GWA St. Pauli E.V.

What GWA St. Pauli E.V. does

GWA St. Pauli e.V. is a Hamburg-based non-profit registered association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1975, operating community work (Gemeinwesenarbeit), cultural work (Kulturarbeit), and social work (Sozialarbeit) across five locations in the St. Pauli and Altona neighborhoods. Its core hub is the Kölbi Stadtteilzentrum, a 500 sqm neighborhood center that functions as a public living room offering a café, event space, and room rentals. The organization delivers an integrated portfolio of programs: ADEBAR (early childhood and family support for families with children up to age 6), IBiS and starK (open family counseling and ambulatory youth welfare under §30/§31 SGB VIII), Big Point (16–21 youth school-to-career transition), B-You Aktivplatz (outdoor building playground for ages 5–12), WORTSPIEL reading and writing workshop, Stadtteiltheater, Medienzentrum, a bicycle self-help workshop, open social and authority counseling, tenant rights counseling, kitchen concerts, and holiday programs. The intended beneficiaries are economically disadvantaged families, children, youth, and broader neighborhood residents — a population in which roughly 85% of local elementary school children live at social welfare level.

The organization does not operate a technology product and earns no commercial revenue. Its operating model is funded through a mix of recurring public subsidies from the Hamburg Kulturbehörde and Landesjugendplan, project-based government grants, foundation grants (Aktion Mensch, Budnianerhilfe, Joachim Herz Stiftung, Telekom Stiftung, ERGO Stiftung, Holger-Cassens-Stiftung, among others), individual donations, membership dues, and modest income from room rentals and a €50 entry fee in the Big Point program. The supporting association Förderverein für Stadtteilarbeit in St. Pauli-Süd e.V. channels additional fundraising. GTM is community-led: beneficiaries are reached through open-access walk-in programming, neighborhood events, partner referrals (schools, youth welfare offices, health centers), word-of-mouth, a website/event calendar, and a monthly email newsletter, with FC St. Pauli providing brand association for the social counseling service. The organization is governed by a Vorstand (Annelore Uliczny, Dr. Josef Bura, Katrin Steinberger, Dirk Hauer) and led operationally by Managing Director Martin Karolczak.

Name

GWA St. Pauli E.V.

Legal name

GWA St. Pauli e.V.

Website

https://gwa-stpauli.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GWA St. Pauli e.V. is a Hamburg-based non-profit association founded in 1975 that delivers community work, social work, and cultural programming across five locations in the St. Pauli and Altona neighborhoods, serving economically disadvantaged families, children, youth, and residents through free, open-access services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAL

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYEDAAAFAB

Community Center Education Programs

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

SECONDARYEDAAAFAM

Workforce & Job-Seeker Services (Community-Based)

Education/Adult & Continuing Education/Community & Public Education Programs (Libraries, Community Centers)

SECONDARYEDAKANAF

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Transition Services (Post-Secondary, Employment & Independent Living)

SECONDARYEDAJAIAC

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs & Supports

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Student Health, Safety & Wellbeing Services (Counseling, Mental Health, SEL, Safeguarding)

Keywords

• Community social work
• Youth services
• Family counseling
• Neighborhood development
• Cultural programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding (Government Subsidies): The organization receives ongoing subsidies from the Hamburg Kulturbehörde (Culture Authority), the Landesjugendplan (State Youth Plan), and project-based funding from various government departments. This constitutes a significant portion of its operating budget.
2. Foundation Grants and Donations: The organization is supported by numerous foundations (e.g., Aktion Mensch, Budnianerhilfe, Joachim Herz Stiftung, Telekom Stiftung, ERGO Stiftung, among many others listed as supporters) through both regular and project-based grants, as well as individual donations. A donation account at Hamburger Sparkasse is maintained (IBAN: DE66 2005 0550 1024 2170 91).
3. Space Rental (Kölibri): The Kölibri neighborhood center is rented out for private events, seminars, workshops, children's birthday parties, and music practice sessions. Room rental inquiries are handled Fridays 14:00–17:00 at Hein-Köllisch-Platz 11. Fees apply for room bookings.
4. Membership Dues: Individuals can become members of the association (Verein) and support its work. The Förderverein (supporting association) for neighborhood work in St. Pauli Süd also collects membership dues and organizes fundraising events.
5. Project-Specific Fees: Some specialized programs generate nominal fees, such as the Big Point youth employment program where each participant contributes 50 EUR upon entry (returned with interest at program completion as start-up funds).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

