Osterreichischer Auslandsdienst (austrian Service Abroad)

What Osterreichischer Auslandsdienst (austrian Service Abroad) does

Österreichischer Auslandsdienst (Verein Österreichischer Auslandsdienst, legally Verein form, founded 1998, headquartered at Esterhazygasse 11a/2-3, 1060 Vienna) is a non-governmental, non-profit association accredited by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz as a Trägerorganisation (carrier organization) under Section 26 of the Freiwilligengesetz. It recruits Austrian volunteers aged 18+ and places them in 6–12 month placements at 140 partner organizations across 66 countries under three service tracks: Gedenkdienst (Holocaust memorial and remembrance work), Sozialdienst (social development, education, environmental and medical projects), and Friedensdienst (peace-building, human rights, and reconciliation). Service of 10 months or more is fully recognized as civilian alternative service (Zivilersatzdienst) to mandatory military conscription. Since founding, 1,323 people have completed an Auslandsdienst; the 2025 cohort comprises 111 active volunteers. The technology stack is standard web/communications tooling — Podio for workflow, Zoom and Google Meet for video conferencing, Google Chat, PayPal for donations, and Google Analytics — with no proprietary platform. The business model is mission-driven rather than commercial: the organization does not sell a product but is funded primarily through a government subsidy from the Federal Ministry, supplemented by annual membership fees (EUR 15–55), tiered supporting memberships (EUR 25–1,080), corporate sponsorships (with newsletter/website recognition), and one-time donations via PayPal or credit card. Recruitment is community- and event-led: monthly federal-state meetings, bi-weekly online Mittwochskonferenz, twice-yearly cohort meetings, an annual Poland study trip, the Understanding Israel seminar, and word-of-mouth within an alumni network (AAC).

Name

Osterreichischer Auslandsdienst (austrian Service Abroad)

Legal name

Verein Österreichischer Auslandsdienst

Website

https://auslandsdienst.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Österreichischer Auslandsdienst is a Vienna-based non-profit association accredited by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs that recruits and places Austrian volunteers aged 18+ in 6–12 month Memorial, Social, or Peace Service placements at 140 partner organizations across 66 countries, with 10+ months recognized as civilian alternative to military service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Volunteer Service Programs

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Humanitarian & Disaster Assistance (Bilateral) (BPADABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)

Keywords

• International volunteer programs
• Memorial volunteer service
• Social development service
• Peace service programs
• Civilian alternative service

Headquarters

HQ city

Vienna

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Subsidy: As a recognized carrier organization (Trägerorganisation) accredited by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, the organization receives financial support from the Bundesministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz. This subsidy financially supports volunteers completing service abroad.
2. Membership Fees: The organization generates revenue through annual or monthly membership fees (EUR 15–55 per year depending on tier and payment method) and supporting/foster member contributions (EUR 25–1,080 per year).
3. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support the organization in exchange for mentions in the newsletter and on the website, with benefits scaled to the contribution amount.
4. Donations: One-time donations are accepted via PayPal and credit card from supporters who do not wish to become members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The organization recruits, prepares, and places Austrian nationals aged 18+ in 6–12 month volunteer service placements abroad at 140 partner organizations across 66 countries. It offers three distinct service tracks — Gedenkdienst (Memorial Service for Holocaust remembrance), Sozialdienst (Social Service for sustainable development), and Friedensdienst (Peace Service for peace-building and reconciliation) — and is accredited as a Trägerorganisation under Section 26 of Austria's Freiwilligengesetz, allowing services of 10+ months to count as full civilian alternative to mandatory military service.

Product overview

Österreichischer Auslandsdienst is a non-profit organization offering a unified volunteer service abroad program with three core service types (Gedenkdienst/Memorial Service, Sozialdienst/Social Service, and Friedensdienst/Peace Service). The organization provides a comprehensive preparation program including Wednesday conferences, cohort meetings, Poland study trips, and the Understanding Israel seminar. Supporting offerings include a supporting membership program with tiered contributions, corporate sponsorship opportunities, an alumni network, and an internal job board for volunteer coordination. The PATH project (EU-funded) represents an educational initiative within the organization's portfolio. The organization does not offer a technology product but provides volunteer placement and preparation services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PATH: Preparing Ambassadors to Teach about the Holocaust - an in-depth Holocaust educational program for young Europeans in Austria, Poland and Germany, funded by the European Union.
• Understanding Israel
• Mittwochskonferenz (Wednesday Conference)

