Lebenshilfe Oberhausen

What Lebenshilfe Oberhausen does

Lebenshilfe Oberhausen gGmbH is a non-profit social services organization founded in 1963 and headquartered at Sterkrader Venn 2, 46145 Oberhausen, Germany. It operates as a gemeinnützige GmbH under the Lebenshilfe Oberhausen e.V. association and delivers a full lifecycle of disability services: vocational training and sheltered employment across two workshop locations (Werkstatt im Lipperfeld and Königshardter Werkstatt, with cable processing, metalwork, carpentry, and insect/pollen screen production); supported and comprehensive housing services (Wohnen, Wohngemeinschaften, Betreutes Wohnen); early intervention through Interdisziplinäre Frühförderung (50 years old in 2024); inclusive childcare via Kita HeideKids (capacity ~95 children including up to 10 with disabilities, opened 2023); autism services through the Fachzentrum Autismus (24 clients in new June 2024 premises); family support and integration assistance; and a Büro für Leichte Sprache an Rhein und Ruhr providing Easy Language translation and training to courts and public bodies. The organization also operates an inclusive theater group (BLINDFLUG), an inclusive magazine (Leos Lupe Journal), and inclusive sports programs.

The organization employs 500+ salaried staff, with broader reach including Werkstatt workers, members of the Lebenshilferat, Werkstattrat, Elternbeirat, Betriebsrat, and Frauenbeauftragte self-representative bodies. It is led by Managing Director Verena Birnbacher, with department heads for Work, Childhood/Youth Participation, Housing Participation, and the Bildungszentrum am Kaisergarten. Operating exclusively in Oberhausen within North Rhine-Westphalia, it relies on statutory Eingliederungshilfe funding as its dominant revenue source, supplemented by standard membership fees (€40/year, €12 reduced), donations via a 2007 Stadtsparkasse Oberhausen foundation, Werkstatt production contracts with commercial customers (BauWatch, toom, comvendo, Kuhlmann), and contract revenue from Easy Language services.

The business model is structurally public-sector anchored: eligibility is determined through public cost carriers (Landschaftsverband Rheinland, municipalities), and the organization has publicly stated that legally guaranteed payments are not being adequately refinanced. Distribution of services occurs through nine facility locations across Oberhausen, complemented by community-led engagement via the Schichtwechsel job-exchange program (partners include BauWatch, toom, comvendo, and the City of Oberhausen), political advocacy through the Unternehmerverband Soziale Dienste und Bildung (USB) and BAG WfbM / LAG Werkstatträte NRW, and a digital footprint spanning a website, Facebook, Instagram, the Leos Lupe Journal magazine, and a dedicated job portal. The technology layer is undifferentiated: third-party CDN, cookie consent, calendar, mapping, and text-to-speech tools with no proprietary platform or AI capabilities.

Name

Lebenshilfe Oberhausen

Legal name

Lebenshilfe Oberhausen gGmbH

Website

https://lebenshilfe-oberhausen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lebenshilfe Oberhausen gGmbH is a 1963-founded non-profit (gGmbH) in Oberhausen, Germany, delivering comprehensive disability services including sheltered workshops, supported housing, inclusive childcare, autism support, and Easy Language translation, primarily funded through statutory Eingliederungshilfe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Social Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Child Care Services (62441), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH), Autism Classroom & School Program Support (Inclusion/Resource) (EDAKAKAC), Autism Spectrum (ASD) Academic & Social-Communication Support Tutoring (EDANAFAD), Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC), Special Needs After-School Care & Homework Support (HSAAAHAI)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Sheltered workshop services
• Inclusive childcare programs
• Supported living services
• Vocational rehabilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Oberhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding / Eingliederungshilfe: The organization generates the majority of its revenue through government-funded disability assistance contracts (Eingliederungshilfe) with public cost carriers (Landschaftsverband Rheinland, municipalities). Entlements are negotiated but the organization has publicly expressed that legally guaranteed payments are not being adequately refinanced by cost carriers.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from members of the Lebenshilfe Oberhausen e.V. association. Standard annual fee of €40.00; reduced fee of €12.00 for people with disabilities.
3. Donations and Foundation: The organization accepts donations and operates a foundation (Stiftung) established under Stadtsparkasse Oberhausen in 2007. Proceeds support projects for people with disabilities.
4. Production and Services Revenue: Workshop production and service contracts with commercial customers (e.g., cable processing, packaging, carpentry, insect/pollen screens) generate revenue from third-party clients.
5. Customer Contracts (Werkstatt): The Werkstatt (sheltered workshop) provides production and services to external commercial customers, including ongoing supply relationships with companies such as BauWatch, toom, and comvendo. These relationships are also used as platforms for Schichtwechsel job exchange programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Lebenshilfe Oberhausen gGmbH is a non-profit social services provider that operates sheltered workshops, supported housing, inclusive kindergartens, autism-specific support centers, early intervention programs, and Easy Language translation services for people with disabilities and their families in Oberhausen, Germany. The organization also runs commercial production operations (cable processing, insect/pollen screens, carpentry, packaging) through its Werkstatt facilities for external customers.

