Richtungswechsel - AT

What Richtungswechsel - AT does

Richtungswechsel is an Austrian non-profit association (Verein Richtungswechsel) headquartered in Vienna and focused on the (re)socialization of incarcerated individuals and prison reform. The organization targets three primary constituencies: adults and juveniles currently incarcerated in Austrian prisons, prison staff (Justizwache), and external NGOs and partner organizations working in criminal justice reform. It positions itself around the social problem that roughly one in three adults and more than one in two juveniles reoffend after release from Austrian prisons, and frames its work as a multi-level response spanning individual rehabilitation, professional development for prison staff, and broader systemic advocacy.

Its core portfolio is organized into named programs: the Unlocked Graduates Program (leadership development), BRIDGE (support services for incarcerated individuals), M-PAVE (materials and resources), RESIZE (reform initiatives), RESCALED (a movement on rescaling detention, including a youth detention conference model), WORKPRIS (employment in prisons), and PRISGRADS (a past graduate-support project). Adjacent platforms include the Inside-Out Podcast, the Richtungswechselplattform (knowledge-sharing hub), and the Champions Community (professional network). Underlying technology is not disclosed; the organization's value is delivered through human-led programs, EU project collaboration, and educational content rather than proprietary software products.

The business model is non-commercial. Revenue derives from two streams: EU project grants (Erasmus+ and named EU-funded initiatives) and individual donations collected via the "Richtungswechsel fördern" channel. There is no pricing model, no paying customer base, and no disclosed revenue. Distribution occurs through the organization's website, EU project partnerships, advocacy/news content, podcasts, and direct engagement with the Austrian prison system and partner NGOs. The organization is GDPR-compliant and holds the Verified Social Enterprise (VSE-Label 067) from the Austrian Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, Energy and Tourism (BMWET).

Name

Richtungswechsel - AT

Legal name

Verein Richtungswechsel

Website

https://richtungswechsel.or.at

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Richtungswechsel is an Austrian non-profit association (Verein) based in Vienna that delivers prison reform and resocialization programs for incarcerated individuals, prison staff, and partner NGOs, funded primarily through EU project grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Prison Reform and Resocialization Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Educational Support Services (611710), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management) (BPAKANAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Corrections (Probation, Parole & Reentry) (BPAIAFAE), Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN), Workforce Reentry Programs (Justice-Involved) (EDAAAOAG), Criminal Justice Reform & Legal System Advocacy (BPAGAFAI), Juvenile Justice Education Programs (Detention & Correctional Education) (EDAJAEAB)

Keywords

• Prison reform
• Resocialization programs
• Criminal justice rehabilitation
• Offender reintegration
• Correctional education

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. EU Project Funding: EU-funded projects that enable collaboration with other organizations in prison reform and resocialization across Europe.
2. Donations and Support: Charitable donations through 'Richtungswechsel fördern' (Support Richtungswechsel) for funding organizational activities and programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Verein Richtungswechsel is an Austrian non-profit association that delivers education, advocacy, and resocialization programs for incarcerated adults and juveniles in Austrian prisons. It combines EU-funded projects, professional training for prison staff (Justizwache), a knowledge-sharing platform, and multi-channel advocacy to reduce recidivism and promote systemic criminal justice reform.

Product overview

Richtungswechsel is an Austrian non-profit organization (Verein) focused on the (re)socialization of inmates in the prison system and breaking the cycle of reoffending. The organization operates as a platform for social reform, combining advocacy work, EU-funded projects, and educational programs. Its portfolio includes programs such as the Unlocked Graduates Program (core leadership development), BRIDGE (support services), Inside-Out Podcast (awareness), M-PAVE (materials), RESIZE (reform initiatives), RESCALED (detention movement), WORKPRIS (employment in prisons), and PRISGRADS (graduate support). Additional offerings include the Richtungswechselplattform (knowledge-sharing platform) and Champions Community (professional network). The organization also provides training and continuing education for prison staff (Justizwache) and advocates for evidence-based practices in criminal justice reform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BRIDGE: One of the organization's core programs focused on prison reform and rehabilitation.
• Inside-Out Podcast
• M-PAVE
• RESIZE
• RESCALED
• WORKPRIS
• PRISGRADS

Products and services

• Unlocked Graduates Program A leadership development and education program for prison reform that provides career opportunities in criminal justice reform and rehabilitation-focused education to unlock potential through transformative education for social change.
• BRIDGE A project under the Unsere Arbeit (Our Work) section focused on bridging incarcerated individuals to resources and support for resocialization.
• Inside-Out Podcast A podcast program that addresses topics related to prison reform, rehabilitation, and social change from perspectives both inside and outside the prison system.
• M-PAVE A program focused on providing materials and resources for rehabilitation and prison reform initiatives.
• RESIZE A project under the Unsere Arbeit section addressing prison reform and rehabilitation through innovative approaches.
• RESCALED A movement and project focused on detention houses and rescaling prisons, including a youth detention conference model.
• WORKPRIS A program providing materials and resources related to work and employment within the prison system for rehabilitation purposes.
• Richtungswechselplattform A platform for sharing knowledge, best practices, and resources related to prison reform and resocialization.
• Champions Community A community platform connecting advocates and professionals working in prison reform and rehabilitation.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Union education and training program supporting international collaboration in prison reform and resocialization through funded projects.
• CEU Science for Society HubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral European University's Science for Society Hub, which connects academic research with societal needs.
• Grow Transform BelongminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the social impact and transformation space.
• Rescaled MovementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovement focused on rescaling and reforming detention and prison systems, with shared goals of transforming how societies approach incarceration.
• Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft, Energie und Tourismus (BMWET)coreOthersAustrian Federal Ministry that awarded Richtungswechsel the Verified Social Enterprise (VSE-Label 067) certification - the first state-supported recognition of social enterprises in Austria.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Caritas Österreich: Largest Austrian social-services nonprofit, working across poverty, migration, and reentry support — a broader incumbent in the same Austrian nonprofit ecosystem with potential overlap in justice-involved support.
• Diakonie Österreich: Austrian Protestant social-welfare organization delivering services to vulnerable groups including people in contact with the justice system — adjacent nonprofit peer operating in the same funding and policy environment.

Direct peers

• Neustart: Austria's leading nonprofit for probation, resocialization, and crime prevention, delivering offender rehabilitation and reintegration services nationwide — the closest direct comparator to Richtungswechsel in the Austrian corrections/reentry space.
• Rescaled: Movement focused on rescaling and reforming detention and prison systems; Richtungswechsel is an explicit partner and contributor — sharing mission and program overlap in detention reform.
• EUROPRIS: European Organisation for Prison and Correctional Services — pan-European body supporting prison reform, staff training, and best-practice exchange, directly overlapping Richtungswechsel's EU project work and Justizwache training focus.
• Penal Reform International: International NGO working on criminal-justice reform, prison conditions, and rehabilitation standards globally — directly comparable mission and advocacy model, though at global rather than national scale.

Broad incumbents

• Howard League for Penal Reform: UK's oldest penal-reform charity, engaging in advocacy, research, and prison-reform programs — a larger and more established comparator with overlapping advocacy and rehabilitation mandate.

Regional players

• Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Straffälligenhilfe (BAG-S): German umbrella organization coordinating reentry and offender-aid services across federal states — a regional peer with comparable reentry/rehabilitation program portfolio but Germany-focused rather than Austrian.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/richtungswechsel-verein-zur-foerderung-von-straftaeter-innen

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Richtungswechsel - AT