Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit
Stiftung arwole is a Swiss non-profit foundation in Sargans providing residential care, sheltered employment, and vocational training for adults with intellectual, psychological, and learning disabilities. Founded in 1971, it operates multiple living groups and production workshops funded primarily by Swiss IV disability insurance.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersSargans, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit does
Stiftung arwole is a Swiss non-profit foundation headquartered in Sargans, Canton St. Gallen, that provides integrated residential, employment, and educational services for adults with intellectual, psychological, and learning disabilities. Originally founded in 1971 as Verein Eingliederungsstätte der Bezirke Werdenberg und Sargans, it was reconstituted as a Stiftung on 1 January 2001. The organization is ISO 9001:2015 certified (Swiss Safety Center, valid 2025–2028) and operates as an approved implementation body for Swiss disability insurance (IV) integration and vocational rehabilitation measures. Service delivery spans approximately eight production and service locations plus seven residential groups across Sargans, Vilters, Wangs, and Heiligkreuz (Mels).
The foundation operates six core production and service divisions: Industrie/Mailing (assembly, cable manufacturing, packaging, mailing, shipping for B2B customers); Velo workshop (bicycle repair, restoration, and the Sommer-Wind-Velo line, in partnership with Velafrica); Garten group (garden and landscaping services); and four Ateliers (Art, Wood, Textiles, Clay) producing handcrafted goods. B2B customers include CH Würth International AG (25-year partnership celebrated in 2025), BD (Becton Dickinson), Hoval, Stäubli, INFICON, Oekosolve, ELESTA, böörds, and Grischa-Plast. The Ateliers also feed the JAUND? brand — a handcrafted lifestyle line (accessories, fashion, kitchen goods) sold through the foundation's online stores (jaund.ch, shop.arwole.ch), the physical arwole Laden in Sargans, and major retail partners including Coop Center Sargans.
Revenue is multi-stream and tied to the foundation's social mission. The primary funding source is IV (Invalidenversicherung) disability pensions and Ergänzungsleistungen (supplementary benefits), set by each resident's home canton. Additional streams include contract fees from B2B workshop services, retail sales of branded and unbranded handicraft products, and donations acknowledged in the annual Punkt magazine for contributions of CHF 100 or more. The foundation is governed by a five-member Stiftungsrat led by co-presidents Ursina Jenny and Bianca Köller Looser, with operational leadership under CEO Anne van Berkel Meier. No proprietary technology platform exists; the operating model is people-intensive social-service delivery rather than technology-enabled.
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit
- Legal name
- Stiftung arwole – Arbeits-, Wohn- und Lebens·raum
- Website
- https://arwole.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Stiftung arwole is a Swiss non-profit foundation in Sargans providing residential care, sheltered employment, and vocational training for adults with intellectual, psychological, and learning disabilities. Founded in 1971, it operates multiple living groups and production workshops funded primarily by Swiss IV disability insurance.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Disability Services and Sheltered Employment
- NAICS
- Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Work Exchange & Farmstay Programs (WWOOF/HelpX-Style) (EDAIAGAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Kids’ & Family Bike Retail (Youth, Trailers, Seats) (CRAMAHAG)
Keywords
Where Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sargans
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Government funding (IV & Social Insurance): The primary funding source is IV (Invalidenversicherung/disability insurance) pensions and supplementary benefits (Ergänzungsleistungen) paid by social insurance for residents and workers at the foundation.
- Donations and legacies: The foundation receives donations from individuals, organizations, and through bequests. Donations of CHF 100 or more are acknowledged in the annual Punkt magazine unless otherwise requested.
- Product and service sales: Revenue is generated from the sale of products manufactured in the foundation's workshops (industry, mailing, velo repair, garden services, textiles, wood, art, clay), including the branded JAUND? product line sold through the arwole shop, JAUND? online store, and retail partners.
- Workshop services (Lohnarbeit): Industrial and workshop services are provided to commercial customers (assembly, cable manufacturing, packaging, mailing, shipping) for a fee, generating contract-based service revenue.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Stiftung arwole operates a sheltered ecosystem combining residential care and protected employment for adults with intellectual, psychological, and learning disabilities in the Rhein valley of Canton St. Gallen, Switzerland. It runs four internal residential groups (Wohnhaus Castelsriet) and three external residential groups (Bernstein, Jade, Kristall, Mondstein) alongside six production/service workshops: Industrie/Mailing, Velo-Werkstatt (bicycle workshop), Gartengruppe (garden services), and Ateliers (Art, Wood, Textile, Clay). The Ateliers produce a branded handcrafted lifestyle product line called JA\UND? sold through retail stores, online shops, and partners such as Coop.
