Association PAIRES

What Association PAIRES does

Association PAIRES (full name: Projet pour l'Aide à l'Inclusion des Réfugié·e·s en Suisse) is a Swiss non-profit association founded in October 2017 by three students in Lausanne, Canton of Vaud. Its core service is a Tandem Program that matches asylum seekers and refugees with Swiss residents for weekly meetings over a minimum 9-month commitment, supported by an onboarding questionnaire, in-person interviews, and ongoing coordinator involvement. The association serves two principal segments: recently arrived asylum seekers and refugees in the Canton of Vaud seeking social integration, and Swiss residents seeking intercultural engagement.

The product portfolio centers on tandems (social, academic support, and computer literacy variants) and is complemented by professional orientation days (CV writing, cover letters, mock interviews), cultural and sporting events (museum visits, hikes, football), a traveling photo exhibition ('Faire la PAIRES'), and free adult beginner bike lessons. Support courses are delivered by volunteers in flexible locations such as libraries, universities, cafes, and participants' homes, and computer literacy is delivered in partnership with Powerhouse. Underlying technology is intentionally minimal — Google Forms, WhatsApp, and a standard website hosted on Infomaniak infrastructure — reflecting a community-led rather than technology-led operating model.

The business model is that of a donation- and subsidy-funded nonprofit. All services are provided free of charge to participants. Revenue is drawn from individual donations (processed via IBAN, Twint, and raisenow.io) and institutional subsidies from the Ville de Lausanne (Fond lausannois d'intégration), Ville de Renens, Loterie Romande, Fondazione Paul Schiller, and ICI Ensemble foundation. The organization operates with a small paid footprint (a 30% secretary position plus 2 coordinators), a volunteer committee of approximately 20 members, and ~5 listed employees, with geographic operations confined to Lausanne and Yverdon within Canton of Vaud.

Name

Association PAIRES

Legal name

Association PAIRES

Website

https://paires.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Association PAIRES is a Swiss nonprofit founded in 2017 in Lausanne that creates weekly tandems between asylum seekers/refugees and Swiss residents to support social integration, complemented by tutoring, computer literacy, and cultural programs across Lausanne and Yverdon.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee Integration Services

NAICS

Social Assistance (624)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDALANAD

Cultural Adjustment & Integration Services (intercultural programs, community connection)

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/International Student Services & Immigration Support

SECONDARYTHAKAGAE

Language Immersion & Cultural Exchange Programs

Travel & Hospitality/Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & OTAs/Group Travel & Educational Travel Operators

Keywords

• Refugee integration services
• Tandem partnership programs
• Social inclusion support
• Community mentorship programs
• Asylum seeker assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations from the public, processed via IBAN bank transfers, Twint mobile payments, and online donation platform (raisenow.io). Donations support administrative costs, event organization, sports activities, cooking workshops, children's activities, and job search support days.
2. Institutional Subsidies and Grants: Funding from municipal and regional government bodies and foundations. Financial partners include the Ville de Lausanne (Fond lausannois d'intégration), Ville de Renens, Loterie Romande, Fondazione Paul Schiller, and ICI Ensemble foundation. These funds primarily cover administrative staff salary (30% secretary position) and subsidized activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Association PAIRES operates a Tandem Program that pairs Swiss residents with asylum seekers and refugees for weekly intercultural meetings of a minimum 9-month duration, facilitating social integration and friendship. It also delivers support courses in French, mathematics, and basic computer literacy, professional orientation workshops, beginner bike lessons, and cultural/sporting events, all provided free of charge to participants.

