Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V.

What Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V. does

Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V. is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Hamburg, founded in 1948 as a cooperative initiative between DGB Hamburg (German Trade Union Confederation) and Hamburger Volkshochschule (Adult Education Center). Operating with 29 employees across four Hamburg offices and a subsidiary (Arbeit und Leben Bildungswerk GmbH), the organization delivers political education, multilingual labor-law counseling, anti-extremism and victim-support services, workplace disability inclusion, and international vocational mobility programs to employees, apprentices, job seekers, EU migrant workers, refugees, and people with disabilities in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein.

Its service portfolio comprises approximately fifteen distinct programs organized across four thematic areas: Political Education (Politische Jugendbildung, MBT mobile counseling against right-wing extremism, empower victim support), Labor Market (Servicestelle Arbeitnehmerfreizügigkeit for EU workers, IQ-Projekt Faire Integration for refugees, handicap disability counseling, INQA-Coaching, KOMPASS for solo self-employed, RZ.N digital transformation counseling, TRAM4 Decent Work, Billenetz neighborhood projects), Participation/Teilhabe (GrundBildungsBrücken, Gute Aussichten Plus, Bündnis betriebliche Bildung, Vielfalt in der Arbeitswelt), and International Education (Wege in die Welt, Move On!, Erasmus+ placements). Multilingual counseling is delivered in German, English, Arabic, Persian/Farsi, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Polish, and Romanian. The organization is certified to DIN EN ISO 9001:2015 (iFuCERT, Register-Nr. 001734) and holds the Weiterbildung Hamburg e.V. Prüfsiegel.

The business model is structured as a publicly funded non-profit. Revenue is sourced from the Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg (municipal), federal ministries (BMAS, BMBF), and EU programs (ESF Plus, Erasmus+, IQ-Förderprogramm); supplementary fee income is generated from Bildungsurlaub seminars and Bildungswerk GmbH corporate training. Counseling services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Advisory services are sold in eight languages via direct appointments, mobile outreach teams, and trade fair presence (IRMA 2026). The organization placed approximately 220 apprentices in international internships annually through Erasmus+ as of recent years, operating mobility partnerships across 14+ countries.

Name

Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V.

Legal name

Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V.

Website

https://hamburg.arbeitundleben.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V. is a Hamburg-based non-profit founded in 1948 that delivers multilingual labor-law counseling, political education, anti-extremism support, and Erasmus+ vocational mobility programs for employees, apprentices, EU migrants, and disadvantaged groups in northern Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Civic Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Provider-Run International Internship Programs (Multi-Country/Multi-Industry) (EDAIAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Government/IGO/NGO & Public Sector International Internships (EDAIAFAG), Experiential Learning & Internships/Co-ops (EDALABAG), Sector-Specific Internship Programs (e.g., STEM, Business, Health, Arts) (EDAIAFAI)

Keywords

• Political education
• Labor law counseling
• Adult education
• Workplace integration
• Vocational training

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding (Government Subsidies): Core funding from Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg, federal ministries (BMAS, BMBF), and EU sources including ESF Plus and Erasmus+. Projects include INQA-Coaching, RZ.N, and various educational programs.
2. Seminar and Training Fees: Fees for political education seminars, Bildungsurlaub programs, and qualification courses. Under Hamburg law, employees can receive five days additional leave for recognized educational programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V. is a joint initiative of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB Hamburg) and the Hamburg Adult Education Center (VHS Hamburg), providing political and civic education, multilingual labor-law counseling, workplace integration support, anti-extremism advisory services, and international mobility programs. The organization has roughly 29 staff and operates primarily in the Hamburg metropolitan area, serving individual workers, migrants, apprentices, works councils, and small employers through counseling, seminars, and project-based initiatives.

