Volksverein Mönchengladbach

What Volksverein Mönchengladbach does

Volksverein Mönchengladbach gemeinnützige Gesellschaft gegen Arbeitslosigkeit mbH is a non-profit social enterprise (gGmbH) founded in 1935 and headquartered at Geistenbecker Straße 107, Mönchengladbach, Germany. It pursues a 'Bilden – Arbeiten – Beraten – Begegnen' (Education – Work – Counseling – Encounter) model aimed at reintegrating long-term unemployed men and women into society and the labor market. The organization operates from a single site in Mönchengladbach with approximately 9 employees and serves the surrounding North Rhine-Westphalia region.

Its revenue-generating activities are structured as work-and-training vehicles for program participants rather than commercial profit centers. These include second-hand retail (clothing shops, a furniture hall/Möbelhalle, household goods, books, used shoes), a rapeseed-oil food production line recognized as the best in NRW, a carpentry workshop (Schreinerei) producing furnishings for social institutions, a clearing/decluttering service, two school kiosks at vocational colleges, and funeral coffee services at Grabeskirche St. Elisabeth. Donations — both monetary and in-kind — together with court-imposed Geldauflagen/Bußgelder, form a material funding layer.

The organization is embedded in a regional social-welfare partnership network that includes Caritas, Arbeitslosenzentrum Mönchengladbach, GAWO, Neue Arbeit, and the Maßarbeit subsidized-employment project, with referrals flowing in from the local Jobcenter and partner NGOs. Marketing is community-led, relying on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, an in-house newspaper (Volksvereinszeitung), and public Open House events rather than paid acquisition. No AI/ML technology, patents, or external funding rounds are disclosed.

Name

Volksverein Mönchengladbach

Legal name

Volksverein Mönchengladbach gemeinnützige Gesellschaft gegen Arbeitslosigkeit mbH

Website

https://volksverein.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Volksverein Mönchengladbach is a non-profit social enterprise (gGmbH) in Mönchengladbach, Germany, founded in 1935, that helps long-term unemployed individuals reintegrate into society and the workforce through second-hand retail, rapeseed-oil production, carpentry, and social services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social services and workforce reintegration

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Inclusive Employment (Job Training, Placement) (BPAGALAB)

Keywords

• Workforce reintegration services
• Second-hand retail
• Vocational training programs
• Social enterprise operations
• Charitable donation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Mönchengladbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Second-hand goods sales: Revenue from selling second-hand and recycled goods including furniture, electronics, household items, books, phones, CDs, shoes, and clothing through retail shops and donation-based collection.
2. Rapeseed oil production: Production and sale of rapeseed oil as a food product, recognized as the best rapeseed oil in NRW.
3. Carpentry services and products: Schreinerei (carpentry workshop) producing furnishings for social institutions.
4. Service operations: Services including clearing/decluttering services, operation of two school kiosks at vocational colleges, and organization of funeral coffees at St. Elisabeth cemetery church.
5. Donations and financial support: The organization relies on monetary donations, in-kind donations, and fines/penalties (Geldauflagen und Bußgelder) as significant revenue sources to support its social mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Volksverein Mönchengladbach is a non-profit social enterprise that provides workforce reintegration, education, counseling, and community encounter programs for long-term unemployed individuals. To fund and operationalize these programs, it runs multiple business lines: second-hand clothing and furniture shops, household goods and used shoes retail, a rapeseed oil food production line, a carpentry workshop building furnishings for social institutions, a clothing container donation collection network, decluttering/clearing services, two school kiosks at vocational colleges, funeral coffee organization, and ambulatory assisted living services.

Product overview

Volksverein Mönchengladbach is a non-profit social enterprise (gemeinnützige Gesellschaft gegen Arbeitslosigkeit mbH) that operates a diverse portfolio of social services and commercial enterprises. The organization uses a 'Bilden - Arbeiten - Beraten - Begegnen' (Education - Work - Counseling - Encounter) approach to reintegrate long-term unemployed individuals into society and the labor market. Its commercial operations include second-hand retail (clothing shops, furniture hall, household goods, books, used shoes), food production (rapeseed oil), carpentry workshop, and various services (clearing service, school kiosks, funeral coffee service). These enterprises serve dual purposes: providing work opportunities and generating revenue to fund social mission activities, while also offering affordable goods and services to the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Secondhand-Kleidung Shops (Second-hand Clothing Shops)

