Jugendzentren Köln GGmbH

What Jugendzentren Köln GGmbH does

Jugendzentren Köln gGmbH (operating as JugZ) is a Cologne-based, municipally recognized non-profit youth welfare provider (freier Träger der Jugendhilfe) recognized under § 75 of the German Social Code VIII (KJHG), founded in 2006/2007 and headquartered at Christianstraße 82 in the Ehrenfeld district. The organization runs an open-door network of approximately 15+ youth centers distributed across virtually all Cologne districts (Niehl, Flittard, Zollstock, Weiden, Porz, Mülheim, Chorweiler, Neubrück, Widdersdorf, Altstadt-Nord, and others), serving children and adolescents aged approximately 6–21 with sports, arts, music, media, circus, and cultural programming. Specialized sub-brands extend the offering: AbenteuerHallen Kalk (inclusive climbing, skate park, circus arts), jugendzentrum.digital (media/VR/streaming workshops), Bauspielplatz Senkelsgraben (construction playground), and individual named neighborhood centers (Pauline, Fzwei, Eichi, Juze Weiden, 670/Klingelpütz, ENBE, Northside, Rheinstein).

The second core pillar is full-day school care (OGS/Ganztag) operated at 16 school sites — 9 primary and 7 secondary schools — plus dedicated school social work (Schulsozialarbeit) launched in 2015. A consolidated holiday program (Ferienangebote) covers all school breaks with camps, excursions, and workshops (some with nominal €5–80 fees, others free). The technology platform is a WordPress-based, accessibility-first web presence (Enfold child-theme, WP Accessibility, Mittwald hosting) holding BITV 2.0 / WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance as of June 2025; no proprietary software, API, or AI capability is disclosed.

The business model is contract-based public funding: long-term municipal service agreements with the City of Cologne (primary funder, holding shareholder posture via the gGmbH governance) and co-funding from the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, governed by the Public Corporate Governance Kodex (PCGK). Direct customer fees are nominal cost-coverage at best (e.g., €5 excursions, €40–80 week programs) — most services, including OGS care, are free for families. Revenue is therefore essentially a single-payer concentration on the City of Cologne, with secondary funding flows from the NRW state government. Management is led by Managing Director Almut Gross, Supervisory Board Chair Ayfer Ersöz, and three department heads (Jugendarbeit, Ganztag, Zentrale Dienste); central HQ staff is approximately 19, with substantially larger decentralized pedagogical workforces across sites.

Name

Jugendzentren Köln GGmbH

Legal name

Jugendzentren Köln gGmbH

Website

https://jugz.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jugendzentren Köln gGmbH (JugZ) is a Cologne-based non-profit youth welfare organization recognized under § 75 KJHG, operating 20+ neighborhood youth centers and full-day school care at 16 schools, funded primarily by City of Cologne and NRW public contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Welfare Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

After-School Enrichment & Activities Facilitation (Arts/STEM/Clubs) (HSAAAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Holiday, Inset-Day & Break Coverage Programs (Early Years) (EDACAHAK), Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI)

Keywords

• Youth welfare services
• Community youth programs
• After-school care
• Holiday programs
• School social work

Headquarters

HQ city

Köln

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding / Municipal Contract: As a municipal (städtisch) non-profit and recognized free provider of youth welfare under § 75 KJHG, JugZ is primarily funded by public contracts with the City of Cologne and co-funded by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. Revenue is derived from long-term service agreements for operating youth centers and running all-day school care programs, not from direct customer fees.
2. Program Fees (Nominal / Cost-Coverage): Holiday programs and some activity offerings charge nominal fees (e.g., 5€ per excursion, 80€ for Art&Style week, climbing training 15€/hour) to cover costs. Most youth center visits and open programs are free. Fees are not profit-generating but cost-coverage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

JugZ operates as a publicly funded non-profit providing open youth work at approximately 20 neighborhood youth centers across Cologne, full-day school care (Ganztag/OGS) at 16 partner school locations, comprehensive holiday programs during all school breaks, and school social work services. Programming covers media, arts, music, culture, sports, circus, and inclusive adventure sports for children, adolescents, and families. Services are predominantly free of charge, with nominal fees on selected activities.

