Institut für Sozialarbeit und Sozialpädagogik

The Institut für Sozialarbeit und Sozialpädagogik (ISS) e.V. is an independent, non-profit research and advisory institute headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, with a further office in Berlin. Founded in 1974 by the Bundesverband der Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO), it has since 1991 operated as a legally independent non-profit association. Its stated purpose is to contribute to greater social justice, to promote social participation, and to advance the further development of social work through scientifically grounded analysis and design of social structures and developments in Germany and Europe. With more than 50 staff, the ISS works at the interface of social practice, policy and academia. It describes itself as a specialist institute for science-based practice advice, practice support and practice development. It observes, analyses, accompanies and shapes development processes in social work at both national and European level. Its clients and funders include ministries, federal states, municipalities, foundations and provider organisations, and it is financed through public funds at federal, state and municipal level as well as through grants from foundations and funding institutions. Its main fields of work include ageing, poverty, democracy promotion and radicalisation prevention, loneliness, social policy in Europe, children, youth and family, equality, and welfare associations. Its services span research (scientific monitoring and evaluation of programmes and measures, with a focus on the life situations of specific target groups), policy advice for decision-makers and public administration at federal, state and municipal level, and continuing education and organisational development for professionals and managers in social work. The institute publishes evaluation reports, expertises, handreichungen (practical guidance) and specialist articles aimed at professional audiences, social work practitioners and an interested public. From 1979 to 2023 it was the publisher of the journal "Migration und Soziale Arbeit", which continues to appear four times a year with Juventa Verlag. Current projects include the "ZUSi geht in die Grundschule!" model project on poverty-sensitive action in primary schools, the You-Con research project on loneliness among young people, and involvement in the "Allianz gegen Einsamkeit" (Alliance against Loneliness).

The Institut für Sozialarbeit und Sozialpädagogik (ISS) e.V. was founded in 1974 by the Bundesverband der Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO). Since 1991 it has operated as a legally independent non-profit association (gemeinnütziger Verein). Its main office is in Frankfurt am Main, with a further location in Berlin. The institute is financed through public funds at federal, state and municipal level as well as through grants from foundations and funding institutions. From 1979 to 2023, ISS Frankfurt a. M. was the publisher of the journal "Migration und Soziale Arbeit". Until 1995 it was published as "Informationsdienst zur Ausländerarbeit". The journal currently appears four times a year with Juventa Verlag and serves as a platform for exchange and knowledge transfer on migration issues among professionals of various backgrounds and professions. It regularly contains contributions on immigration, integration and asylum policy, on intercultural child, youth and educational work, and on migration-specific topics such as the intercultural opening of mainstream social services, psychosocial care for migrants, the life situation and specific problems of older migrants, racism and anti-racist strategies. Each issue is devoted to a thematic focus and includes project reports, a bibliography on migration-relevant topics and reviews of new publications. Over the decades, the institute has developed into a specialist institute for science-based practice advice, practice support and practice development, working at the interface of social practice, policy and academia. It observes, analyses, accompanies and shapes development processes in social work at both national and European level. Its clients include ministries, federal states, municipalities, foundations and provider organisations. Its main fields of work include ageing, poverty, democracy promotion and radicalisation prevention, loneliness, social policy in Europe, children, youth and family, equality, and welfare associations. In recent years, the ISS has been involved in projects such as the Gelsenkirchen model project "ZUSi geht in die Grundschule!" on poverty-sensitive action in primary schools, funded by the RAG-Stiftung and implemented by the City of Gelsenkirchen in cooperation with independent providers of open child and youth welfare between 2021 and 2025. Together with the University of Hildesheim, it launched the You-Con research project on loneliness experiences of adolescents and young adults aged 16 to 30. In the context of specialist conferences on loneliness, the "Allianz gegen Einsamkeit" (Alliance against Loneliness) was founded as a milestone.

• 2026

  Founding of the "Allianz gegen Einsamkeit" (Alliance against Loneliness) at specialist conferences.

• 2025

  Publication of the guidance "Armutssensibles Handeln an Grundschulen" and launch of the You-Con research project.

• 2023

  ISS ends its role as publisher of "Migration und Soziale Arbeit".

• 2021

  Start of the Gelsenkirchen model project "ZUSi geht in die Grundschule!" (until 2025).

• 1995

  The journal, previously published as "Informationsdienst zur Ausländerarbeit", adopts its current title.

• 1991

  ISS Frankfurt a. M. becomes a legally independent non-profit association.

• 1979

  ISS Frankfurt a. M. becomes publisher of the journal "Migration und Soziale Arbeit" (until 2023).

• 1974

  Founded by the Bundesverband der Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO).

Independent, non-profit practice-research and advisory institute for social and socio-political fields, working at the interface of social practice, policy and academia.

• Research and evaluation studies

  Scientific monitoring and evaluation of programmes and measures, with a focus on the life situations of specific target groups to make disadvantages and existing resources visible.

• Policy advice

  Advice for political decision-makers and public administration staff at federal, state and municipal level, aiming at evidence-based design of social policy programmes and measures.

• Continuing education and organisational development

  Training and further education for professionals and managers in social work, and support for social administration departments in work organisation, leadership action, team development and structural challenges such as skills shortages.

• Publications

  Evaluation reports, expertises, handreichungen and specialist articles for professional audiences, social work practitioners and an interested public.

• Journal "Migration und Soziale Arbeit"

  Published four times a year by Juventa Verlag; ISS Frankfurt a. M. was its publisher from 1979 to 2023. A platform for exchange and knowledge transfer on migration issues.

1. 1ISS: Institut für Sozialarbeit und Sozialpädagogik e.V.iss-ffm.de
2. 2Institut für Sozialarbeit und Sozialpädagogik – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Institut für Sozialarbeit und Sozialpädagogik – Wikidatawikidata.org