What Lebenshilfe Berlin does

Lebenshilfe Berlin is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 1960 by parents of children with intellectual disabilities, headquartered at Böttgerstraße 21, Berlin. It delivers comprehensive disability support services across all Berlin districts through a verbund of ten wholly owned operating subsidiaries plus a foundation and a sports club. Service lines span counseling and ambulatory care (Lebenshilfe BAB gGmbH), inclusive kindergarten (iKita, serving 170 children from 35 nations including 33 with disabilities), school-based assistance across 8 districts (LHS gGmbH), supported and inclusive housing, day support facilities and day centers, vocational rehabilitation (nbw), psychosocial care (PSB gGmbH), nursing assistance, and an integration enterprise (nobis gGmbH, joined the group in 2024, 120+ employees). Education and training arm Lebenshilfe Bildung gGmbH runs ~300 sessions per year for 2,000+ participants. The organization also operates accessibility content channels including a dedicated Leichte Sprache (Easy Language) website and blog.

The underlying technology stack is standard, non-proprietary: a Weblication CMS, internal intranet, TeamViewer for IT support, Google Maps API for location display, Vimeo for video embedding (do-not-track mode), and ReadSpeaker for text-to-speech accessibility. No AI/ML capabilities, proprietary models, or patented technology are evidenced. The Bundesverdienstkreuz was awarded to first chairman Ludger Gröting on 1 July 2026 by Senatorin Cansel Kiziltepe.

The revenue model is dominated by Leistungsentgelte (statutory service fees) billed under German Social Codes SGB VIII, IX, V, and XI to Berlin district authorities (Bezirksämter), social welfare offices (Sozialämter), youth welfare offices (Jugendämter), and health/pension insurers. Two Bezirksamt clients each account for over 10% of BAB gGmbH's annual revenue. Secondary income derives from approximately 1,300 association members paying €60/year in dues, plus training fees and donations. Pricing is administered via statutory tariff tables (TV-L/TVöD-aligned) and is not commercially negotiated; the organization employs 2,000+ staff across all entities and operates from approximately a dozen offices across Berlin.

Name

Lebenshilfe Berlin

Legal name

Lebenshilfe Berlin e.V.

Website

https://lebenshilfe-berlin.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lebenshilfe Berlin is a 1960-founded non-profit association delivering comprehensive disability support services across Berlin through ten subsidiaries spanning counseling, housing, inclusive education, childcare, vocational rehabilitation, and care, serving people with disabilities and their families via statutory social security funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Social Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM), Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ), Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM), Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Social services
• Inclusive education
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Disability advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Statutory Social Security Funding: Primary revenue derives from Leistungsentgelte (service fees) billed to Bezirksämter (district authorities), Sozialämter (social welfare offices), Jugendämter (youth welfare offices), and health/pension insurers under Sozialgesetzbücher VIII, IX, V, and XI. Major clients include Bezirksamt Mitte Sozialamt and Bezirksamt Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg Amt für Soziale Dienste, each contributing over 10% of annual revenue.
2. Membership Dues and Donations: The association Lebenshilfe Berlin e.V. generates income from approximately 1,300 members paying annual dues of EUR 60 per year, as well as donations and corporate engagement contributions.
3. Education and Training Fees: Lebenshilfe Bildung gGmbH conducts approximately 300 training sessions per year with over 2,000 participants, generating revenue from professional development and continuing education programs for staff and external professionals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Lebenshilfe Berlin is a non-profit disability support organization that delivers comprehensive services across all life phases for people with cognitive, physical, sensory, and complex disabilities. Its service portfolio includes counseling and family assistance, ambulatory care, supported independent living, inclusive kindergarten, school social work, vocational rehabilitation, day support facilities, residential housing, travel/leisure programs, and specialized autism and hearing-impairment services. The organization operates through a multi-subsidiary structure spanning 10+ operating companies coordinated by the parent association Lebenshilfe Berlin e.V.