Product overview

Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V. is a nonprofit educational and consulting organization offering a portfolio of interconnected services centered on political education, fair labor market participation, social inclusion, and international education. The organization operates through multiple thematic areas: (1) Political Education (Politische Bildung) providing youth and adult education programs, counseling against extremism (MBT), and victim support (empower); (2) Fair Labor Market (Arbeitsmarkt) offering multilingual EU worker counseling (Servicestelle Arbeitnehmerfreizügigkeit), IQ labor law project for refugees (Faire Integration), disability workplace counseling (handicap), and digitalization support for works councils (RZ.N); (3) Participation (Teilhabe) delivering basic education bridges, workplace qualifications (Gute Aussichten Plus), and diversity programs (VidA); (4) International Education (Bildung International) providing Erasmus+ and ESF-funded vocational abroad programs (Wege in die Welt, Move On!). The subsidiary company Arbeit und Leben Bildungswerk GmbH offers employer-focused training services. Services are funded through state, federal, and EU sources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Servicestelle Arbeitnehmerfreizügigkeit (Worker Mobility Service Center) Advice and counseling center for EU and non-EU workers on labor rights, fair integration, and employment-related mobility issues in Hamburg.
• IQ-Projekt Faire Integration (Fair Integration IQ Project) Project under the IQ funding line providing counseling to migrants and refugees on fair access to the German labor market and qualification pathways.
• Beratungsstelle handicap Hamburg und Schleswig-Holstein Counseling center supporting employees with disabilities and their employers on workplace inclusion, reasonable accommodations, and related labor-law questions in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein.
• Mobiles Beratungsteam gegen Rechtsextremismus (MBT) Mobile counseling team offering advice and democratic education to counter right-wing extremism in Hamburg neighborhoods and workplaces.
• empower – Beratungsstelle für Betroffene rechter, rassistischer und antisemitischer Gewalt Counseling center providing support to individuals affected by right-wing, racist, or anti-Semitic violence in Hamburg.
• Wege in die Welt (Ways into the World) International education and mobility program for young adults and apprentices offering preparation, placement, and follow-up for stays abroad.
• Move On! Deine Chance in Europa Erasmus+ project supporting vocational trainees and young adults from Hamburg with cross-border mobility placements across Europe.
• Erasmus+ Auslandsaufenthalte (Erasmus+ Stays Abroad) Structured Erasmus+ funded program organizing international stays abroad for apprentices and adult learners with preparation and follow-up support.
• Politische Bildung (Political Education Programs) Seminars, workshops, and event series on civic, political, and socio-economic topics targeted at workers, apprentices, works councils, and adult learners.
• Gute Aussichten Plus Project supporting young people and adults with entry into vocational training, qualification, and sustainable employment.
• GrundBildungsBrücken Hamburg Basic education and literacy bridging program for adults, providing foundational reading, writing, and numeracy support combined with labor-market orientation.
• Bündnis betriebliche Bildung Coalition-based program coordinating company-level continuing vocational education and training for employees in the Hamburg region.
• Vielfalt in der Arbeitswelt (VidA) Project promoting diversity, inclusion, and equal participation in workplaces through counseling, training, and corporate dialogue formats.
• KOMPASS – Kompakte Hilfe für Solo-Selbstständige Compact advisory service for solo self-employed persons covering social insurance, contracts, and sustainable business practices.
• RZ.N – Regionales Zukunftszentrum Nord Regional future center supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in northern Germany with transformation, digitalization, and learning-culture consulting.
• INQA-Coaching Coaching under the federal INQA initiative providing small businesses with consulting on personnel management, organization, and digital transformation.
• Billenetz – sozialräumliche Projekte Social-spatial project network coordinating community-based education and participation initiatives across Hamburg districts.
• Arbeit und Leben Bildungswerk GmbH Subsidiary limited-liability company of Arbeit und Leben Hamburg delivering vocational seminars, qualification courses, and certified education programs as a separate commercial entity.
• Fortbildungsprogramm Integrationsamt Hamburg (Training Program for the Integration Office Hamburg) Continuing-education program commissioned by the Hamburg Integration Office providing further training seminars on inclusion, disability, and integration topics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 220+ young people placed in international internships annually through Erasmus+
• +1 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EU-Kommission (European Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026European Commission representatives visit to review ESF project 'Wege in die Welt'. Partnership enables international mobility programs through Erasmus+ and ESF funding for apprentices and graduates.
• Freie und Hansestadt HamburgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Long-standing partnership with the city of Hamburg for youth education and international mobility programs. Collaboration includes ESF projects and joint initiatives with various city departments including Behörde für Schule und Berufsbildung.
• HIBB (Hamburger Institut für Berufliche Bildung)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Partnership for vocational education and international mobility programs since 2008. Collaborates with Arbeit und Leben Hamburg and the city on ESF-funded 'Wege in die Welt' project enabling international internships for apprentices.
• Integrationsamt HamburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on disability inclusion in the workplace. Arbeit und Leben Hamburg participates in IRMA trade fair at Integrationsamt booth, providing counseling on labor rights and inclusion for people with disabilities.
• Hamburg Welcome CenterminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides multilingual labor law counseling services at the Hamburg Welcome Center location for EU citizens and migrants.
• IQ Netzwerk Hamburg (Regionales Integrationsnetzwerk)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the regional integration network providing counseling and qualification programs for adults with migration backgrounds. Förderprogramm 'Integration durch Qualifizierung' funded by BMAS and ESF+.
• Erasmus+ Programme (EU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU funding program enabling international vocational training placements for apprentices and graduates. Arbeit und Leben Hamburg organizes preparation meetings and supports approximately 220 participants annually.
• Logwin, DHL, Kühne + Nagel, AMA Freight Agency, Fr. Meyer's Sohn, Conecta LogisticaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogistics companies hosting international internship placements for apprentices through the Erasmus+ and 'Wege in die Welt' programs. Participants gain international vocational experience at these employer locations.
• Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner in IQ network implementation alongside BMBF for improving labor market integration of adults with migration backgrounds.
• Bücherhallen Hamburg (Public Libraries)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on LeseHerbst reading festival in Hamburg neighborhoods including Billstedt, Horn, and Mümmelmannsberg. Norddeutsche Hörbücherei participates as partner for accessibility.
• Bundesarbeitskreis Arbeit und Leben e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational association network of Arbeit und Leben organizations across Germany. Coordinates political youth education and advocates for funding at federal level.
• digitalNORD GmbHminorOthersExternal data protection officer provider. Contact: Indre Keichel, Marga-Faulstich-Str. 8, 24145 Kiel.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bundesarbeitskreis Arbeit und Leben e.V. National umbrella association of the Arbeit und Leben chapters, including Hamburg. Coordinates political youth education, advocates for federal funding, and sets shared program standards — a direct peer at the network level.
• Arbeit und Leben Berlin-Brandenburg: Sister chapter of Arbeit und Leben within the national Bundesarbeitskreis network, jointly operated by DGB and VHS affiliates in the Berlin-Brandenburg region. Offers directly comparable political education seminars, multilingual counseling, and Bildungsurlaub programs to workers and migrants.
• Arbeit und Leben Niedersachsen: Another DGB/VHS-affiliated Arbeit und Leben chapter serving Lower Saxony. Mirrors the Hamburg offering in political education, vocational integration, and international mobility through ESF/Erasmus+ programs.
• Arbeit und Leben Nordrhein-Westfalen: Largest sister chapter of Arbeit und Leben in NRW, also jointly operated by DGB and VHS. Runs the same combination of political education, labor market counseling, and international mobility programs under the national Arbeit und Leben brand.
• IQ Fachstelle Faire Integration: Federal coordination office for the IQ-Förderprogramm 'Integration durch Qualifizierung' in which Arbeit und Leben Hamburg's IQ-Projekt Faire Integration participates. Operates the same multilingual labor law counseling model for migrants across Germany.