GWA St. Pauli e.V. is a non-profit community work (Gemeinwesenarbeit), cultural work (Kulturarbeit), and social work (Sozialarbeit) organization operating across five locations in Hamburg's St. Pauli and Altona neighborhoods. It delivers free, open-access programs including the Kölibri neighborhood center, ADEBAR early childhood family support, IBiS and starK family counseling, Big Point youth employment training, B-You outdoor adventure playground, reading/writing workshops, neighborhood theater, media center, bicycle workshop, and social and authority counseling.

Product overview

GWA St. Pauli E.V. is a community social work organization (Verein) operating multiple interconnected programs and services rather than a unified tech product. The core offering consists of: the Stadtteilzentrum Kölibri as the central neighborhood hub; ADEBAR for family support (0-6 years); IBiS and starK for family assistance and counseling; Big Point for youth career transition; B-You Aktivplatz (building playground) for children's outdoor activities; WORTSPIEL for reading/writing promotion; Stadtteiltheater for cultural/theater productions; Medienzentrum for media services; Fahrradwerkstatt for bicycle repair; and various counseling services (social/authority counseling, rental rights). These programs are complemented by room rentals, holiday programs, and cultural events like Küchenkonzerte. The organization focuses on open access, participatory community development across St. Pauli and Altona areas of Hamburg.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ADEBAR Family support project offering counseling and accompaniment for pregnant women and families with children up to 6 years. Provides services at two locations in Altona-Altstadt and Altona-Nord.
• Kölibri (Stadtteilzentrum) Neighborhood center with cafe and event space, including a children's club in the basement. Serves as the 'living room of the neighborhood' and is available for rental for private events, seminars, and workshops.
• IBiS (Integrierte Begleitung im Sozialraum) Integrated support within social assistance services offering individual family support (§31 SGB VIII) and educational assistance (§30 SGB VIII) for families in St. Pauli and Altona areas.
• starK Open family counseling service for questions about raising children, providing guidance to parents on supporting their child's development without prior appointment.
• Big Point Intensive two-year program for youth aged 16-21 in the transition between school and career. Focuses on personality development and social skills as foundation for successful vocational training.
• B-You Aktivplatz (Baui Hexenberg) Building playground for children aged 5-12 where children can build huts, craft, make fires, play and observe nature.
• WORTSPIEL - Lese- und Schreibwerkstatt (LiA - Lesen in Altona) Creative reading and writing workshop for children aged 6-12, combining reading, writing and language with imagination and children's own initiatives. Includes circus theater, comic group, and children's libraries.
• Stadtteiltheater (Neighborhood Theater) Theater productions with children, youth and adults, including productions like 'Pauli Passion', 'Pauli querAb', 'Heimspiel', and ongoing theater workshops.
• Medienzentrum (Media Center) Media center offering support for media productions, computer workstations, and technology rental for neighborhood residents.
• Fahrradwerkstatt (Bicycle Workshop) Bicycle self-help workshop providing space and guidance for residents to repair or build bicycles, operating by appointment.
• Offene Sozial- und Behördenberatung Open social and authority counseling service for people without children or with adult children, providing help with forms, letters, appeals, and referrals to appropriate services.
• Mieter helfen Mietern Rental rights counseling provided by Hamburg Tenants' Association, offered weekly in the Kölibri for members and prospective members on rental issues.
• Küchenkonzerte (Kitchen Concerts) Monthly neighborhood dinner with live music events held on the last Friday of each month at Kölibri, featuring local musicians.
• Ferienprogramm (Holiday Program) Vacation programs for children and youth during school holidays, including trips, excursions and activities.
• Raumvermietung (Room Rental) Room rental service offering various spaces for private celebrations, events, seminars, workshops, children's birthdays, and music practice rooms at the Kölibri.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Förderverein für Stadtteilarbeit in St. Pauli-Süd e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Förderverein (support association) specifically supports the Kölibri neighborhood center and youth and cultural work of GWA St. Pauli. It has operated for over 33 years supporting activities that would otherwise be inaccessible to local children — including reading café, reading club, homework help, music and theater workshops, circus, dance, sports, holiday trips, and the Big Point youth employment project.
• FC St. PauliminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFC St. Pauli provides visible support for the Sozial- und Behördenberatung (Social and Authority Counseling) service. The club's logo appears on GWA's social counseling materials, providing brand association and community outreach amplification.
• Mieter helfen Mietern — Hamburger Mieterverein e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMieter helfen Mietern provides free legal consultations on tenancy law every Wednesday at the Kölibri (16:00–17:00). They support tenants with rental law problems, utility cost statements, and evictions. The GWA provides the venue and refers residents.
• Öffentliche Gestaltungsberatung (Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign students from the HfBK Hamburg offer weekly free design consultations at the Kölibri for residents who cannot afford professional designers. The GWA provides the venue and facilitates community access to this service.
• Kinderhaus am Pinnasberg e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing family support programs. They offer midwifery consultations and baby massage sessions at the Kölibri through their Familientreff FUNKE program.
• Sprachbrücke-Hamburg e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSprachbrücke-Hamburg runs German language conversation groups at the Kölibri, open to anyone wanting to learn German. The sessions are not a substitute for a language course but offer practice in a friendly atmosphere.
• Ganztagsschule St. PauliminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe all-day school on St. Pauli collaborates with GWA on cultural and educational projects, including the Heimspiel theater project which involved 157 participants including students and teachers.
• Theater am Strom / Christiane RichersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirector Christiane Richers and her Theater am Strom collaborated with GWA on major theater productions including 'Heimspiel' (2006), involving 157 participants.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Caritasverband: Germany's largest Catholic welfare organization, providing family, youth, and social services across the country. Overlaps with GWA in delivering community-based family and youth welfare under SGB VIII, but operates as a national confederation rather than a single neighborhood-anchored association.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Protestant social welfare umbrella organization providing family, youth, and community services across Germany. Similar to GWA in mission and funding model, with comparable family and youth welfare programs but a wider geographic and denominational footprint.
• AWO Bundesverband (Arbeiterwohlfahrt): Germany's largest independent social welfare organization, operating family, youth, and community programs nationwide. Comparable to GWA as a nonprofit social services provider with federal funding, but operates at a much larger scale and across the entire country.
• Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (DRK): German Red Cross, providing welfare, family, and community support services nationwide. Comparable to GWA as a publicly funded social services organization, but considerably larger and more diversified in scope.
• Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband: Umbrella organization for independent nonprofit social welfare providers in Germany. GWA St. Pauli is likely a member of its Hamburg chapter; comparable in operating model (community-based nonprofits) but represents the broader sector rather than a single neighborhood provider.

