Deutsches Rotes Kreuz in Hessen Volunta gGmbH

What Deutsches Rotes Kreuz in Hessen Volunta gGmbH does

Deutsches Rotes Kreuz in Hessen Volunta gGmbH is a non-profit (gGmbH) volunteer service provider headquartered in Wiesbaden, Germany, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the German Red Cross in Hessen (DRK Hessen). The organization is the largest Freiwilligendienst-Träger in the German state of Hesse, with nearly 20 years of operational experience and approximately 4,000 young people served annually through a portfolio of domestic and international volunteer programs. Its core service portfolio includes the standard FSJ (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr), BFD (Bundesfreiwilligendienst), and FÖJ (Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr) programs for ages 15-27, complemented by specialized tracks such as FSJ Digital (digital skills), FSJ Incoming Care (for international volunteers in Germany), the weltwärts South-North program bringing ~30 volunteers annually from Global South countries, and short-term Volunteering placements across multiple continents. The organization is led by sole Managing Director Hans Menger and employs 133 staff at its Wiesbaden headquarters on Abraham-Lincoln-Straße 7.

The organization reaches prospective volunteers through a multi-channel approach combining direct school outreach by program advisors and former volunteer ambassadors, online inquiry forms, regional counseling centers throughout Hesse, and online info sessions. Its go-to-market blends direct sales (school-based presentations), self-service web-based inquiry, and event-driven digital information events. Revenue derives from three principal streams: public funding from federal ministries (BMZ, BMFSFJ) and the Hessian state government for FSJ/BFD/FÖJ and weltwärts programs; framework contributions from approximately 1,000 partner placement organizations across Hesse; and self-payer fees for short-term international Volunteering programs priced between approximately 1,367 EUR and 5,733 EUR per participant depending on destination and duration.

The technology stack is minimal and operationally conventional. Volunta operates a website-based service platform (www.volunta.de) with online inquiry forms, digital counseling systems, downloadable brochures, and standard social media presence (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn). No public API, SDK, or proprietary software platform is disclosed, consistent with the non-profit service-delivery model. All programs include 25 seminar days for reflection and education, with comprehensive administrative support from application through completion. The organization maintains a distributed operational footprint through ~1,000 partner placement sites and a global network of international partner organizations across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Name

Deutsches Rotes Kreuz in Hessen Volunta gGmbH

Legal name

Deutsches Rotes Kreuz in Hessen Volunta gGmbH

Website

https://volunta.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Non-profit subsidiary of the German Red Cross in Hessen, operating as Hesse's largest volunteer service provider. Places approximately 4,000 young people annually in domestic (FSJ/BFD/FÖJ) and international volunteer programs through 1,000 partner organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Volunteer Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO)

Keywords

• Volunteer service programs
• Social year placements
• International volunteering services
• Ecological year programs
• Volunteer placement coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Wiesbaden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. State-subsidized volunteer services (FSJ/BFD/FÖJ): Government-funded programs where Volunta receives public funding to administer Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (FSJ), Bundesfreiwilligendienst (BFD), and Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr (FÖJ). Organizations pay a framework contribution (Rahmenpauschale) for hosting volunteers.
2. Volunteering self-payer programs: Self-funded international volunteering programs where participants pay program fees starting from approximately 1,594 EUR for 4 weeks. Prices vary by destination (Chile, Costa Rica, South Africa, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Ireland, Spain, Indonesia).
3. weltwärts South-North program: Development policy volunteer service funded in cooperation with BMZ, where Volunta supports approximately 30 volunteers annually from Bolivia, India, Colombia, Namibia, Rwanda, and South Africa. Partner organizations pay a per-volunteer fee.
4. Placement organization framework contributions: Partner organizations (placement sites/Einsatzstellen) pay framework fees for volunteer hosting, covering administrative services, seminar organization, and pedagogical support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Volunta administers and coordinates volunteer service programs (Freiwilligendienste) in Hessen, Germany, and internationally. Its core offerings include the domestic FSJ (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr), BFD (Bundesfreiwilligendienst), and FÖJ (Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr) programs for young people aged 15-27, as well as international volunteer services (Auslandsdienste) and short-term Volunteering programs for adults. The organization matches volunteers with suitable placement organizations, provides 25 seminar days for personal development, and manages the weltwärts South-North development policy program.

