Foundation Lebenshilfe

What Foundation Lebenshilfe does

Stiftung Lebenshilfe is a Swiss non-profit foundation (Stiftung) headquartered in Reinach, Canton Aargau, that provides integrated education, work, and housing services for people with cognitive or multiple disabilities, and also serves young refugees and adults returning to work after illness or accident. The foundation operates 110 residential places across multiple housing forms (intensive support, accompanied living, external groups, ambulatory independent living) and employs 463 people with and without support needs across 15 work groups in creative workshops, industry, gastronomy, and garden services, plus 31 apprentices in EBA, EFZ, and PrA INSOS training programs. Its core technology is workshop-based production rather than digital platforms: it runs weaving, pottery, leather and wood manufacturing, candle making, printing, and textile workshops, plus a commercial laundry processing approximately 60 tonnes per year, and social businesses including Hotel & Restaurant zum Schneggen (since 2011) and Personalrestaurant Bertschi AG.

The foundation's business model blends public funding, commercial revenue, and donations. Public funding flows primarily through IV (Invalidenversicherung / Swiss Disability Insurance) for vocational integration measures, training, and sheltered employment. Commercial revenue is generated through workshop contract work (Auftragsarbeiten for industry and trade), a direct-to-consumer e-commerce shop selling handcrafted products at CHF 2.50–300 per unit, event catering (Sonntagsbrunch at CHF 32/adult), the hotel and restaurant, and a commercial laundry. The education division includes Berufsschule Scala (established 2008, the first inter-institutional vocational school for people with disabilities in Switzerland, operating in Aarau and Zürich), JuBiAr (an integration program for young refugees in Canton Aargau), and IV integration measures. Distribution is omnichannel: a WordPress-based website with Abacus job application integration and WEBKINDER hosting, an online shop, physical events (annual Christmas exhibition, Badener Adventsmarkt, brunches), the hotel/restaurant, and institutional referral pathways from IV, municipalities, and social services. The organization is governed by a foundation council under the newly appointed President Jürg Sager (January 2026), with a renewed executive leadership team in place across the Work, Education, and Operations areas as of 2025-2026.

Name

Foundation Lebenshilfe

Legal name

Stiftung Lebenshilfe

Website

https://stiftung-lebenshilfe.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Stiftung Lebenshilfe is a Swiss non-profit foundation in Reinach, Canton Aargau, providing integrated education, work, and housing services for people with cognitive or multiple disabilities. It operates Berufsschule Scala, sheltered workshops, Hotel & Restaurant zum Schneggen, and 110 residential places.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability and Social Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

Keywords

• Disability services
• Vocational training
• Sheltered workshops
• Residential care
• Social integration

Headquarters

HQ city

Reinach

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Workshop Contract Work: Contract manufacturing services (Auftragsarbeiten) in industry and trade sectors, including assembly, packaging, and industrial work performed by people with disabilities in protected workshop settings.
2. E-commerce Product Sales: Direct sales of handcrafted products through the foundation's online shop, including textiles (towels, cloths, sauna towels), wood products (cutting boards, knife blocks, bird houses), pottery (vases, bowls, animal feeders), candles, printing products (cards, notebooks, gift wrap), and garden products.
3. Hospitality Operations: Revenue from Hotel & Restaurant zum Schneggen in Reinach (operated since 2011) and Personalrestaurant Bertschi AG in Dürrenäsch. These social businesses provide vocational training opportunities while generating commercial revenue.
4. Catering and Events: Event catering services and hosted events including the Sonntagsbrunch (CHF 32 per adult), Christmas exhibition, and Badener Adventsmarkt participation.
5. Laundry Services: Commercial laundry processing approximately 60 tonnes of laundry per year for internal operations and external clients.
6. Professional Services: Aggression management training (Schulung Aggressionsmanagement) and other professional services delivered to organizations and individuals.
7. Donations and Public Funding: The foundation receives donations and likely public subsidies as a recognized disability services organization (IV connection). A donation account is listed: IBAN CH56 0900 0000 5001 5635 8.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stiftung Lebenshilfe is a Swiss non-profit foundation that provides integrated education, work, and housing services for people with cognitive or multiple disabilities. Its offerings include an inter-institutional vocational school (Berufsschule Scala), protected creative workshops (weaving, pottery, leather/wood manufacturing, candle making, printing), IV-supported integration measures, residential living across five housing models (110 places), and commercial social enterprises such as Hotel & Restaurant zum Schneggen, Personalrestaurant Bertschi, a commercial laundry, and an online shop selling handcrafted products.