Product overview

Lebenshilfe Berlin is a social services organization operating as a multi-subsidiary verbund (association) that provides comprehensive disability support services across Berlin. The organization is structured with Lebenshilfe Berlin e.V. as the parent advocacy association, supported by multiple operating subsidiaries: Lebenshilfe gGmbH (main services), BAB gGmbH (counseling and ambulatory care), Lebenshilfe Bildung gGmbH (education/training), Lebenshilfe iKita gGmbH (inclusive childcare), LHS gGmbH (school support), Lebenshilfe Assistenz und Pflege gGmbH (care services), PSB gGmbH (psychosocial support), Nordberliner Werkgemeinschaft (vocational rehabilitation), nobis gGmbH (inclusion enterprise), and Stiftung Lebenshilfe Berlin (foundation). Services span counseling, housing, childcare, education, vocational training, day support, leisure/travel, arts, and care across all life stages. The portfolio includes specialized programs for autism spectrum, hearing impairment, complex disabilities, and Trisomy 21, delivered through various modules including residential facilities, supported living, family support services, and inclusive recreational programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lebenshilfe BAB: Lebenshilfe Beratung und ambulante Betreuung - Counseling and ambulatory care services for children, youth and adults with disabilities
• LHS Lebenshilfe in der Schule
• Lebenshilfe iKita
• Lebenshilfe Bildung
• nobis gGmbH
• AusSicht Marzahn
• LEA Leseklub
• ERW-IN
• BAB zukünftig digital
• Einfach-Reporter
• SOS-Beratungsstelle

Products and services

• Lebenshilfe BAB gGmbH Counseling and Ambulatory Care Social services provider offering inclusion support (Eingliederungsförderung), family assistance, supported independent living (Betreutes Einzelwohnen), social-pedagogical group work, and specialized programs for hearing impairment and autism spectrum for children, youth, and adults with disabilities throughout Berlin.
• Lebenshilfe Bildung gGmbH Education and Training Professional development and continuing education for staff and external professionals in inclusion support and inclusive education, conducting approximately 300 training sessions annually with over 2,000 participants.
• Lebenshilfe iKita gGmbH Inclusive Kindergarten Inclusive kindergarten (Inklusionskita) serving 170 children aged 1-7 from 35 nations, including 33 children with disabilities of all severity levels, with expanded capacity for 90 additional children including 12 in a special needs group.
• LHS Lebenshilfe in der Schule gGmbH School Support School assistance, school social work, and full-day school programs supporting students with special educational needs across all school types in Berlin, spanning 8 districts.
• Lebenshilfe Assistenz und Pflege gGmbH Care Services Assistance and nursing care services for people with disabilities, providing support for daily living and nursing care.
• Lebenshilfe PSB gGmbH Psychosocial Counseling, Assistance and Care Ambulant psychiatric service (fachpsychiatrischer Dienst) providing psychosocial support, medical treatment care, integration assistance, and housing support for mentally ill individuals, enabling self-determined living in familiar surroundings.
• Nordberliner Werkgemeinschaft gGmbH (nbw) Vocational Rehabilitation Vocational rehabilitation services offering professional education places (BBB), diverse workplace positions, and employment support places (BFB) for people with disabilities in Berlin.
• nobis gGmbH Inclusion Enterprise Inclusion company providing cleaning, catering/communal catering, and retail services in northern Berlin, employing over 120 people with and without disabilities to facilitate practical inclusion.
• Stiftung Lebenshilfe Berlin Foundation Foundation established in 1998 that funds projects enabling participation for people with disabilities, managed by voluntary board and supervisory board members.
• SCL Sportclub Lebenshilfe Berlin e.V. Sports club offering sports activities and programs for people with disabilities in Berlin.
• Supported Independent Living (Betreutes Einzelwohnen) Supported individual housing services helping adults with disabilities live independently in their own apartments with appropriate support.
• Shared Living (Wohngemeinschaften) Shared community living arrangements for people with disabilities in group home settings.
• Day Support Facilities (Tagesförderstätten) Day support facilities with work-related educational content providing structured daily activities and vocational preparation for adults with disabilities.
• Autism Spectrum Counseling Service (Beratungsstelle Autismus-Spektrum) Specialized autism spectrum counseling service providing information, guidance, and practical support for caregivers, individuals with ASD, educators, and professionals working with autistic children.
• Autism Spectrum Day Group (Tagesgruppe Autismus-Spektrum) Day group for children with autism spectrum disorder aged 6-12 who cannot currently attend school, providing structured daily routines and autism-specific support with the goal of school reintegration.
• Parent and Family Counseling (Eltern- und Familienberatung) Parent and family counseling services providing guidance and support for families of people with disabilities.
• Intercultural Counseling (Interkulturelle Beratung) Intercultural counseling services addressing the specific needs of multicultural families.
• Psychological Counseling (Psychologische Beratung) Psychological counseling services for individuals and families.
• Violence Prevention Counseling Center (Beratungsstelle gegen Gewalt) Counseling center addressing violence prevention and support for people with disabilities.
• Travel and Leisure Programs (Reisen & Freizeit) Travel and leisure programs offering inclusive vacation opportunities, recreational activities, and cultural experiences for children, youth, and adults with disabilities.
• Social-Pedagogical Family Assistance (Sozialpädagogische Familienhilfe) Social pedagogical family assistance providing counseling and support for families with children with disabilities, addressing disability-related challenges and environmental barriers.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 2000 employees provide services across living, counseling, employment, and leisure programs in Berlin
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Scholl Communications AGcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 October 2024Scholl Communications AG has been engaged since autumn 2024 to implement a website accessibility plan, with the goal of making lebenshilfe-berlin.de, lebenhilfe-bildung.de, and leichte-sprache.berlin fully compliant with BITV 2.0 by Q2 2026.
• SOS-Ass-DGS (Beratungsstelle für Menschen im Autismus-Spektrum und für Menschen mit Gehörlosigkeit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized joint counseling service operated by BAB gGmbH for people with autism spectrum disorders and people with hearing impairments who use German Sign Language (DGS), offering specialist advice and practical support.
• Initiative Transparente ZivilgesellschaftminorOthersLebenshilfe BAB gGmbH voluntarily joined this Transparency International initiative, committing to publish standardized governance, financial, and personnel information.
• SPI Programmagentur Berliner SchulencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPI serves as the program agency for youth social work at schools (Jugendsozialarbeit an Schulen) in Berlin, coordinating the program across schools where Lebenshilfe provides social work services.
• Engagement und Teilhabe Berlin (mit-machen.berlin)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCross-promotional partnership to direct volunteers to engagement opportunities in Berlin's social sector, with Lebenshilfe Berlin participating as a featured organization.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe: Federal umbrella association for Lebenshilfe organizations across Germany. Lebenshilfe Berlin is a member; comparable mission (disability rights, inclusion, family support) but operating at national rather than municipal level.
• Der Paritätische Wohlfahrtsverband Berlin: Umbrella organization for Berlin social services nonprofits; member organizations compete directly with Lebenshilfe Berlin in disability support, ambulatory care, and family assistance.

