is a non-profit civic education association that delivers political education through in-person seminars, Bildungsurlaube (educational vacations), conferences, memorial site visits, and project-based learning across NRW, Germany, and Europe. It runs flagship programs such as the Demokratiewerkstatt neighborhood projects, the Erstwahlprofis first-time voter training, and the Internationaler Jugendgipfel youth summit, and operates the Eurodesk Gelsenkirchen youth information service and the Servicestelle NRW für mehr internationale Jugendarbeit. The organization also develops interactive educational tools including Actionbounds, Escape Games to Go, Pocket Workshops, and Geocaching activities.

Product overview

aktuelles forum is a non-profit civic education organization offering a diverse portfolio of educational programs and services centered on political education. The organization operates as a single unified educational institution rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. Its core offerings include seminars and educational vacation programs (Bildungsurlaube) covering topics such as democracy, diversity, remembrance culture, and sustainability. The organization runs several flagship projects including the Demokratiewerkstatt neighborhood-based democratic education initiatives in Dortmund and Duisburg, the Erstwahlprofis first-time voter training program, and the annual Internationaler Jugendgipfel youth summit. Supporting services include the Eurodesk Gelsenkirchen youth information center and the Servicestelle NRW for international youth work. The organization also produces educational tools including Actionbounds digital scavenger hunts, Escape Games to Go, Pocket Workshops, and Geocaching activities. Publications include annual reports titled 'a(u)f einen Blick'. All offerings are tied together by the organization's mission to strengthen democratic society and promote social justice in Germany and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Political Education Seminars In-person and residential seminars covering topics such as democracy and participation, diversity, remembrance culture, international affairs, living environment and sustainable development, and the Ruhr region. Open to all interested persons aged 16 and older.
• Bildungsurlaube (Educational Vacation Seminars) Recognized multi-day educational vacation programs combining learning with relaxation, covering topics such as communication skills (Klartext) and resilience building (Deine Resilienz im Berufsleben). Includes options with childcare.
• Tagungen (Conferences) Professional conferences and workshops on topics such as democratic coexistence, funding opportunities for international youth work, and prevention training.
• Demokratiewerkstatt Projects Neighborhood-based democratic education projects conducted in cooperation with the Landeszentrale für politische Bildung NRW, working with youth and young adults in Dortmund Nordstadt and Duisburg-Marxloh. Outreach-based political education brought directly to neighborhoods.
• Erstwahlprofis (First-Time Voter Program) Training program that prepares young people to serve as election officials, teaching them about polling station operations and election procedures in Germany. Delivered in cooperation with Haus Rissen since 2017.
• Internationaler Jugendgipfel im Regionalen Weimarer Dreieck Annual international youth summit bringing together young people from North Rhine-Westphalia, Hauts-de-France (France), and the Silesian Voivodeship (Poland) for dialogue on European topics.
• Eurodesk Gelsenkirchen European youth information network providing free advisory services for young people on international opportunities including study abroad, voluntary services, and youth exchanges. Also advises professionals on EU funding programs.
• Servicestelle NRW für mehr internationale Jugendarbeit State-level service center for international youth work in North Rhine-Westphalia, providing consultation, networking, and project support for organizations and professionals. Financed by the MKFFI NRW since 1 January 2022.
• Pocket Workshops Interactive method toolkits containing pedagogical activities and background information on specific topics, available as free physical card sets or online versions. Topics include climate change and conspiracy theories.
• Escape Games to Go Portable escape room games for political education, including 'Die Wahlurne' (democratic dilemma), 'Die Feldpost' (WWI remembrance), 'Der verrückte Professor' (diversity), and 'Europa' (digital EU history game).
• Actionbounds (Digital Scavenger Hunts) GPS-based digital scavenger hunts playable on smartphones, connecting digital and analog experiences for political education topics in the Ruhr region.
• Geocaching Activities Modern GPS-based treasure hunt activities using geocache containers hidden worldwide, suitable for all ages and available year-round, connecting nature and technology for educational purposes.
• Gedenkstättenfahrten (Memorial Site Visits and Educational Trips) Memorial site visits and educational trips to historical sites such as Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen, Auschwitz, Dachau, Majdanek, and Esterwegen, as well as trips to European cities including Prague and Bremen.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 young people trained as election helpers (Erstwahlprofis) since 2017
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eurodesk Gelsenkirchen / Eurodesk DeutschlandcoreGTM or Marketing Partneraktuelles forum is the regional Eurodesk office in Gelsenkirchen. Eurodesk is a European youth information network with national coordination offices in 36 countries and over 2,000 regional service offices. It provides free information to young people about international opportunities and to professionals about European and national funding programs. Eurodesk Deutschland in Bonn works with over 50 regional and local partners across all German states.
• Haus RissencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHaus Rissen in Hamburg has coordinated the Erstwahlprofis (first-time voter helpers) project since 2017 with various political youth education providers. aktuelles forum joined this cooperation to train young people as election helpers, contributing to democratic participation.
• Landeszentrale für politische Bildung NRW (LpB NRW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner in multiple Demokratiewerkstatt projects. The LpB NRW co-finances and co-develops democratic education outreach programs in Dortmund Nordstadt and Duisburg-Marxloh neighborhoods.
• Dietrich-Keuning-HausminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner in the Demokratiewerkstatt Dortmund Nordstadt project, hosting activities and providing access to the girls' and women's group.
• Duisburger Werkkiste gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-established partner (since 1982) working with youth and disadvantaged adults in Duisburg Nord. Cooperation in Demokratiewerkstatt im Quartier Duisburg-Marxloh project, contributing expertise in diversity management and neighborhood networking.
• AWO-Jugendtreff NordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Demokratiewerkstatt Dortmund Nordstadt project, providing youth outreach and participation infrastructure.
• Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft Demokratischer Bildungswerke (LDB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRW state association of democratic educational institutions. aktuelles forum is a member working collectively on positions and favorable conditions for civic education.
• Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft für eine andere Weiterbildung (LAAW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNRW state association advocating for alternative approaches to continuing education. aktuelles forum is a member.
• Arbeitskreis deutscher Bildungsstätten (AdB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal-level association of German educational institutions. aktuelles forum is a member at the federal level.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft Demokratischer Bildungswerke (ADB)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal association of democratic educational works. aktuelles forum is a member.
• Politische Akademie der Friedrich Ebert StiftungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerModerates the Netzwerke Politische Bildung network in which aktuelles forum participates.
• LWL-Landesjugendamt WestfalenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-conductor of the 'Ohne Moos nichts los' information event on international youth work funding (July 2026, Münster).
• Auslandsgesellschaft.deminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner hosting the Eurodesk Fördermittelworkshop in Dortmund (October 2026).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung: Federal political foundation affiliated with Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, running political Bildungswerke and civic education across Germany. Comparable in delivering civic and democratic education but with significantly larger resources and national scope.
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung: Major political foundation operating a nationwide Politische Akademie and extensive civic education portfolio. Overlaps in mission and audience but operates at much greater scale with broader programmatic scope.
• Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung: Federal political foundation with extensive civic education, political academy, and youth programs including the regional Weimarer Dreieck initiative. Overlaps in audience and topic mix but operates a far larger national and international footprint.

