Clubhouse Norway

What Clubhouse Norway does

Fontenehus Norge (doing business as Clubhouse Norway) is a non-profit association headquartered at Lakkegata 23, Oslo, that operates a national network of 26 Fontenehus (Clubhouses) providing voluntary work communities for people with mental health challenges. Members and staff work side-by-side in structured workdays organized around real operational tasks (reception, kitchen, administration, communications), with no fees, no referral requirement, and no time limits on membership. The organization is the Norwegian affiliate of Clubhouse International, an accreditation body whose 37 international standards define the operating model and quality bar.

The core service portfolio comprises three interlocking modules: (1) the daily work community itself, (2) overgangsarbeid, a 6-9 month tariff-paid part-time transitional employment program with 50+ corporate and public-sector employer partners including Sparebank1, Stortinget, Kiwi, Veidekke and Lovisenberg Diakonale Sykehus, and (3) AFT (arbeidsforberedende trening), a NAV-funded work preparation program. Supporting programs include job/study support, an annual Vinduaksjonen awareness campaign with a national magazine, and a network of regional podcasts. Fontenehuset Oslo Sentrum is one of 12 international training bases worldwide.

The revenue model is grant-driven rather than commercial. Primary funding flows from the Norwegian Health Directorate (Helsedirektoratet) — approximately 85 million NOK annually across the network as of 2024, up from 5 million NOK in 2012 — supplemented by municipal contributions as a prerequisite for state grants, private foundation support (notably Stiftelsen Thomas Fearnley, Heddy og Nils Astrup), and pro bono legal services from Advokatfirmaet Selmer. Operating economics are unusually favorable: cost of approximately 60,000 NOK per member per year compares to approximately 19,500 NOK per day for acute psychiatric treatment, with documented outcomes of 86% health improvement, 45% engagement in work/study, and over 1,000 people placed in employment through the overgangsarbeid program.

Name

Clubhouse Norway

Legal name

Fontenehus Norge

Website

https://fontenehus.no

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fontenehus Norge (Clubhouse Norway) operates a national network of 26 voluntary work communities for people with mental health challenges, funded primarily by the Norwegian Health Directorate at approximately 85 million NOK annually, serving 3,500+ members with free, referral-free membership through the Clubhouse International model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Temporary Help Services (561320)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Senior Social Clubs & Community-Based Day Programs (Non-Clinical) (HSABANAK)

Keywords

• Mental health rehabilitation
• Transitional employment
• Psychosocial rehabilitation
• Supported employment services
• Vocational rehabilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices27 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding - Helsedirektoratet: Primary funding from the Norwegian Health Directorate (Helsedirektoratet). From 2012 to present, total government grants increased from 5 million to approximately 85 million NOK annually across all Fontenehus.
2. Municipal Funding: Each Fontenehus receives municipal financing as a prerequisite for government grants from Helsedirektoratet. Municipal support varies by location.
3. Private Foundation Grants: Stiftelsen Thomas Fearnley, Heddy og Nils Astrup provides long-term support enabling additional staffing (IT, communications, training). Other private sponsors support conferences and activities.
4. Pro Bono Services: Advokatfirmaet Selmer provides pro bono legal advisory services to Fontenehus Norge, reducing operational costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Clubhouse Norway operates a national network of voluntary work communities (Fontenehus) where adults with mental health challenges work side-by-side with staff on the operation of the community. Members gain access to work-ordered day activities, a Transitional Employment Program that places them in competitive jobs, Work Preparation Training (AFT), and Job and Study Support, all delivered free of charge and grounded in Clubhouse International's 37 standards.