Product overview
Stiftung arwole is a Swiss foundation providing living, working, and learning spaces for people with intellectual, psychological, and learning disabilities. The organization operates as a dual offering: (1) residential care with four internal living groups (Wohnhaus Castelsriet with four apartments: Citrin, Rubin, Saphir, Smaragd) and three external residential groups (Bernstein, Jade, Kristall, Mondstein) serving approximately 31+ residents; and (2) a sheltered employment program with six core production/service divisions — Industrie/Mailing, Velo·werkstatt (Bicycle Workshop), Garten·gruppe (Garden Group), and Ateliers (Workshops in Art, Wood, Textiles, and Clay). The Ateliers produce a branded product line called JA\UND? (meaning 'I am different from you — yes and?'), encompassing handcrafted accessories, fashion items, and kitchen goods sold through the arwole store, the jaund.ch online shop, and in major retail chains. The arwole Laden is the physical retail location. The organization is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and has been operating since 1971, having grown from a workshop for 5 people to a comprehensive disability services institution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- JA\UND?: A product brand created in 2010 representing the foundation's artisanal products made by people with disabilities. The brand name means 'I am different from you – yes and?' representing tolerance, acceptance, and equality for people with disabilities. Products include accessories, fashion items, and kitchen goods sold through retail stores and online.
Products and services
- Residential Care (Wohnen) Sheltered residential care for adults with intellectual, psychological, and learning disabilities, comprising Wohnhaus Castelsriet with four apartments (Citrin, Rubin, Saphir, Smaragd, each housing 7 residents) and three external residential groups (Bernstein, Jade, Kristall, Mondstein). Funded by IV disability insurance and supplementary benefits.
- Sheltered Employment (Arbeiten) Protected employment program for adults with disabilities operating through six production/service divisions (Industrie/Mailing, Velo-Werkstatt, Gartengruppe, and Ateliers in Art, Wood, Textile, and Clay). Includes PrA vocational training (Praktische Ausbildung nach INSOS) and IV measures.
- Industrie / Mailing Services Industrial and mailing services including assembly, cable manufacturing, packaging, shipping, and material procurement, serving B2B customers in industry, trade, and commerce (e.g., Würth, BD, Hoval, Stäubli, INFICON, Oekosolve, ELESTA, böörds, Grischa-Plast).
- Velo-Werkstatt (Bicycle Workshop) Bicycle repair, restoration, and sale of refurbished and custom-built Summer-Wind bicycles at Pizolstrasse 8 in Sargans. Participates in the Velafrica program, repairing bicycles for shipment to Africa to support education and healthcare transportation.
- Gartengruppe (Garden Group) Garden and landscaping services including planting, pruning, lawn care, fencing, and garden construction, serving regional clients. Located at Grabenstrasse 3 in Vilters.
- Ateliers (Art, Wood, Textile, Clay Workshops) Handicraft workshops in four areas — Art (paper, cardboard), Wood, Textiles (fabric, leather), and Clay — producing handmade gift and decorative products sold under the JA\UND? brand. Located at Grossfeldstrasse 14, Sargans.
- JA\UND? Lifestyle Brand A handcrafted lifestyle brand producing accessories, fashion items, and kitchen products (keychains, bags, cutting boards, aprons) made by people with disabilities at the foundation's Ateliers. Sold through jaund.ch online store, arwole Laden, and in major retail stores including Coop Center Sargans. The brand name means "I am different from you — yes and?" representing tolerance, acceptance, and equality.
- arwole Handicraft Products Handmade handicraft goods produced in the foundation's workshops including greeting cards, wood products (wine boxes, raclette accessories, meat slicers), textile items, and clay sculptures, available for purchase at the arwole store or online shop.
- arwole Laden (Retail Store) Physical retail store selling handmade products produced by people with disabilities at the foundation, located at Pizolstrasse 8 in Sargans, open Wednesday afternoons from 13:00 to 17:30 starting January 2026.