Direct peers

• Caritas Berlin: Major Catholic welfare organization operating in Berlin with comparable services including counseling, ambulatory care, housing support, family assistance, and inclusion programs. Same statutory funding base and target populations.
• AWO Berlin: Arbeiterwohlfahrt Berlin delivers comparable ambulatory disability support, family assistance, and inclusion services funded through the same SGB mechanisms; directly competes for Bezirksamt contracts in the same districts.
• Diakonie Berlin: Protestant welfare association providing overlapping disability, family, and social support services in Berlin. Competes for the same statutory contracts and serves overlapping beneficiary populations.
• Berliner Werkstätten für Menschen mit Behinderung (BWB): Major Berlin provider of vocational rehabilitation workshops and employment services for people with disabilities; directly comparable to Lebenshilfe's nbw subsidiary and competing for state vocational rehabilitation contracts.
• Mosaik Berlin e.V. Berlin-based social enterprise providing workshops, housing, and inclusion services for people with disabilities. Directly comparable operating model and Berlin geographic footprint.

Emerging players

• Special Olympics Deutschland: National organization offering inclusive sports programming for people with intellectual disabilities; directly comparable to Lebenshilfe Berlin's SCL Sportclub subsidiary but operating at national scale.

Others

• Stiftung Ottobock (and related assistive-tech/accessibility providers): Adjacent ecosystem participant in disability services; not a direct service provider but thematically related through assistive technology and inclusion initiatives relevant to Lebenshilfe Berlin's accessibility and inclusion programs.

Regional players

• Lebenshilfe München: Sister Lebenshilfe association in Munich; similar service mix (counseling, ambulatory care, housing, education) but different geography. Useful peer for benchmarking operating model across the Lebenshilfe network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LebenshilfeBer
• Facebookfacebook.com/berlin.lebenshilfe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lebenshilfe-berlin
• Instagraminstagram.com/lebenshilfe_berlin

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Subsidiaries10 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 Lebenshilfe Berlin