Product overview

Fontenehus Norge (Clubhouse Norway) operates a network of 26 Fontenehus (Clubhouses) across Norway, offering a single unified program: voluntary work communities for people with mental health challenges. The core offering consists of work communities where members and staff work side-by-side in structured workdays. Key modules include Overgangsarbeid (Transitional Employment - 6-9 month part-time jobs with employer partners), AFT (Work Preparation Training in collaboration with NAV), and Jobb- og studiestøtte (Job and Study Support). Supporting programs include the annual Vinduaksjonen awareness campaign, regional podcast series produced by individual Fontenehus locations, and annual national conferences. Fontenehuset Oslo sentrum also serves as an international training base for Clubhouse International, training new and established Fontenehus worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of members experience health improvement
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Advokatfirmaet SelmercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm partner providing both overgangsarbeid positions (40% part-time for 6-9 months at their Oslo office) and pro bono legal advisory to Fontenehus Norge. Has been a partner since helping establish Fontenehuset Oslo Sentrum in the 1990s.
• Veidekke ByggcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction company partner offering overgangsarbeid positions to Fontenehus members. Example: member Jan Erik completed 7-month lunch host position. Veidekke reports the collaboration creates more inclusive workplace and societal impact.
• IMDi (Integrerings- og mangfoldsdirektoratet)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirectorate of Integration and Diversity partnership through the 'Psykt bra mangfold' (Really Great Diversity) project, connecting integration and mental health fields. Project includes documentation and local implementations in Fontenehus Hønefoss and Fredrikstad.
• NAV (Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor operational partner referring clients to Fontenehus and collaborating on programs including AFT (arbeidsforberedende trening/work preparation training). NAV Fredrikstad specifically highlighted collaboration on Snuplassen (helping young people into work) and Psykt bra mangfold (inclusion of immigrants).
• Clubhouse InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal umbrella organization for the Clubhouse movement. Fontenehuset Oslo sentrum is one of 12 international training bases worldwide. Provides international standards, accreditation process, and connection to 350+ Clubhouses globally.
• Kompetansesenter for arbeidsinkludering (KAI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompetence center for work inclusion at OsloMet. Collaborates on professional development and knowledge exchange. Co-organized panels at Arendalsuka 2024 on work inclusion solutions.
• Over 50 Employer PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCompanies offering overgangsarbeid positions including Sparebank1, Kongsberg Teknologipark, Kiwi, Stortinget, Lovisenberg Diakonale Sykehus, ABB, Frimann Berner, and others. These partnerships have enabled over 1,000 people to gain work opportunities.
• Oslo EconomicsminorOthersResearch partner conducting member surveys and documenting outcomes. Their 2023 survey showed 86% health improvement, 77% larger social network, 58% increased work belief, 53% reduced acute help needs, 45% in work/practice/studies.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Velferdsalliansen (Norwegian Welfare Alliance): Alliance of Norwegian welfare and mental-health NGOs. Fontenehus Norge operates in this same advocacy and funding environment, and both compete for and collaborate on government and private welfare funding.
• Mind (UK): Major UK mental-health charity providing advice, peer support, and advocacy. Comparable in operating a national network from local branches, although their model is more service-referral than work-community based.
• Rådet for Psykisk Helse (Council for Mental Health, Norway): Norwegian national council coordinating mental-health NGOs, policy advocacy, and the annual Mental Health Week. Sits in the same stakeholder ecosystem as Fontenehus and influences the same government funding streams.
• Mental Helse (Norway): Norway's largest user-led mental-health organisation, representing people with lived experience. Operates in the same Norwegian mental-health ecosystem and frequently partners with Fontenehus on awareness and policy advocacy.

Direct peers

• Clubhouse International: Global umbrella for the 350+ Clubhouse movement, including the 37 International Standards and the accreditation framework that Fontenehus Norway operates under. Fontenehuset Oslo sentrum is one of just 12 official international training bases.
• Fountain House (New York): The original Clubhouse founded in 1948 in New York City and the model ancestor for every Fontenehus worldwide. Operates the same voluntary work-community, transitional employment, and standards-based model for people with mental-health challenges, making it the closest direct comparand.
• Fountain House London: UK Clubhouse operating the same work-oriented rehabilitation model with transitional employment. Directly comparable in model, population (adults with mental-health challenges), and member-led governance structure.

Broad incumbents

• Mental Health America: US community-based non-profit focused on mental-health screening, advocacy, and peer support. Adjacent rather than directly competing, but addresses the same population and operates on a similar community + national umbrella model.
• IPS Employment Center: Global technical-assistance centre for the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) supported-employment model — the dominant alternative to overgangsarbeid for placing people with mental-health conditions into competitive employment. Competes for the same welfare-to-work policy budget.
• NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): Largest US grassroots mental-health organisation, providing peer support, education, and advocacy. Operates at much larger scale but addresses the same population and competes for the same philanthropic and government mind-share.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=G1gDGMhIZEk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fontenehus-norge

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Clubhouse Norway