Product overview

Stiftung Lebenshilfe is a Swiss foundation providing comprehensive services for people with cognitive or multiple disabilities through three core areas: Education (Bildung), Work (Arbeit), and Living (Wohnen). The foundation operates an inter-institutional vocational school (Berufsschule Scala), integration programs (JuBiAr for refugees), and IV integration measures. The Work area includes creative workshops (Weberei, Töpferei, Kerzenwerkstatt, Leder- und Holzmanufaktur, Druckerei), the Hotel & Restaurant zum Schneggen, and the Personalrestaurant Bertschi. An online shop sells handcrafted products made by workshop participants including greeting cards (Frühlingskarten), handwoven textiles (towels, guest towels, sauna towels), ceramics (vases, bowls, bug houses), candles (Stücklikerzen, Herzkerzen), wood crafts (bird feeders, cutting boards, knife blocks), and natural soaps. The foundation offers 110 residential living places across various housing forms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Berufsschule Scala: Vocational school for people with disabilities, offering practical training and preparation for EBA and EFZ qualifications.
• JuBiAr
• Hotel & Restaurant zum Schneggen
• Kreativwerkstätten
• Leder- und Holzmanufaktur
• Töpferei
• Kerzenwerkstatt
• Werkstatt Holz und Wort
• Werkstatt Blatt und Duft