Product overview

Lebenshilfe Oberhausen is a non-profit organization (gGmbH) providing comprehensive social services for people with disabilities. The organization operates as a multi-service provider with distinct divisions: (1) Arbeit und Bildung offers vocational training and employment services; (2) Wohnen provides various housing and living assistance options; (3) Kinder und Familie delivers early intervention (IFF), inclusive daycare (HeideKids), and family center (Schatzkiste); (4) Fachzentrum Autismus provides autism-specific support; (5) Leben im Pott operates an Easy Language office; (6) Kultur und Bewegung runs inclusive sports, theater (BLINDFLUG), and journalism (Leos Lupe). The portfolio includes the AnpaSo climate adaptation project as a time-limited initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leben im Pott - Büro für Leichte Sprache: Office for Easy Language services and city district work in the Knappenviertel neighborhood, offering consultations on housing and Personal Budget for people with disabilities. Also houses the Büro für Leichte Sprache an Rhein und Ruhr since 2020.
• HeideKids
• Fachzentrum Autismus
• Familienzentrum Schatzkiste
• Theatergruppe BLINDFLUG
• Leos Lupe Journal
• Integrationshelfer:innen
• Interdisziplinäre Frühförderung (IFF)

Products and services

• Arbeit und Bildung (Vocational Training and Sheltered Workshop)
• Wohnen (Supported Living Services)
• Inklusive Kindertagesstätte HeideKids (Inclusive Kindergarten HeideKids)
• Interdisziplinäre Frühförderung (IFF) - Early Intervention

Quantifiable outcome

• 22,000+ social sector workers and disability advocates participated in the 'NRW bleib sozial!' demonstration organized by the Lebenshilfe and partner organizations.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GREENZERO GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026GREENZERO GmbH is a competent partner in climate adaptation strategies and sustainability. The organization supports Lebenshilfe Oberhausen in developing a climate adaptation concept (AnpaSo project) for the Werkstatt im Lipperfeld location through professional data collection, condition analysis, and development of appropriate climate resilience strategies.
• UIMC Dr. Vossbein GmbH & Co. KGcoreOthersExternal data protection officer (Datenschutzbeauftragter) responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. Contact person is Dr. Heiko Vossbein, Otto-Hausmann-Ring 113, 42115 Wuppertal.
• UIMCert GmbHcoreOthersWhistleblower reporting office (Meldestelle) commissioned by Lebenshilfe Oberhausen for the Whistleblower Protection Act (Hinweisgeberschutz). Provides post, telephone, and email channels for reporting legal violations and compliance concerns. Located at Otto-Hausmann-Ring 113, 42115 Wuppertal.
• comvendo GmbHcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst partner in the Schichtwechsel program (2023). One of the largest employers in Oberhausen. Ana Blietschau from Lebenshilfe Oberhausen exchanged roles with Sonja Vacca from comvendo. Comvendo donated €500 prize money from a company competition to Lebenshilfe in 2023.
• toom Baumarkt (Pflanzenlager Bottrop)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipated in the 2025 Schichtwechsel program with the Lipperfeld Werkstatt. Workshop employees Sascha Will, Vanessa Preis, Jessica Preis, and David Guarino visited the toom plant warehouse in Bottrop. toom employees visited the Werkstatt. The exchange also included a visit to Gartenbaubetrieb Aldenhoff in Schermbeck where plants are grown for toom.
• BauWatch DeutschlandcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing workshop customer for cable processing (Kabelverarbeitung). Participated in the 2025 Schichtwechsel program. Workshop employees Sascha Walter and Waldemar Matis visited BauWatch headquarters in Ratingen. BauWatch employees Dennis Pasemann and Andreas Rimkus visited the Königshardter Werkstatt. The exchange created new impulses for the commercial relationship.
• FielmannminorOthersDonated a tree to the Kita HeideKids, which was planted jointly with Oberbürgermeister Daniel Schranz, the Lebenshilfe Vorstand and Geschäftsführung at the Kita opening.
• CoviviominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported a summer art project with the Lebenshilfe Oberhausen in 2023 as part of Covivio's European art and social engagement initiative. Held a vernissage (art exhibition opening) at the Herbert-Bruckmann-Haus to present the collaborative artwork.
• Kuhlmann Laden- und Innenausbau GmbHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCooperation partner for inclusive employment. Königshardter Werkstatt supplies products and services to Kuhlmann. The cooperation was showcased at a joint facility visit.
• Unternehmerverband Soziale Dienste und Bildung (USB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLebenshilfe Oberhausen is a member of the USB (Employer Association for Social Services and Education). Through this membership, Verena Birnbacher (Geschäftsführerin) participates in advocacy meetings with political parties (CDU, GRÜNE) in the NRW Landtag regarding Kita financing and disability services funding.
• BAG WfbM / LAG Werkstatträte NRWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLebenshilfe Oberhausen Werkstattrat-Vorsitzender Manuel Rodriguez was elected as a delegate to the LAG Werkstatträte NRW (state-level workshop council), which represents approximately 78,000 people with disabilities across 103 main workshops in NRW municipalities.
• Lebenshilfe DuisburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJointly organized the event with Bundesministerin für Arbeit und Soziales Bärbel Bas at the Mercatorhalle in Duisburg in May 2026. Both Lebenshilfe organizations collaborated on the political advocacy event discussing the future of Eingliederungshilfe.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• BAG WfbM (Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen): Federal association representing ~300,000 sheltered workshop employees across Germany, of which Lebenshilfe Oberhausen's Werkstattrat is a member. Comparable at the industry-association level, shaping Werkstatt funding, eligibility, and quality standards that directly affect Lebenshilfe's core workshop operations.
• Aktion Mensch: National disability funding organization and longstanding partner of Lebenshilfe Oberhausen, providing startup and investment-cost financing for the Fachzentrum Autismus and Frühförderung Dependance. Comparable in mission (inclusion of people with disabilities) but operates as a social lottery/fund rather than direct service provider.

