Diakoniewerk Essen

What Diakoniewerk Essen does

Diakoniewerk Essen e.V. is a Protestant non-profit social welfare organization headquartered in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, and affiliated with Diakonie Rheinland Westfalen Lippe. Founded around 1952, it operates nine interconnected service areas covering the full lifecycle of vulnerable populations: childcare (27 kindergartens), youth and family services, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, mental illness, migration and integration, homelessness and at-risk support, employment/work-integration projects, and senior care. The organization is governed by a Vorstand (Martin Gierse) and a Verwaltungsrat, with service delivery carried out through seven wholly-owned gGmbH subsidiaries and a shared services entity, supported by a Gesamt-Mitarbeitendenvertretung representing approximately 1,700 staff members.

The core operating model is government-funded social services delivery: revenue is generated primarily through contracts with public agencies, social insurance providers, and the Diakonie welfare system, supplemented by donations, charity retail (seven Diakonieläden, Möbelbörse), the Restaurant Church vocational-training restaurant, training fees from the in-house Continuing Education Program (Fortbildungen), and ancillary income such as the newly launched external room-rental offering. The underlying technology is non-digital core — a facilities-based service network with internal intranet (MAV-Forum) and a website for information, donations, and job applications; no public API, no platform, and no AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. Distribution is direct-to-client via 27 kindergartens, residential homes (e.g., Haus Baasstraße, Haus Laarmannstraße, Seniorenzentrum Margarethenhöhe), counseling centers, and the Bahnhofsmission station mission, all concentrated within the city of Essen.

The go-to-market is community-driven and partnership-mediated: clients access services through referrals, municipal channels, and word-of-mouth within the local welfare ecosystem. Long-term relationships with the Protestant church, municipal authorities, and welfare bodies (Diakonie Deutschland) form the commercial backbone, while outreach is amplified via the organization's DIWER|S magazine, social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Xing), community events, and brand-building initiatives (Kununu Top 20, Goldenes Kronenkreuz 2026). Pricing is not publicly disclosed because services are largely reimbursed through government and social-insurance rather than paid directly by end users.

Name

Diakoniewerk Essen

Legal name

Diakoniewerk Essen e.V.

Website

https://diakoniewerk-essen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Diakoniewerk Essen is a Protestant non-profit social welfare organization serving vulnerable populations in Essen, Germany across nine service areas including childcare (27 kindergartens), disability, mental health, migration, homelessness, and senior care, with ~1,700 staff and government-funded contracts via its Diakonie affiliation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Welfare Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Individual and Family Services (6241), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Social welfare services
• Childcare services
• Disability care services
• Homeless support services
• Senior care services

Headquarters

HQ city

Essen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Social Services: Core revenue derived from contracts with government agencies, social insurance providers, and welfare organizations. Services include childcare, youth and family services, disability services, homeless assistance, migration support, and senior care funded through public social welfare systems.
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Accepts donations for specific projects and campaigns supporting vulnerable populations including children, people with disabilities, refugees, homeless individuals, and seniors.
3. Training and Continuing Education: Offers continuing education programs to employees and external participants, generating revenue through training fees.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Diakoniewerk Essen is a Protestant social welfare organization providing integrated social services across nine interconnected service areas: 27 Kindertagesstätten (child daycare), youth and family services, hearing impairment support, intellectual disability care, mental health services, migration and integration, homeless and at-risk assistance, employment/work projects, and senior care. The organization also operates social enterprises including Restaurant Church, Diakonieläden charity shops, and Möbelbörse furniture exchange, alongside an internal continuing education program.

Product overview

Diakoniewerk Essen is a social services organization operating as a multi-service provider under the guiding principle 'Zusammen*Leben* gestalten' (Shaping Life Together). It offers a comprehensive portfolio of social welfare services organized into distinct operational areas: Kindertagesbetreuung (27 Kindertagesstätten/Kitas providing childcare and early education), Jugend und Familie (youth and family services including child protection, youth welfare, family counseling, pregnancy counseling, and supervised living arrangements), Hörschädigung (hearing impairment services including a boarding school for hearing-impaired students and the Wilhelm-Becker-Haus), Geistige Behinderung (intellectual disability services with residential facilities like Haus Baasstraße, Haus Rüselstraße, Johannes-Böttcher-Haus, and Heinrich-Held-Haus including the Kunstwerkstatt Candyshop), Psychische Erkrankung (mental health services including Haus Laarmannstraße, Haus Esmarchstraße, Haus Prosperstraße, Haus Immanuel, and Werkstatt Am Ellenbogen), Migration und Integration (migration counseling, integration services, integration agent, and neighborhood management), Wohnungslose und Gefährdete (homeless and at-risk services including Bahnhofsmission, homeless counseling, clothing distribution, emergency shelter, addiction counseling, legal guardianship, and supported housing), Arbeitsprojekte (employment projects including Restaurant Church for vocational training, Möbelbörse furniture exchange, Diakonieläden charity shops, clothing collection, crafts project, logistics, and job orientation center), and Senior*innen (senior services including the Diakoniezentrum Kray, Seniorenzentrum Margarethenhöhe, Pflegeberatung, Zentren 60plus, and senior housing complexes). The organization also operates the DIWER|S magazine for internal communications and publishes a comprehensive continuing education (Fortbildungen) program for staff development. The various services function as interconnected offerings within a coordinated social welfare network rather than as a unified technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Restaurant Church: Restaurant operated by Diakoniewerk Essen as a work integration project, located in Haus der Ev. Kirche am Essener Salzmarkt
• DIWER|S
• Diakonieläden
• Möbelbörse

