KUP (Kirkens ungdomsprosjekt)

What KUP (Kirkens ungdomsprosjekt) does

Kirkens Ungdomsprosjekt (KUP) is a Norwegian non-profit charitable organization (ideell og diakonal organisasjon) founded in 1991 and headquartered in Kristiansand, Agder, Norway. It delivers preventive and relational youth services built on a trauma-informed care methodology (TBO — Traumebevisst Omsorg), developed in collaboration with regional trauma competence center RVTS Sør. The core methodology rests on three pillars — safety, relationships, and mastery — operationalized through weekly small-group programs (typically 8-12 youth, 3-4 hours per session) combined with weekend trips, summer excursions, and individual follow-up. Services are delivered completely free to participants and target vulnerable youth aged 12-18, girls with minority backgrounds, boys at risk of marginalization, and young mothers with children under school age, with an outreach arm (KUP-ute) reaching street-active youth.

KUP's service portfolio includes activity groups, girl groups, girl groups with minority background focus, boy groups, mother groups, mastery courses (grief, Flex-ID, swimming, COS parenting, depression mastery), outdoor outreach (KUP-ute), and individual follow-up support. Service delivery relies on a staff of approximately 14 paid professionals (social workers, milieu therapists, nurses, environmental workers, office staff) supplemented by 3-5 volunteer leaders per group. The organization operates across three municipalities — Kristiansand (headquarters at Gyldenløvesgate 7), Lillesand (separate department), and Søgne/Songdalen (KUP-vest) — and serves 300+ children, youth, and young adults weekly. A 2017-launched street outreach unit, a Randøya island property used for respite trips, and a fleet including boats 'Ludvig' and 'Ranveig' support the experiential learning model.

KUP is funded through a mix of municipal operating subsidies (approximately 45% from Kristiansand kommune), state project funds (approximately 25%, sourced via application for specific initiatives), and donations from churches, businesses, and individual givers. It maintains core partnerships with Kristiansand municipality, KFUM/K Kristiansand (founding partner), RVTS Sør (methodology development), University of Agder (practice placements since 1992), Agderforskning and Stiftelsen Arkivet (research), IMDi (girls' group funding), and Preventive Police Kristiansand. The organization has been independently evaluated multiple times, including Fafo (2025:1), Kifo (2024:1), RVTS Sør, Agderforskning, and NIBR. In 2025, founding-era leader Ingunn Lyngset Holme transitioned to lead the newly established Stiftelsen KUP — a separate foundation designed to scale the KUP model to new municipalities — while Dag Sverre 'Daggi' Jølstad assumed the daily manager role.

Name

KUP (Kirkens ungdomsprosjekt)

Legal name

Kirkens Ungdomsprosjekt

Website

https://kirkensungdomsprosjekt.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KUP (Kirkens Ungdomsprosjekt) is a Norwegian non-profit founded in 1991 that delivers free, trauma-informed preventive youth services to 300+ weekly participants across three municipalities in Agder, Norway, through structured group programs, street outreach, and individual follow-up.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral & Social-Emotional Support (ABA, PBIS, Counseling) (EDAJAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)

Keywords

• Youth social services
• Preventive youth work
• Trauma-informed care
• Community youth groups
• Youth outreach programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kristiansand

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Municipal Operating Subsidy: Kristiansand municipality provides stable operating funds, representing approximately 45% of revenue. This provides predictability and serves as a solid foundation.
2. Government Project Funding: State project funds sourced through applications for specific initiatives. These are uncertain funds tied to specific measures, representing approximately 25% of revenue in 2016.
3. Donations and Gift Service: Churches in Domprostiet provide annual collections, regular corporate support, and a loyal group of regular donors. The organization encourages becoming a 'fast giver' for sustainable operations.
4. Individual Gifts: One-time gifts can be made to bank account 3000.23.80931 or via Vipps to 129923.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KUP (Kirkens Ungdomsprosjekt) is a non-profit charitable and diaconal organization that delivers free, long-term relational and preventive social services for vulnerable youth aged 12-18 and young mothers. Its core offerings include weekly activity groups, girl groups, boy groups, mother groups, outdoor street outreach (KUP-ute), mastery courses, and individual follow-up, all delivered by trained staff and volunteers using a trauma-informed care methodology (TBO) with the three pillars of safety, relationships, and mastery.