Product overview

Jugendzentren Köln GGmbH operates as a network of youth centers and related services in Cologne, Germany. The core offering consists of open youth work at approximately 15+ facilities across the city, providing recreational activities, educational support, and developmental programs. Supporting services include full-day school care at 16 educational institutions and comprehensive holiday programs. The portfolio includes specialized sub-brands such as Jugendzentrum.digital (media/technology), AbenteuerHallen Kalk (sports/adventure), and various neighborhood youth centers, all united under the common mission of youth welfare and social education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Abenteuerhallen Kalk (AHK): Adventure halls featuring climbing, skating, and arts facilities for youth
• Fzwei
• Juze Weiden
• Eichi
• 670 / Klingelpütz
• ENBE
• Northside
• Rheinstein
• Pauline
• Jugendzentrum.digital

Products and services

• Offene Kinder- und Jugendarbeit (Open Youth Work) Open-access youth center services providing recreational, educational, and developmental activities for children and adolescents across multiple Cologne neighborhoods. Programs include sports, arts, music, media, and circus activities delivered at drop-in facilities.
• Ganztagsbetreuung (Full-Day School Care / OGS) Extended school-day care and educational support delivered at 16 partner school locations (9 primary, 7 secondary) in Cologne, providing homework assistance, meals, and leisure activities in coordination with partner schools. Publicly funded and free for participating families.
• Ferienprogramme (Holiday Programs) Vacation programs offering diverse activities including day trips, camps, workshops, sports, creative projects, and overnight stays for children and youth across all school holidays. Mostly free; selected activities charge small nominal fees.
• Schulsozialarbeit (School Social Work) Social work services delivered at partner schools, providing parent counseling, child development support, conflict mediation, and child protection assistance for families and pupils.
• Jugendzentrum Pauline Neighborhood youth center (Flittard district) offering open recreation, media projects, girls' groups, sports, and holiday programs for children up to 11 years and youth from 12 years.
• Jugendzentrum.digital Media-focused youth center in Cologne Youth Park offering video production, music/sound production, VR experiences, photography, theater, and streaming technology workshops for children and youth.
• AbenteuerHallen Kalk (AHK) Adventure sports facility in Kalk featuring a climbing hall, skate park, and circus arts, with inclusive programming accessible to children and youth with and without disabilities.
• Kinder- und Jugendzentrum Zollstock (Eichi) Youth center in Zollstock offering billiards, table football, darts, board games, trampoline, basketball, table tennis, and football facilities with holiday programming.
• Jugendzentrum 670 / Klingelpütz City-center youth facility and recreational area offering inclusive programs for children and youth with and without disabilities, including creative workshops and spray art courses.
• Kinder- und Jugendhaus Fzwei Youth center in Niehl offering summer programs with excursions, creative activities, media offerings, cooking, music, sports, and evening events.
• Kinder- und Jugendzentrum Weiden (Juze) Youth center in Weiden offering youth work, sports activities, outdoor cinema, overnight stays, game workshops, and summer camp trips.
• Bauspielplatz Senkelsgraben Construction playground in Porz offering building activities, treehouse construction, overnight camping, circus visits, and outdoor art projects.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16 school partnerships for all-day care (OGS/Ganztag), covering 9 primary and 7 secondary schools across Cologne
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of Cologne (Stadt Köln)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a municipal non-profit (gGmbH with the City of Cologne as its backing entity), JugZ operates under long-term public contracts with the City of Cologne for youth welfare services. The city provides ongoing funding, facilities, and institutional support, making it the primary institutional partner without which JugZ's operations would not be possible.
• State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Land Nordrhein-Westfalen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-funding partner for Ganztag/OGS school care programs alongside the City of Cologne. State-level funding is a key revenue stream for JugZ's all-day school care operations.
• music4everybody! e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for the Klingelpütz holiday camp, providing music, dance, theater, and stage design programs. Co-organizes artistic holiday programs with Freinet-Schule Köln.
