Our Mission at Arbeit und Leben Hamburg
Our goal is to promote and support social change toward greater democracy and social justice. We respond to societal needs by offering educational and consulting services that create opportunities for all people to actively participate in a democratic and solidaristic society.
We see it as our responsibility to foster equal participation for everyone and to open spaces for dialogue and transformation—toward more solidarity and mutual respect, both in the world of work and in everyday life.
Who We Are
We are a nationwide organization, founded in 1948 by the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) and adult education centers (VHS) with the aim of strengthening democracy. As Arbeit und Leben Hamburg, we are supported by a board made up of DGB Hamburg and the Volkshochschule.
We carry out educational and consulting projects at both individual and structural levels. We see ourselves as a learning organization and remain open to new approaches and innovative ideas.
We foster 4 different areas of work:
Political Education:
Our educational programs target diverse audiences: workshops for young people outside school as well as educational leave for employees. We offer education and counseling against right-wing extremism and support those affected by racism and antisemitism.
Fair Labor Market:
We promote fair working conditions and equal opportunities. We support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in digital transformation and education as well as workplace representatives. We also provide legal advice to international workers who are exploited on the German labour market.
International Education:
We engage in projects promoting international exchange. Through programs and scholarships, we enable young people and professionals to gain global experience.
Basic Education and Inclusion:
Our programs foster inclusion and diversity in the workplace. We create custom offers to ensure equal access to education and reduce barriers.
Institution: Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V.
Web address: www.hamburg.arbeitundleben.de
Collaborators
Lena Thombansen
Contact: lena.thombansen@hamburg.arbeitundleben.de
Besenbinderhof 60, 20097 Hamburg
T +4940 284016-23
Professional Summary
Lena Thombansen holds a Magistra Artium degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Hamburg, with minors in American Studies and Applied Linguistics. Her final thesis examined the cultural symbolism of the Döner kebab in Germany, exploring themes of representation and identity. As part of her studies, she also completed an exchange semester at Ege University in Izmir, Turkey.
Since June 2021, she has been leading the Department for Consulting & Further Education—renamed Fair Labor Market in 2022—at Arbeit und Leben Hamburg e.V.. In this role, she is responsible for the strategic and content-related coordination of departmental projects, personnel management, financial controlling, and stakeholder relations with authorities, networks, and strategic partners at the local, national, and international levels. Additionally, she heads the Service Center for Labor Mobility.
From April 2020 to May 2021, and earlier from January 2017 to June 2019, she was head of the Advisory Center for Labor Mobility at Arbeit und Leben Schleswig-Holstein e.V., where she implemented the state-wide advisory service, built up the team, and managed partnerships with ministries, trade unions, and other institutions.
Between June 2019 and March 2020, she led the ESF-funded project Wege nach Europa at Arbeit und Leben Hamburg e.V., focusing on the development of European mobility pathways.
From 2015 to 2019, she held several key roles at Arbeit und Leben Schleswig-Holstein e.V., including Specialist Coordinator for Skilled Labor and Continuing Education, and Advisor to the Executive Management. In these positions, she contributed to strategic planning, labor market policy, and inter-institutional cooperation.
Her earlier professional experience includes leadership roles in vocational integration projects at the Hamburg Chamber of Crafts and the Turkish Community Hamburg, where she specialized in education, intercultural work, and youth empowerment.
Magdalena Morgenroth
Magdalena Morgenroth ist seit Mai 2012 Beraterin in der Servicestelle Arbeitnehmerfreizügigkeit von Arbeit und Leben DGB/VHS Hamburg e. V. Sie berät Ratsuchende aus der Europäischen Union in den Sprachen Polnisch, Englisch und Spanisch in arbeitsrechtlichen Fragen. Magdalena verfügt über langjährige Erfahrung in der Konzeption und Durchführung mehrsprachiger Informationsveranstaltungen sowie im Projektmanagement. Sie erstellt Arbeitshilfen und Informationsmaterialien mit dem Fokus auf Migration, Arbeitsrecht und Arbeitnehmerrechte. Dabei arbeitet sie eng mit Behörden, Konsulaten, Botschaften, dem Hamburg Welcome Center und weiteren Partnern zusammen.