Broad incumbents

• Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe: National umbrella federation of the Lebenshilfe movement in Germany, of which Lebenshilfe Oberhausen is a member. Operates advocacy at federal level, sets quality standards for Werkstätten, Wohnstätten, and Frühförderung, and represents the broader Lebenshilfe network in policy negotiations on Eingliederungshilfe and BTHG funding.
• Caritasverband Oberhausen: Local branch of the national Caritas social services network operating in the same Oberhausen market, providing adjacent disability, youth, family, and senior services. Comparable in scale, statutory funding base, and non-profit gGmbH/e.V. structure, but with a broader welfare-services mandate beyond disability.
• Diakonie Ruhr: Regional Protestant welfare services network operating Werkstätten, Wohnstätten, and disability support services across the Ruhr area under the same Eingliederungshilfe framework. Comparable operating model (sheltered employment, residential care, inclusive programs) with a broader denominational welfare mandate.

Direct peers

• Lebenshilfe Berlin: Another major local Lebenshilfe organization providing Werkstätten, Wohnen, Frühförderung, and inclusive Kitas under a different state (Berlin) funding regime. Same brand, comparable service portfolio, and self-representation structures, illustrating the franchise-like model across the Lebenshilfe network.
• Sozialwerk St. Georg: Non-profit provider in North Rhine-Westphalia offering Werkstätten, Wohnen, and Kinder- und Jugendhilfe under the same Eingliederungshilfe legal framework. Closely comparable to Lebenshilfe Oberhausen in service mix, NRW statutory funding base, and self-representation governance, though larger and multi-site.
• Lebenshilfe Duisburg: Direct sister organization within the Lebenshilfe network, jointly hosting political advocacy events with Lebenshilfe Oberhausen (e.g., the 2026 Mercatorhalle event with Ministerin Bärbel Bas). Operates the same full-lifecycle disability service model (Werkstatt, Wohnen, Kita, autism, easy language) in the neighboring city of Duisburg, with the same NRW funding framework and self-representation governance structure.
• Lebenshilfe Gelsenkirchen: Another direct Lebenshilfe local organization in the Ruhr/NRW region, providing the same Werkstatt, Wohnen, Kinder- und Familienhilfe portfolio under the same Eingliederungshilfe framework. Closest direct comparator in size, geography, and service mix among nearby Lebenshilfe chapters.

Emerging players

• Special Olympics Deutschland: National sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities, overlapping with Lebenshilfe Oberhausen's inclusive sports and theater (BLINDFLUG) programs. Comparable in mission (inclusion through sport/culture) but operates event- and program-based rather than continuous service delivery.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lebenshilfe.oberhausen
• Instagraminstagram.com/lebenshilfe_oberhausen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Lebenshilfe Oberhausen