Product overview

Volunta is Hesse's largest voluntary service provider, offering a comprehensive portfolio of volunteer placement and management programs. The core offerings include FSJ (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr), BFD (Bundesfreiwilligendienst), and FÖJ (Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr) for young people aged 15-27 in Germany. International programs include Auslandsdienste and Volunteering for short-term flexible placements abroad (4 weeks to 6 months) in countries including Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, South Africa, Indonesia, Ireland, Spain, and Peru. Specialized tracks include FSJ Digital (combining social work with digital skills), FSJ Incoming Care (for international volunteers in Germany), and weltwärts Süd-Nord (bringing volunteers from Global South countries). Supporting services include host family matching and placement site coordination. All programs include 25 seminar days for reflection and education, with comprehensive administrative support from application through completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FSJ (Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr) A one-year voluntary social service program for young people aged 15-27 in Hesse, Germany, offering placements in social, ecological, and cultural institutions with 25 seminar days included. Participants receive a monthly allowance of 300 EUR (first 3 months) then 340 EUR.
• BFD (Bundesfreiwilligendienst) Federal Volunteer Service program open to all ages, offering voluntary engagement in social institutions throughout Hesse with comprehensive support and seminar participation.
• FÖJ (Freiwilliges Ökologisches Jahr) Voluntary Ecological Year program focused on environmental sustainability, offering placements in ecological agriculture, nature conservation, and environmental education organizations in Hesse.
• Auslandsdienste (International Volunteer Service) International volunteer service programs placing volunteers in projects across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America, including weltwärts and Internationaler Jugendfreiwilligendienst (IJFD) programs lasting 11-12 months.
• Volunteering Flexible short-term volunteer programs (4 weeks to 6 months) for adults aged 18+ in international projects including wildlife conservation, environmental work, healthcare assistance, and social support across multiple countries. Self-funded with program fees starting from approximately 1,594 EUR for 4 weeks.
• FSJ Digital Specialized FSJ program combining social engagement with digital skills, where volunteers support organizations with website maintenance, social media management, video production, and digital literacy training for seniors. Developed in cooperation with the Hessian state government.
• FSJ Incoming Care Program enabling young people from abroad to complete an FSJ in German social institutions, creating intercultural learning opportunities and potential pathways to vocational training. Partners include healthcare facilities such as Vitos.
• weltwärts Süd-Nord Development-policy volunteer service bringing approximately 30 young adults annually from Bolivia, India, Colombia, Namibia, Rwanda, and South Africa to volunteer in social institutions across Hesse for 12 months. Funded in cooperation with BMZ.
• Gastfamilienprogramm (Host Family Program) Program connecting host families in Hesse with international volunteers from the Global South, providing accommodation and intercultural exchange opportunities for 3-12 months.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000 young people served annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Deutsches Rotes Kreuz in Hessen (DRK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunta is a wholly-owned subsidiary (gGmbH) of the German Red Cross in Hesse. This parent-child relationship provides Volunta with access to the extensive DRK network of facilities and placement opportunities, shared values of solidarity and humanity, and integration with Red Cross humanitarian mission.
• Engagement Global gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral coordinating body (Zentralstelle) for the weltwärts South-North program. Engagement Global supports the implementation and coordination of development policy volunteer services, working with Volunta to facilitate international volunteer exchanges.
• weltwärts partner organizations (Bolivia, India, Colombia, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term weltwärts sending partners from Global South countries. DRK Volunta works with established partner organizations to send and receive volunteers through the development policy volunteer service program.
• DRK-Einsatzstellen (1,000 partner organizations in Hesse)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproximately 1,000 welfare-oriented organizations in Hesse serve as placement sites for volunteers. These include social institutions, healthcare facilities, educational organizations, and environmental projects that host Volunta-matched volunteers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Engagement Global gGmbH: Engagement Global is the central coordinating body (Zentralstelle) for the weltwärts program that Volunta administers; it oversees similar South-North volunteer exchanges nationwide and shares the BMZ funding relationship.

Direct peers

• Diakonie Hessen: Diakonie Hessen is the Protestant welfare counterpart to DRK and runs its own state-recognized FSJ/BFD/FÖJ programs in Hesse, targeting the same volunteer demographic and partner institutions.
• AWO Hessen-Süd: AWO Hessen is one of the largest state-recognized FSJ/BFD/FÖJ carriers in Hesse, directly competing with Volunta for the same young-volunteer pool, placement organizations, and state funding allocations within the same geography.
• Kolping Hessen: Kolping Hessen operates as a state-recognized FSJ/BFD carrier with a regional presence in Hesse, offering comparable volunteer placement services with a Catholic association backbone analogous to Volunta's DRK affiliation.
• Caritas Hessen: Caritas Hessen operates as a parallel welfare-organization volunteer service provider administering FSJ, BFD, and international youth volunteer programs in Hesse with a comparable placement-network model and similar funding structure.
• Malteser Hessen: Malteser is part of the same German welfare aid confederation as DRK and operates its own FSJ/BFD volunteer programs in Hesse, with overlapping placement partners in healthcare and emergency services.
• CJD Hessen: CJD (Christliches Jugenddorfwerk) is a nationwide welfare organization operating as a state-recognized FSJ/BFD/FÖJ carrier in Hesse, directly competing for young volunteers and placement sites.
• Internationaler Bund (IB) Hessen: Internationaler Bund is one of Germany's largest federal volunteer-service carriers with strong presence in Hesse, offering FSJ/BFD/FÖJ and international youth programs with comparable placement infrastructure.
• Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund (ASB) Hessen: ASB Hessen is a sister welfare organization within the German aid landscape (alongside DRK, Malteser, Johanniter) that administers its own FSJ/BFD programs in Hesse, competing for similar volunteer placements in social and care institutions.

Broad incumbents

• DRK other state chapters (e.g., DRK NRW, DRK Bayern): Other DRK state chapters operate parallel Volunta-equivalent volunteer-service subsidiaries in their respective states, providing the most directly comparable operating model and replicating Volunta's brand and infrastructure advantage outside Hesse.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/volunta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deutsches-rotes-kreuz-in-hessen-volunta-ggmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/volunta_drk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Deutsches Rotes Kreuz in Hessen Volunta gGmbH