IB Freiwilligendienste

What IB Freiwilligendienste does

IB Freiwilligendienste is the voluntary service division of the Internationaler Bund (IB), a large German nonprofit registered association (eingetragener Verein) headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The division administers four core structured voluntary service programs in Germany — the Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (FSJ) for social placements, the Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr (FÖJ) for environmental placements, and two age-tiered variants of the Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD) for under-27 and 27+ participants — plus an international placement program (Freiwilligendienst weltweit) spanning six continents (excluding Antarctica). The organization serves approximately 1,900 volunteers per year in Baden-Württemberg alone, with operations across at least seven German federal states via regional field teams in Jena, Dresden, Löbau, Rostock, Ulm and elsewhere, plus the IB Volunteers Nürnberg office for international coordination.

The business is service- rather than technology-driven; the disclosed technology stack consists of a website-based placement portal (Einsatzstellenbörse), an integrated Freiwillig24 search widget from TD Software.Systems GmbH, OpenStreetMap-based location services, a Flockler social wall, and an external online application portal (online-bewerbung.tim-vip.de). No proprietary platforms or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. Revenue mechanics are government-and-institution-funded: federal subsidies from the BMFSFJ cover BFD participant allowances (up to EUR 300/month under 27; up to EUR 400/month for 27+) and pedagogical accompaniment (up to EUR 158/month for seminar days); additional subsidies flow from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and state budgets in regions such as Thuringia; and host organizations (Einsatzstellen) — primarily hospitals, daycare centers, schools, nursing homes, disability facilities, nature conservation bodies, and organic farms — pay a comprehensive monthly fee of approximately EUR 700 per volunteer covering pocket money, social insurance contributions, education costs, and administrative overhead.

The customer base is two-sided: individual volunteers (primarily 16-26-year-olds seeking career orientation or bridge time between school and university/vocational training, plus adults 27+ for BFD) on the demand side, and host institutions on the supply side. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the website portal, regional offices, and social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Xing). The organization holds no patents or disclosed trademarks and is not venture-backed; the parent IB's three-person executive board (Thiemo Fojkar as Chair, Karola Becker, Janine Krohe) oversees the broader network of subsidiaries and affiliated entities.

Name

IB Freiwilligendienste

Legal name

Internationaler Bund (IB) Freier Träger der Jugend-, Sozial- und Bildungsarbeit e.V.

Website

https://ib-freiwilligendienste.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

IB Freiwilligendienste, the voluntary service division of the Internationaler Bund, administers federally approved FSJ, FÖJ, and BFD programs in Germany plus international placements, serving ~1,900+ volunteers annually across social, environmental, and educational host organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Volunteer Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

International & Local Implementing NGOs (HLAJAKAD)

Keywords

• Voluntary service programs
• Social year placements
• Ecological volunteer year
• Federal volunteer service
• International volunteer placement

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfurt am Main

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Subsidies - Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD): Federal government funding for BFD participants: up to 300 EUR per month for pocket money and social insurance contributions for participants under 27, and up to 400 EUR for participants 27 and older. Additional pedagogical support funding of up to 158 EUR per month for seminar days.
2. Government Subsidies - Youth Volunteer Services (JFD): Federal funding for FSJ and FÖJ pedagogical accompaniment: maximum 200 EUR per participant per month subsidy. State-level additional funding varies by federal state.
3. Placement Fees from Host Organizations: Host organizations (Einsatzstellen) pay a monthly fee covering pocket money, social insurance contributions, educational costs, and administrative overhead. Total approximately 700 EUR per volunteer per month.
4. European Social Fund Plus (ESF+): FÖJ in Thuringia is co-funded by the Free State of Thuringia and the European Social Fund Plus.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

IB Freiwilligendienste organizes and manages structured volunteer service programs in Germany and internationally, including the Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (FSJ), Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr (FÖJ), and Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD). The organization matches individual volunteers with host organizations (Einsatzstellen) such as hospitals, daycares, schools, nursing homes, environmental agencies, and farms, while providing monthly pocket money, social insurance coverage, and pedagogical seminar days.