Product overview

KUP (Kirkens Ungdomsprosjekt) is a nonprofit charitable organization offering a portfolio of preventive and relational social services for vulnerable youth and young mothers. The core offerings include Activity Groups for mixed-gender youth aged 12-18, Girl Groups for multicultural girls, Boy Groups for young men, and Mother Groups for young mothers with children. Additional services include KUP-ute (outdoor youth outreach), Mastery Courses, Tours and Activities, and Individual Follow-up support. All services are free for participants and are delivered through small group settings with paid staff and volunteer leaders, emphasizing long-term relationships, mastery experiences, and community belonging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Activity Groups (Aktivitetsgruppe) Weekly groups for youth aged 12-18 offering activities, food, companionship, and stable adult contact. Each group meets one evening per week for 3 hours, with two weekend trips per year and a 6-day summer trip. Led by a KUP employee with 3-4 volunteer leaders, accommodating up to 12 youth; free for participants.
• Girl Groups (Jentegruppe) Groups for girls with minority backgrounds living between two cultures, focusing on building relationships, networks, and expanding their agency in Norwegian society. Supported by IMDi with particular focus on girls from honor cultures and collectivist cultures; free for participants.
• Boy Groups (Guttegruppe) Collaborative project with the municipality to prevent early marginalization of young men. Run as a standard activity group with 8-10 boys, one KUP employee, and 2-3 volunteer leaders; free for participants.
• Mother Groups (Mødregrupper) Weekly groups for young mothers with children under school age, including free dinner, small and large group sessions, babysong, guidance, and biannual weekend trips to Gautestad. Includes small group for mothers with children 0-1.5 years and large group for children 1.5 years to school age; free for participants.
• KUP-ute (Street Outreach) Outdoor youth outreach initiative that reaches youth who have distanced themselves from safe adult contact and live on the edge of the law. Operates flexibly across the city with focus on Kvadraturen area, creating relationships through experiences, mastery, conversations, and trust; free for participants.
• Mastery Courses (Mestringskurs) Various mastery courses including grief groups for youth who have lost a parent or sibling, Flex-ID courses for multicultural youth, swimming courses, COS parenting courses, depression mastery courses (DU), and conflict management courses; free for participants.
• Tours and Activities (Turer og aktiviteter) Each group takes weekend trips and summer tours. Activities include go-kart, climbing, bowling, boat trips, sailing, game nights, frisbee golf, swimming, zoo visits, campfires, and barbecues. The organization owns Randøya island property and two boats named Ludvig and Ranveig; free for participants.
• Individual Follow-up (Individuell oppfølging) Individual support including home visits, support conversations, advice and guidance, crisis assistance, driving practice, job placement, school and institution visits, help contacting public institutions, CV/application writing assistance, and practical moving help; free for participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fafo 2025 evaluation: KUP reaches target group and scores high on most evaluation areas
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kristiansand municipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Long-term collaboration with municipal services including schools, social workers, child welfare, youth services, police, and health stations. Municipality provides approximately 45% of KUP's operating funding and refers youth to services.
• KFUM/K KristiansandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1991Original founding partner along with Kristiansand Domprosti. KFUM/K provides two representatives to the representative assembly.
• RVTS SørcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration partner in developing trauma-informed care methodology. Contributed to TBO (Traumebevisst Omsorg) framework and ongoing professional development. Co-produced research reports including 'Jenter som stråler' and 'Å aldri gå alene'.
• AgderforskningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner following the startup of the boys' group. Article published in book 'Violent Extremism in the 21st century'. Part of steering group for boys' group project.
• Stiftelsen ArkivetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner following the startup of the boys' group. Part of the broad steering group for the boys' group project.
• Platform (Norsk institutt for forebygging av radikalisering og voldelig ekstremisme)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on preventing increasing polarization and hate rhetoric in society. Prevention work with extreme right-wing environments.
• Universitetet i Agder (UiA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPractice placement for 1-3 social work students each fall semester since 1992. KUP also supervises social work students. Has facilitated international practice in Walvis Bay, Namibia through friendship city project.
• Frikirken KristiansandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides premises for mother groups on Mondays from 15:30-17:30 in their facilities in Tollbodgata, near Kvadraturen Skolesenter.
• Knif TrygghetminorOthersInsurance provider for collective accident insurance for volunteers through Knif Trygghet.
• Preventive Police KristiansandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on addressing youth crime and substance abuse problems in Kristiansand city center. Part of KUP-ute establishment.
• Røde KorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of street mediation/conflict management course (Gatemegling).
• IMDi (Integrasjons- og mangfoldsdirektoratet)minorOthersFunding support for girls' groups focused on minority background girls living in tension between two cultures.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stine Sofies Stiftelse: Norwegian non-profit foundation focused on vulnerable children and youth, with prevention programs and trauma-aware methodology comparable to KUP's TBO approach.
• Blå Kors Norge: Norwegian non-profit providing preventive youth services, addiction support and social work, including street outreach analogous to KUP-ute. Overlaps on the trauma-informed, volunteer-supported youth services model.
• KFUK-KFUM Norge (YMCA/YWCA Norway): KFUM/K in Kristiansand is a co-founder of KUP. KFUK-KFUM Norge runs analogous youth group activities, volunteer-leader models and life-view open youth work nationally, making it the closest direct peer in methodology and target group.
• Røde Kors Norge: Norwegian Red Cross runs youth activities, integration programs and outreach comparable to KUP. Already an explicit KUP partner (co-organizing the Gatemegling street mediation course).

Regional players

• Kirkens SOS: National crisis support line and chat service. Less operationally similar but thematically aligned through its church-affiliated diaconal mission to vulnerable populations, with overlap to KUP's individual follow-up work.

Broad incumbents

• Kirkens Bymisjon: Major Norwegian church-affiliated social services organization operating across many cities. Overlaps with KUP in diaconal youth work, social inclusion programs and municipality-funded services, but operates at much larger national scale.
• SOS-barnebyer Norge: Norwegian branch of SOS Children's Villages providing long-term relational support for vulnerable children and youth. Comparable in its long-duration group/home-based model, but operates residential care rather than community groups.

Emerging players

• Mental Helse Norge: Norwegian mental health advocacy and peer-support organization with adjacent focus on youth mental wellbeing, social inclusion and mastery — themes central to KUP's TBO framework.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kup-kirkens-ungdomsprosjekt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about KUP (Kirkens ungdomsprosjekt)