Direct peers

• Arbeit und Leben NRW: DGB-affiliated Weiterbildung provider delivering political and worker civic education across NRW. Closely comparable in offering state-recognized Bildungsurlaub and political seminars with similar funding structures and target groups.
• Stiftung Demokratie Saarland: Non-profit foundation operating democratic education programs in another Bundesland. Comparable as a state-rooted civic-education nonprofit running seminars, projects, and partnerships to strengthen democratic participation.
• Europäische Akademie Nordrhein-Westfalen: State-recognized Weiterbildungseinrichtung focused on European political education and democratic culture in NRW. Directly comparable in mission, recognition status, and target audience of civicly engaged adults and youth.
• Volkshochschule Gelsenkirchen: Local municipal adult education center in the same city offering civic, political, and cultural Weiterbildung courses. Directly comparable as a regional civic-education provider competing for similar participants and overlapping curricular topics.
• European Youth Parliament Deutschland: Non-partisan educational organization running peer-to-peer political education programs for young people across Germany. Comparable in youth-focused political education methodology, Erasmus+ funding, and youth-summit formats such as the Weimarer Dreieck summit.

Others

• Eurodesk Deutschland: National coordination office for the Eurodesk youth information network in Bonn, of which aktuelles forum hosts the Gelsenkirchen branch. Comparable as an ecosystem partner coordinating international youth mobility information and EU funding advisory.
• Landeszentrale für politische Bildung NRW: State agency for political education that co-funds and co-develops Demokratiewerkstatt projects with aktuelles forum. Functionally adjacent rather than competitive, but sets the framework within which NRW civic-education providers operate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aktuelles-forum

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about aktuelles forum