Product overview

IB Freiwilligendienste operates a unified platform for managing multiple structured voluntary service programs in Germany and internationally. The core portfolio comprises four distinct programs: the Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (FSJ) for social sector placements, the Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr (FÖJ) for environmental placements, and two variants of the Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD) differentiated by age (under 27 and 27+). These programs are facilitated through an Einsatzstellenbörse (placement portal) integrated with Freiwillig24, with supplementary services including Taschengeld (allowance) administration and Pädagogische Begleitung (pedagogical support) with seminar days. International placements are offered across six continents through the Freiwilligendienst weltweit program. All programs provide access to social insurance, volunteer ID cards with benefits, and qualified certificates upon completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (FSJ) A year-long voluntary social service program for young people aged up to 26, offering practical work experience in social institutions such as kindergartens, senior care facilities, hospitals, and disability services, complemented by 25 seminar days for reflection and personal development.
• Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr (FÖJ) A voluntary ecological year program for young people aged 16-26, providing practical experience in environmental and nature conservation roles including landscape management, environmental education, farms, and nature reserves, with 25 seminar days and career orientation support.
• Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD) bis 26 Jahre Federal volunteer service for individuals aged 16-26, offering placements across social, environmental, sports, integration, cultural, educational, and civil protection sectors with at least 5 seminar weeks over 12 months.
• Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD) ab 27 Jahre

Quantifiable outcome

• FSJ and FÖJ recognized as waiting time (Wartezeit) for university admission through Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Freistaat Thüringen (Free State of Thuringia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partner co-funding FÖJ programs in Thuringia through ESF+ (European Social Fund Plus) and state budget allocations.
• Bundesministerium für Bildung, Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (BMFSFJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal ministry providing primary funding for BFD programs and regulatory oversight for all youth volunteer services (FSJ, FÖJ).
• Stiftung für Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admission)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial recognition body that counts FSJ and FÖJ participation toward university waiting time (Wartezeit) for admission.
• L'Arche InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization providing host placements for volunteers with disabilities in multiple countries (USA, Argentina, and others) through IB Volunteers international program.
• für-freiwillige.de InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative by volunteer service organizations to promote volunteer recognition and provide discounts for volunteers through a location-based platform.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Freiwilligenserver.de: Federal-state-supported online platform aggregating volunteer opportunities across Germany, adjacent to IB as an ecosystem-level discovery channel rather than a direct program competitor.

Direct peers

• Malteser Deutschland: Malteser runs FSJ and BFD programs similar to IB's, with placements in social services, healthcare, and civil protection, competing for the same volunteer demographic and government funding.
• Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband: The Paritätische umbrella coordinates volunteer services through its member organizations and offers comparable FSJ/BFD placements with the same government subsidy framework.
• AWO Bundesverband: Arbeiterwohlfahrt is one of Germany's six major Wohlfahrtsverbände and a direct competitor offering FSJ, FÖJ, and BFD volunteer programs through its regional chapters with government funding.
• Caritas Deutschland: Caritas operates extensive FSJ and BFD programs through its diocesan branches, competing directly with IB for host organizations and volunteers in social welfare and caregiving placements.
• Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe: Johanniter offers FSJ and BFD programs with a focus on emergency medical services, disaster relief, and social engagement, providing a comparable volunteer placement and pedagogical support model.
• Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (DRK): The German Red Cross runs one of the largest volunteer service programs in Germany, offering FSJ and BFD placements across healthcare, social services, and humanitarian aid with a comparable federal/state funding model.
• Diakonie Deutschland: Diakonie's Protestant welfare network runs parallel FSJ/BFD volunteer programs with similar pedagogical support structures, targeting identical host institutions in social and healthcare settings.

Emerging players

• GoVolunteer: Digital platform for discovering volunteer opportunities in Germany, partially overlapping with IB's Einsatzstellenbörse in facilitating volunteer-host matching but not running its own service-year programs.
• Bundesvereinigung Kulturelle Kinder- und Jugendbildung: Umbrella organization for cultural youth education in Germany that runs specialized FSJ Kultur programs in cultural institutions, partially overlapping with IB's broader volunteer portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCM5eFDRXilM3Pua0be5s7Jg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ibfreiwilligendienste
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ib-freiwilligendienste
• Instagraminstagram.com/internationalerbund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 IB Freiwilligendienste