• Freinet-Schule KölnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school for the Klingelpütz holiday camp, contributing to a music, dance, and theater program for children and youth.
• InfactionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal partner providing BMX camps and trend sports programs at the ENBE youth center in Neubrück.
• JULE Club der Lebenshilfe Köln e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the GUT DRAUF holiday programs at Klingelpütz and other centers, focusing on movement, healthy nutrition, relaxation, and stress regulation for children and youth.
• Theater ImPuls e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partner providing theater workshops at the Rheinstein youth center during holiday programs, culminating in performances for families.
• zdi-Zentrum KölnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Fortnite Game-Design Workshop at jugendzentrum.digital, supporting STEM education and digital skills development for youth.
• Kölner Spielecircus e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts the Spielecircus (game circus) activity program at OT Rheinstein during holiday weeks, providing daily entertainment for school-age children.
• GAG Immobilien AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProperty owner and formal event organizer of the Spielecircus at OT Rheinstein. JugZ staff are additionally present during the program.
• Evropaiki Ekfrasi / Deutsch Griechisches JugendwerkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner for youth exchange programs (e.g., Cork-Irland exchange, Poetry & Creative Writing program in Ioannina, Greece). JugZ organizes international youth encounters with these partners.
• Sportverein LÖWIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports partner for OGS Im Kamp, providing additional sporting activities for children in the all-day care program.
• Kinder- und Jugendhaus Alte SchuleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation partner for additional offerings for 3rd and 4th grade students at OGS Im Kamp, with OGS Olympiaschule also collaborating.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Katholische Jugend Köln (CAJ / KjG / BDKJ): Catholic youth organizations operating open youth work, leisure, and educational programs in Cologne. Comparable freier Träger structure with similar youth-center and program-based delivery.
• Stadtjugendring Köln: Umbrella organization coordinating open youth work providers in Cologne. Comparable as a peer organization serving the same youth welfare mandate in Cologne, though operating as a network rather than a direct service provider.
• DRK Kreisverband Köln: German Red Cross Cologne chapter operating youth welfare, child care, and OGS services. Comparable as a competing freier Träger of youth and family programs in the same Cologne market.
• Caritasverband Köln: Recognized freier Träger running youth welfare services, school social work, and OGS programs in Cologne. Directly comparable in service mix, regulatory status, and customer segments to JugZ.
• Diakonie Köln: Welfare-organization Träger providing youth and family services plus OGS in Cologne. Comparable to JugZ in §75 KJHG-recognized delivery of youth work and school-based care.
• AWO Köln (Arbeiterwohlfahrt Kreisverband Köln): Large freie Träger der Jugendhilfe operating OGS/Ganztag and open youth work in Cologne under §75 KJHG. Directly comparable as a competing municipal-contracted youth and school-care provider serving the same families and schools.
• Evangelische Jugend Köln: Protestant church-affiliated youth organization offering open youth work, holiday programs, and OGS in Cologne. Directly comparable in program mix and Träger status under §75 KJHG.

Others

• Stadt Köln – Amt für Kinder, Jugend und Familie: Cologne's municipal youth welfare authority that contracts and funds freie Träger like JugZ. Comparable as the principal institutional counterpart/regulator rather than a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• gfi – Gesellschaft zur Förderung beruflicher und sozialer Integration: Large Träger providing school social work, OGS, and youth programs across multiple German states including NRW. Comparable in service delivery but operates at broader geographic scale than JugZ.
• Internationaler Bund (IB) Berlin / Cologne: Large nationwide freie Träger providing youth welfare, OGS, and education programs including in Cologne. Comparable in service mix but operates as a broad, multi-region incumbent rather than a Cologne-only specialist.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jugz
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC
• Facebookfacebook.com/jugz
• Instagraminstagram.com/jugz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jugendzentren-k%C3%B6ln-ggmbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Jugendzentren Köln GGmbH