Direct peers

• JUST e.V. Munich-based community work organization providing youth, family, and neighborhood services. Directly comparable to GWA in operating Community-based social work (Gemeinwesenarbeit) with a focus on disadvantaged neighborhoods, multiple service lines, and municipal funding.
• Gangway e.V. Berlin-based streetwork and community work organization serving marginalized youth and adults. Comparable to GWA in its community-embedded social work approach, low-barrier access, and reliance on public funding and donations, though it operates in a different city.

Regional players

• Verband für Stadtteilkultur Hamburg: Hamburg-based association of neighborhood cultural centers and community work projects, of which GWA and the Kölibri are part. Directly comparable as a Hamburg-focused peer organization supporting community-led cultural and social work in the same city.
• B5 Kulturhaus (B5 Kulturelle Begegnungsstätte): Hamburg community center in St. Pauli offering cultural and adult education programming. Closest direct peer to the Kölibri within the same neighborhood, though smaller in scope and without GWA's full family support and youth welfare portfolio.

Others

• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Gemeinwesenarbeit: National working group/foundation representing the Gemeinwesenarbeit (community work) sector in Germany of which GWA is a member. Not a competitor but a sectoral body setting standards and representing member organizations like GWA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gwa-st.-pauli-e.v.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 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 GWA St. Pauli E.V.