Broad incumbents

• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung: Affiliated political foundation of the German Social Democratic Party that runs large-scale political education programs, seminars, and Bildungsurlaub courses — broader in scope and budget but operating in the same political adult education category.
• Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund (DGB) Bundesvorstand: Founding co-sponsor of Arbeit und Leben Hamburg and the broader national confederation of trade unions. Provides the trade-union policy framework, political education mandate, and representational reach that underlie the Hamburg chapter's mission.
• Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband (DVV): National umbrella of the German adult education centers (Volkshochschulen) including VHS Hamburg. Operates the broader VHS educational infrastructure that Arbeit und Leben Hamburg sits within, with overlapping political and continuing education programs.

Emerging players

• pad e.V. (Politische Bildung / Arbeit und Gesellschaft): Specialized provider of political and workplace education programs tied to trade union and civic society work. Comparable in mission to Arbeit und Leben Hamburg's political education seminars but operates on a smaller, more focused footprint.

Regional players

• Hamburger Volkshochschule (VHS Hamburg): Co-founding partner of Arbeit und Leben Hamburg and adult education provider serving the same Hamburg geography. Shares board representation and offers complementary continuing education programs; closest institutional peer at the local level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/grundbildung_hamburg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC...
• Facebookfacebook.com/ArbeitundLebenHamburg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arbeit-und-leben-dgb-vhs-hamburg-e-v

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V.