Companies that use Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CH Würth International AGcore25-year partnership (celebrated in 2025) with Würth for industrial services including assembly, packaging, and mailing. This long-standing relationship demonstrates successful social integration through employment and is highlighted as a model for inclusion in the workplace.
- VelafricaminorVelafrica is a Swiss organization that repairs old bicycles and ships them to Africa for use in education and healthcare transportation. arwole's Velo workshop participates by repairing bicycles for the Velafrica program. In Africa, Velafrica supports the construction of bike workshops and provides mechanic training; in Switzerland, it works with social organizations like arwole.
- JAUND? retail partnerscoreJAUND? branded products (handcrafted accessories, home goods, fashion items) are distributed through major retail chains including Coop Center Sargans, as well as the foundation's own arwole store and online shop (jaund.ch).
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Br\u00fchlgut Stiftung: Winterthur-based Swiss foundation providing sheltered employment in workshops and integrated housing for people with disabilities, with long-running B2B and own-brand product lines \u2014 directly comparable in mission, workshop structure, and customer mix.
- Stiftung Wagerenhof: Swiss foundation in Uster operating an integrated campus of sheltered workshops (industry, gardening, ateliers) alongside residential homes for people with disabilities \u2014 the closest functional twin to arwole's Wohnen/Arbeiten model in the same regulatory regime.
- Stiftung Vivendra: Swiss foundation offering living and working spaces for adults with disabilities, including sheltered workshops and residential groups \u2014 highly comparable operating concept under the same Swiss IV and INSOS framework.
- Stiftung Rossfeld: Bern-based Swiss foundation providing residential care, day structures, and vocational measures for people with disabilities, with ISO-certified processes \u2014 a regional peer operating the same integrated care-plus-employment model.
- Camphill Communities: International network of intentional communities where people with and without developmental disabilities live and work together in craft, agriculture, and social enterprises \u2014 comparable mission and workshop-based employment, though structured as community living rather than residential care.
Others
- INSOS Schweiz: National industry association of Swiss social enterprises providing disability services and sheltered employment; not a direct operator, but the body that sets PrA/vocational standards arwole adheres to and the principal ecosystem convener for arwole's peer group.
Broad incumbents
- Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe: Large German federation of disability services encompassing sheltered workshops (Werkst\u00e4tten), residential care, and family support across Germany \u2014 a broader, more national-scale incumbent that frames the European reference set for arwole's integrated model.
- L'Arche International: Federation of communities in over 30 countries where people with intellectual disabilities live alongside assistants and share work in craft workshops and service enterprises \u2014 a globally established peer to arwole's workshop-and-residence integration concept.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit social profiles
Digital presenceStiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit
What does Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit do?
Stiftung arwole operates a sheltered ecosystem combining residential care and protected employment for adults with intellectual, psychological, and learning disabilities in the Rhein valley of Canton St. Gallen, Switzerland. It runs four internal residential groups (Wohnhaus Castelsriet) and three external residential groups (Bernstein, Jade, Kristall, Mondstein) alongside six production/service workshops: Industrie/Mailing, Velo-Werkstatt (bicycle workshop), Gartengruppe (garden services), and Ateliers (Art, Wood, Textile, Clay). The Ateliers produce a branded handcrafted lifestyle product line called JA\UND? sold through retail stores, online shops, and partners such as Coop.
Is Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit a public or private company?
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit founded?
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit was founded in 1971. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit based?
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit is headquartered in Sargans, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government funding (IV & Social Insurance) is the primary driver. The others are donations and legacies, product and service sales and workshop services (Lohnarbeit).
Who are Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Br\u00fchlgut Stiftung, Stiftung Wagerenhof, Stiftung Vivendra, Stiftung Rossfeld and Camphill Communities. INSOS Schweiz is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe and L'Arche International.
Does Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit have an API?
No public API is recorded for Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit.
What industry is Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit in?
Stiftung arwole Arbeits , Wohn und Lebensraum für Menschen mit's product category is Disability Services and Sheltered Employment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAGAK, Work Exchange & Farmstay Programs (WWOOF/HelpX-Style), with a secondary code of CRAMAHAG, Kids’ & Family Bike Retail (Youth, Trailers, Seats). Its NAICS code is 62321.