Products and services

• Berufsschule Scala Switzerland's first inter-institutional vocational school for people with disabilities, offering practical training aligned with INSOS guidelines (PrA INSOS), preparatory instruction for EBA and EFZ certification, and support courses. One day per week at school, four days practical training in businesses.
• JuBiAr Integration Program Vocational preparation and integration program for young refugees in the canton of Aargau, providing individually tailored pathways to enable entry into training or employment.
• IV Integration Measures IV-supported integration measures for young people with support needs and adults returning to work after illness or accident, covering skill building, basic education, and retraining.
• Kreativwerkstätten (Creative Workshops) Creative workshop services spanning weaving (Weberei), pottery (Töpferei), candle making (Kerzenwerkstatt), leather and wood manufacturing (Leder- und Holzmanufaktur), printing (Druckerei), and related craft disciplines, providing sheltered employment for people with disabilities across 15 work groups.
• Hotel & Restaurant zum Schneggen Full-service hotel and restaurant in Reinach AG providing vocational training and employment for people with support needs in kitchen, service, housekeeping, and hotel operations. Open to the general public.
• Personalrestaurant Bertschi Staff restaurant and catering operation in Dürrenäsch providing workplace training and employment opportunities for people with support needs.
• Wohnangebote (Residential Living Services) Residential accommodation with 110 places across multiple housing models including intensive support living, accompanied living, external living groups, and ambulatory independent living.
• Online-Shop for Handcrafted Products E-commerce shop selling handcrafted products made in the foundation's workshops, including greeting cards, woven textiles (towels, sauna towels, wellness pillows), ceramics (vases, bowls, pet bowls, bug houses), candles, wood crafts (cutting boards, knife blocks, bird feeders, wild bee nesting aids), and stationery.
• Auftragsarbeiten (Contract Manufacturing Services) Contract manufacturing services for industry and trade customers, including assembly, packaging, and industrial work performed by people with disabilities in protected workshop settings.
• Gartenbau und -unterhalt (Garden Services) Horticulture and garden maintenance services provided by sheltered workshops for external customers.
• Anlässe und Caterings (Events and Catering) Event hosting and catering services for private and corporate customers, including seasonal brunches (e.g., Sonntagsbrunch at CHF 32 per adult) and bespoke catering.
• Wäscherei (Commercial Laundry Services) Commercial laundry services processing approximately 60 tonnes of laundry per year for internal operations and external clients.
• Schulung Aggressionsmanagement (Aggression Management Training) Professional aggression management training delivered to organizations and individuals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 463 people with and without support needs work at Lh in diverse professions
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Learco AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Learco AG provides job coaching services for Lh's vocational integration programs. Job coaches from Learco support apprentices and employees, including weekly sessions to discuss progress, homework support, and learning documentation. The partnership supports the Berufsschule Scala and PrA programs.
• Swiss Post AG (Schweizerische Post AG)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss Post AG handles product shipping for the online shop. Standard shipping with liability up to CHF 500 per parcel.
• INSOScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINSOS is the Swiss industry association for disability service providers. Lh follows INSOS guidelines for practical vocational training (PrA INSOS), the framework that shapes its Berufsschule Scala offerings.
• Gemeinde ReinachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe municipality of Reinach (the community where Lh is based) partnered with the foundation to operate Hotel & Restaurant zum Schneggen, a key social enterprise providing vocational training in hospitality.
• IV (Invalidenversicherung / Swiss Disability Insurance)coreOthersThe Swiss disability insurance (IV) is the primary public funding and referral body for Lh's clients. IV measures fund vocational integration, training, and sheltered employment services. Lh operates as an authorized IV service provider.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• INSOS Schweiz: National industry association for Swiss disability service providers, which sets the PrA INSOS vocational training standards that Stiftung Lebenshilfe follows. Acts as both a coordinating umbrella and standard-setting body for the sector.
• Caritas Schweiz: Largest Swiss social services organization providing broader services including integration programs, refugee support, and social enterprise (second-hand shops). Overlaps with Stiftung Lebenshilfe's JuBiAr refugee integration program and social enterprise e-commerce model.
• Pro Infirmis Schweiz: National Swiss disability advocacy and service organization offering consultation, supported living, and legal advocacy. Operates broadly across the same disability support space as Stiftung Lebenshilfe but with a national advocacy rather than regional residential/vocational focus.
• Diakonie Schweiz: Swiss umbrella organization for church-affiliated social services, including disability support, integration programs, and vocational training. Operates broadly across the social services sector with overlapping client populations.

Direct peers

• Stiftung Brändi: Swiss disability services foundation operating workshops, residential housing, and vocational training in the Lucerne region. Highly comparable integrated model (Bildung, Arbeit, Wohnen) and similar social enterprise structure (Brändi Shop, restaurants) make it the closest analog to Stiftung Lebenshilfe.
• Stiftung Rossfeld: Swiss foundation in Bern providing vocational training, residential care, and supported employment for young people with disabilities. Comparable PrA-aligned vocational programs and INSOS affiliation, serving as a German-speaking Swiss peer.
• Stiftung Wagerenhof: Swiss foundation in Uster providing residential, work, and day-program services for people with disabilities. Comparable scale and similar workshop/social enterprise model in the Canton of Zürich, making it a strong regional counterpart to Stiftung Lebenshilfe.
• Stiftung Vivendra: Disability services foundation operating in the Canton of Aargau, providing residential homes, day-structure programs, and supported employment. Direct geographic and service-line overlap with Stiftung Lebenshilfe within the same canton.
• Stiftung Bühl: Swiss disability services foundation providing residential housing, day programs, and work integration workshops in the Lucerne region. Comparable integrated service model and operational scale.

Regional players

• Heilpädagogisches Schulhaus (HPS) Zürich: Public special education schools in Zürich providing schooling and vocational preparation for children and youth with cognitive disabilities. Comparable target population but serves a different life stage (school-age) and operates as municipal rather than foundation entity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stiftung-lebenshilfe-reinach

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Foundation Lebenshilfe