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stiftung Volksverein MönchengladbachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation supports the social mission of the Volksverein and is listed as a key cooperation partner.
• Neue Arbeit MönchengladbachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment provider partner in the Maßarbeit project and public sponsored employment/social labor market Mönchengladbach.
• GAWO (Gemeinschaft zur Förderung der Arbeitswelt)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Maßarbeit project and public sponsored employment.
• Arbeitslosenzentrum MönchengladbachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal counseling center providing services to unemployed individuals in Mönchengladbach.
• Caritasverband Region MGcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Caritas association as local counseling and support partner.
• Caritasverband Bistum AachencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiocesan Caritas association supporting social welfare initiatives.
• Katholisches Forum für Erwachsenen- und Familienbildung Mönchengladbach und HeinsbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partner for adult education programs.
• Nell Breuning Haus (Oswald-von-Nell-Breuning-Haus)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation and formation institution partner.
• RegioölminorOthersPartner for environmentally friendly refueling of some vehicles with renewable fuels.
• Berufskolleg Rheydt Mülfort für Wirtschaft und VerwaltungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVocational school partner where the organization operates school kiosks.
• Berufskolleg Rheydt Mülfort für TechnikminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical vocational school partner.
• Grabeskirche St. ElisabethminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCemetery church where the organization organizes funeral coffees (Beerdigungskaffees).
• Koordinationskreis der Arbeitsloseninitiativen im Bistum AachenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordination body for unemployment initiatives in the Diocese of Aachen.
• Verein Wohlfahrt e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWelfare association partner.
• Steyler MissionarinnenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReligious order partner supporting social mission.
• Maßarbeit für MönchengladbachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject providing subsidized employment for long-term unemployed.
• FairwertungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on fair valuation of second-hand goods.
• Secondhand vernetztminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork organization for second-hand businesses.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Diakonie Deutschland: Germany-wide Protestant welfare association operating work-integration projects, second-hand shops (Brotladen/Kleiderkammer formats), and supported housing across all 16 states. Broader than Volksverein but overlapping mission and operational format.
• Caritas Deutschland: National umbrella organisation of Catholic welfare services running employment projects, second-hand shops, and social enterprises at scale across Germany; overlaps with Volksverein at the diocesan/local level through Caritas Bistum Aachen.

Emerging players

• gabarage - upcycling design gGmbH: Austrian non-profit social enterprise producing upcycled furniture and design items from discarded materials while integrating long-term unemployed individuals into work. Closely mirrors Volksverein's carpentry/second-hand manufacturing arm with a stronger design brand.
• Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Deutschen Sozialkaufhäuser: Germany-wide network of social second-hand shops combining retail with work-integration programmes. Directly comparable to Volksverein's Möbelhalle and Kleidershop concept and provides a peer platform for shared supply, training, and advocacy.

Direct peers

• BRÜCKE Mönchengladbach gGmbH: Local Mönchengladbach gGmbH providing social services, supported housing, and employment programmes for disadvantaged groups, operating in the same region with similar mission.
• Arbeitslosenzentrum Mönchengladbach: Listed cooperation partner of Volksverein, operating as a local counselling centre for the unemployed in Mönchengladbach. A direct peer in the same catchment with overlapping counselling and reintegration services.
• Caritasverband für das Bistum Aachen: Listed partner of Volksverein and operates in the same Mönchengladbach/Aachen region with overlapping employment integration, social counselling, and second-hand retail activities (e.g., Caritas Werkstätten and Kleiderkammern), making it the closest local peer.
• GAWO Gemeinschaftswerk Arbeit und Ökologie: Co-partner in Maβarbeit and public-sponsored employment initiatives in Mönchengladbach. Runs comparable employment-focused social enterprises in the same regional market.
• Neue Arbeit Mönchengladbach: Strategic partner in the Maβarbeit project providing subsidised employment for long-term unemployed individuals in the same city. Operates with a parallel work-integration model directly comparable to Volksverein's core mission.

Regional players

• Hoffmann Personal- und Sozialberatung (Hoffmann Gruppenwerkstatt): Germany-based work-integration social enterprise providing sheltered employment and vocational training for disadvantaged groups. Comparable operating model for subsidised labour activation programmes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3sZVCZdX7dnf5fHjxgToiQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/volksverein.mg
• Instagraminstagram.com/secondhand_by_volksverein.mg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volksverein-m%C3%B6nchengladbach

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Volksverein Mönchengladbach