Products and services

• Kindertagesstätten (Kitas) A network of 27 Kindertagesstätten (Kitas) operated by Diakoniewerk Essen providing childcare and early childhood education services across Essen for children and families.
• Jugend und Familie (Youth and Family Services) Comprehensive youth and family services including pregnancy counseling, family support, child protection, youth welfare services, supervised living, and school-based social work for children, youth, and families in Essen.
• Hörschädigung (Hearing Impairment Services) Specialized services for hearing-impaired individuals including the Internat für Hörgeschädigte (residential boarding school), Wilhelm-Becker-Haus facility, and OGS Tonstraße educational support for children and adults with hearing disabilities.
• Geistige Behinderung (Intellectual Disability Services) Residential and daytime services for individuals with intellectual disabilities including Haus Baasstraße, Haus Rüselstraße, Johannes-Böttcher-Haus, Heinrich-Held-Haus, and the Kunstwerkstatt Candyshop creative workshop.
• Psychische Erkrankung (Mental Health Services) Mental health services providing residential care, daytime structured programs, and supported housing for individuals with mental illness, including Haus Laarmannstraße, Haus Esmarchstraße, Haus Prosperstraße, Haus Immanuel, and Werkstatt Am Ellenbogen.
• Migration und Integration (Migration and Integration Services) Integration and migration services including counseling for immigrants, migration advice, psychosocial counseling, transitional housing, integration agency, neighborhood management (Quartiershausmeister), and criminal prevention measures for immigrants and refugees.
• Wohnungslose und Gefährdete (Homeless and At-Risk Services) Comprehensive services for homeless and at-risk individuals including Bahnhofsmission (station mission), homeless counseling, clothingkammer (clothing distribution), emergency shelter, addiction counseling, legal guardianship, and Betreutes Wohnen supported housing.
• Arbeitsprojekte (Employment Projects) Vocational training and employment projects including Restaurant Church (restaurant and catering training), Möbelbörse furniture exchange, Diakonieläden charity retail shops, clothing collection and sorting, crafts project, logistics, and the Zentrum zur Joborientierung job orientation center for long-term unemployed individuals.
• Senior*innen (Senior Services) Senior care and elderly services including Diakoniezentrum Kray, Seniorenzentrum Margarethenhöhe, Pflegeberatung nursing consultation, Zentren 60plus senior centers, and multiple senior housing complexes (Wohnanlagen) for elderly individuals.
• Fortbildungen (Continuing Education Program) Internal continuing education and professional development program offering courses in social competence, communication, personality and health, methodology, specialist expertise, law and administration, and leadership and management for staff and external participants.
• Restaurant Church A restaurant and catering operation located in the House of the Evangelical Church at Essen's Salzmarkt, providing vocational training for individuals with barriers to employment while serving meals to the public.
• Diakonieläden (Charity Shops) A network of seven charity shops located across various Essen neighborhoods including Altendorf, Altenessen, Borbeck, Frohnhausen, Katernberg, Steele, and Werden, selling donated goods to support social programs.
• Möbelbörse (Furniture Exchange) A furniture exchange and sales operation offering affordable used furniture while providing employment opportunities for people with barriers to work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Operates 27 kindergartens serving children and families in Essen
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Geno Bank EssenminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 April 2026Geno Bank Essen has taken over the training sponsorship (Ausbildungspatenschaft) for Restaurant Church from 2026 to 2028, supporting the organization's work project that enables young people with difficulties to obtain qualified training.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC6Yn32zLmeTug1hbhWzSDRg
• Facebookfacebook.com/DiakoniewerkEssen
• Instagraminstagram.com/Diakoniewerk_Essen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/diakoniewerk-essen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries7 records

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 Diakoniewerk Essen