Products and services

• Gedenkdienst (Memorial Service) Volunteer service dedicated to commemorating victims of the Holocaust and addressing the legacy of National Socialism. Volunteers work at Holocaust memorial sites, museums, research institutions, nursing homes, and organizations supporting Jewish culture and life abroad for 6–12 months.
• Sozialdienst (Social Service) Volunteer service supporting sustainable social development through educational projects, environmental protection, medical care, and economic development assistance in communities worldwide for 6–12 months.
• Friedensdienst (Peace Service) Volunteer service supporting peace projects, reconciliation initiatives, and intercultural dialogue in (former) conflict zones through peace education, human rights work, and commemoration of atrocities abroad for 6–12 months.
• Preparation Program Comprehensive one-year preparation program for volunteers prior to service abroad, including Wednesday conferences, monthly federal-state meetings, area conferences, cohort meetings, the Poland study trip, and the Understanding Israel seminar. Delivers linguistic, cultural, and content preparation.
• PATH (Preparing Ambassadors to Teach about the Holocaust) EU-funded Holocaust education program for young Europeans in Austria, Poland, and Germany. Combines seminars, virtual conferences, study visits, survivor meetings, and social media campaigns to train ambassadors of Holocaust remembrance.
• Understanding Israel Educational project providing participants with deep understanding of Israel through seminars and educational visits, preparing young Austrians for service abroad.
• Fördermitgliedschaft (Supporting Membership) Financial support membership with five tiers — Basic (EUR 25/year for alumni), Plus (EUR 120/year), Gold (EUR 360/year), Platinum (EUR 1,080/year), and Extra (voluntary amount). Includes annual event invitations and organizational insights.
• Sponsoring Corporate sponsorship program offering recognition benefits including newsletter and website mentions in exchange for financial support, with benefits scaled to contribution amount.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bundesministerium für Soziales, Gesundheit, Pflege und Konsumentenschutz (Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe organization is an accredited carrier organization (Trägerorganisation) recognized by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs under the Freiwilligengesetz (Voluntary Service Act), Section 26. The Ministry provides financial support to volunteers completing service abroad through the organization and is the primary government sponsor.
• HTL BraunauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a cooperation partner. HTL Braunau works with the organization on the House of Responsibility in Braunau am Inn project.
• FreeFinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a cooperation partner providing association accounting services to the organization.
• Understanding IsraelminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA key organizational project — an educational program about Israel for young Austrians — co-developed and run by the association.
• House of Responsibility in Braunau am InnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA project initiative the organization cooperates on, focused on historical responsibility and education at the birthplace of Adolf Hitler.
• Alumni Community (AAC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA separate partner association for former volunteers. Offers a combined membership option with the main organization and maintains its own alumni network at aa-community.org.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Comhlámh: Irish association supporting returned and prospective development workers, including a Code of Practice for volunteer sending organizations. Comhlámh addresses the same volunteer-abroad, development/peace ecosystem in Ireland that the Austrian Service Abroad addresses in Austria.
• Weltwärts: German federal government development volunteer service programme co-funded by BMZ, placing young Germans at partner organizations abroad. Directly comparable as a bilateral, government-accredited volunteer placement programme operating on the German side of the same regulatory concept (Freiwilligendienst).
• Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO): UK-based international development charity placing skilled volunteers in long-term assignments overseas. VSO mirrors the Austrian Service Abroad's model of nationally-recruited volunteers deployed to partner organizations in developing countries for 6–24 month terms.
• Service Civil International (SCI): International non-profit running volunteer workcamps and long-term peace/service placements across more than 80 countries. SCI's long-term volunteering stream is comparable in scope and duration to the Austrian Service Abroad's Friedensdienst and Sozialdienst programmes.
• Aktion Sühnezeichen Friedensdienste (ASF): German non-profit offering long-term peace and memorial volunteer service abroad, directly comparable as the German counterpart to the Austrian Service Abroad — both operate Holocaust remembrance plus peace service placements accredited by their respective federal governments.

Broad incumbents

• United Nations Volunteers (UNV): UN programme mobilizing volunteers globally for peace and development assignments. UNV operates a substantially larger and more globally distributed volunteer placement model than the Austrian Service Abroad, but serves the same function of channeling national volunteers into multilateral humanitarian and development contexts.
• European Solidarity Corps: EU-wide programme funding young Europeans for voluntary service and solidarity projects abroad. The European Solidarity Corps provides an EU-level alternative pathway that competes with and complements the Austrian Service Abroad for the same candidate pool of young Europeans seeking meaningful overseas service.
• Peace Corps: US federal government agency sending American volunteers abroad for development assignments. While the scope (US vs. Austrian, development vs. memorial/social/peace) and scale differ, the long-term overseas volunteer placement model is structurally analogous.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxthcj82jHjVuJX99brXPQA
• Facebookfacebook.com/auslandsdienst
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auslandsdienst
• Instagraminstagram.com/auslandsdienst

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

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 Osterreichischer Auslandsdienst (austrian Service Abroad)