Product overview

Association PAIRES operates as a social integration nonprofit offering a coordinated portfolio of programs centered on its core Tandem Program, which pairs locals with refugees for weekly social interaction. Supporting services include Cours d'appui (academic support in French and mathematics), Soutien sur ordinateur (basic computer literacy in partnership with Powerhouse), Formation et emploi (professional development and job search assistance), and Cours de vélo (beginner bike lessons). The organization also runs cultural and sporting events, and produces the traveling photo exhibition 'Faire la PAIRES'. All programs work together to facilitate refugee inclusion in Swiss society.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tandem Program Core program that pairs people familiar with life in Switzerland with asylum seekers or refugees to meet approximately once a week for shared activities (coffee, football, museum visits, meals) over a minimum 9-month period, facilitating intercultural friendship and social integration.
• Cours d'appui (Support Courses) Academic support courses primarily in French and mathematics, delivered by volunteer tutors for refugees/asylum seekers in training or preparing for admission exams.
• Soutien sur ordinateur (Computer Support)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 tandems (1,400 individuals) created since 2017 with approximately 400 currently active
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Action-parrainagescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration for tandem and sponsorship creation between refugees and Swiss residents. PAIRES and Action-parrainages share a common mission of fostering intercultural connections and jointly celebrated 10 years of partnership in 2026-2027.
• PowerhousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for computer literacy support courses. Powerhouse provides expertise and facilities for teaching basic computer skills to asylum seekers and refugees, including email creation, word processing, and internet navigation.
• EVAM (Établissement vaudois d'accueil des migrant·e·s)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular contact and referral relationship with EVAM, the primary reception center for migrants and asylum seekers in the Canton of Vaud. EVAM residents are referred to PAIRES for tandem matching and integration support.
• CSIR (Centre социальной интеграции региона)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular contact with CSIR for referral of asylum seekers and coordination of integration support services in the region.
• Caritas VaudsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Caritas Vaud, a Catholic humanitarian organization providing social services, on matters related to refugee integration and support.
• Aumônerie UNIL-EPFLsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerChaplaincy service at Lausanne universities providing pastoral support and community connections for asylum seekers and refugees engaged with university life.
• NELAsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of organizations working on integration and migration issues in the region, with which PAIRES collaborates and shares best practices.
• La ManivellesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal association in Vaud engaged in social and integration work, collaborating with PAIRES on community initiatives.
• RampotogosecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal integration association in Vaud, collaborating with PAIRES on refugee support and community integration programs.
• Cinémathèque SuisseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural venue partnership offering 1-for-1 free admission for tandem pairs. Located at Av. du Théâtre 6, Lausanne.
• Le CinématographeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCinema partnership at Casino de Montbenon offering free second admission for tandem pairs (full price 15 CHF).
• ZinemaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCinema partner at Rue du Maupas 4, Lausanne, offering discounted or free admission for registered tandem pairs.
• Théâtre 2·21minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater partner offering access to performances for tandem pairs, with reservation noting PAIRES association for special consideration.
• Le Petit Théâtre LausanneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheater partner with special offers for association members and tandem pairs (available under 'offre spéciale' on their website).
• Théâtre ArsenicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerformance venue offering free admission for the 'binôme d'ailleurs' (refugee partner) with standard rate for 'binôme d'ici' (Swiss partner).
• Musée Jenisch (Vevey)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum partner in Vevey offering cultural access to tandem pairs, located at Av. de la Gare 2.
• Musée de la Main (Lausanne)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum partner at Rue du Bugnon 21, Lausanne, offering cultural programming access for registered tandem pairs.
• Musée d'Art de PullyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt museum partner at Chemin Davel 2, Pully, providing cultural venue access for PAIRES tandem members.
• Orchestre de Chambre de LausanneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConcert hall partnership with mandatory reservation (specifying PAIRES association) at Rue de Genève 12, Lausanne.
• Collection de l'Art Brut (Lausanne)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt collection at Avenue des Bergières 11 offering 1-for-1 free admission for tandem pairs showing PAIRES membership cards.
• Le Cube Escalade (Mont-sur-Lausanne)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimbing gym partner at Chemin du Rionzi 52A offering 1-for-1 admission plus equipment rental for 12 CHF per person.
• Cinéma BellevauxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighborhood cinema at Route Aloys-Fauquet 4, Lausanne, offering access to tandem pairs.
• Mur d'escalade de ChavornayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClimbing wall partner at Rue de l'Industrie 18, Chavornay, providing sporting access to registered tandem pairs.
• Centre Pro Natura Champ-PittetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature center partner at Ch. de la Cariçaie 1, Cheseaux-Noréaz, offering outdoor and nature activities for tandem participants.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Vaud: Large Catholic social-services organization and PAIRES partner, providing broader refugee assistance (legal aid, material aid, counseling) of which the tandem social-integration program is one component. Overlap is functional on integration support, scope is wider.
• HEKS / EPER: Swiss Reformed Aid agency running national integration and asylum-support programs including mentoring/tandem-style initiatives. Comparable mission at significantly larger national scale.
• Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe (OSAR / Swiss Refugee Council): Umbrella advocacy and service organization for asylum seekers in Switzerland, operating legal aid, integration support, and mentorship programs nationally. Direct overlap in integration mentoring with policy-level scope PAIRES does not have.
• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz (Swiss Red Cross): National humanitarian organization operating mentoring, language, and integration programs for migrants across all cantons. Comparable target population and integration outcomes, much broader service portfolio.

Regional players

• Welcome Society Bern: Bern-area mentoring association pairing locals with newly-arrived refugees for cultural exchange and integration, structurally analogous to the PAIRES tandem model but operating in a different geographic market.
• Asyl-Organisation Zürich (AOZ): Zürich-based organization delivering asylum housing, integration support, and volunteer mentoring in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Comparable model to PAIRES but serving a different canton and language region.

Direct peers

• Action-parrainages: PAIRES' explicit strategic partner for 10+ years, jointly responsible for 1,600+ tandem and sponsorship matches across Suisse romande. It is the closest functional peer, differing mainly in that its binômes program also covers unaccompanied minors.
• Bureau Lausannois pour les Immigrés (BLI): The umbrella network for Lausanne-area integration associations including PAIRES, and a direct comparator for the delivery of local migrant-integration services in Vaud. It is the parent coordination body that PAIRES operates within.
• INTEGRAS (Association vaudoise pour l'intégration): Vaud-based nonprofit focused on the social and professional integration of migrants, offering similar accompaniment and exchange services in the same cantonal market as PAIRES.

Emerging players

• HEKS Sprachcafé / Lingua-Franca style programmes: Smaller, focused conversation-group and language-exchange initiatives run through community centers and NGOs, overlapping with PAIRES' French conversation and meet-up activities but typically more narrowly scoped.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ProjetpourlAidealInclusiondesRefugieesEnSuisse
• Instagraminstagram.com/projet.paires
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-paires

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Association PAIRES