SAH Schweiz

What SAH Schweiz does

SAH Schweiz (Schweizerisches Arbeiterhilfswerk) is a Swiss non-profit aid organization founded in 1936 by the Social Democratic Party and the Swiss Trade Union Federation. Operating as a politically and confessionally independent association (Verein), it delivers social and professional integration services through a network of 10 independent regional associations spanning 18 cantons and 37 cities across all Swiss language regions (German, French, Italian). With approximately 920 employees, SAH serves multiple beneficiary segments including unemployed individuals, migrants and refugees, socially disadvantaged populations, children from low-income families, young mothers without vocational training, youth at risk, and qualified professionals seeking re-employment. Core program areas include labor market integration (Arbeitsintegration), counseling, education, social integration, asylum legal services, and children's holiday camps. Notable programs include Prima (for qualified job seekers), Check your Chance (youth unemployment prevention), AMIE (support for young mothers), and FOKUS (cleaning qualification). The organization also operates social enterprises such as SOS Ticino's workshops (Ri-Taglio, Ri-Cicletta, Ri-Sostegno), the SAHltimbocca restaurant, and Move 2 Work bicycle stations.

The business model is primarily government-funded: SAH derives the majority of revenue from commissioned services paid by the Swiss Confederation (SECO, SEM), cantonal authorities (AWA, social services), and municipal bodies, supplemented by foundation grants and private donations. Additional revenue comes from income-based camp fees (CHF 130–450 per child) and social enterprise activity. The go-to-market is a sales-led model where regional associations bid for and deliver against public service contracts, with participants typically referred through Regional Employment Centers (RAV), social services, or federal asylum centers. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; digital tools are limited to standard web analytics, email marketing, and form security. SAH publishes position papers on policy issues (AI in education, federal austerity packages, Gaza humanitarian policy) to influence the regulatory environment that underpins its funding base. The organization is governed by a board and coordinated by a National Secretariat in Bern, with each regional association operating semi-autonomously under its own managing director.

Name

SAH Schweiz

Legal name

Schweizerisches Arbeiterhilfswerk SAH

Website

https://sah-schweiz.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SAH Schweiz is a Swiss non-profit operating a network of 10 regional associations and approximately 920 employees delivering social and professional integration services — including labor market programs, asylum counseling, and education — to unemployed individuals, migrants, and disadvantaged populations across 18 cantons.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services / Labor Market Integration

NAICS

Social Assistance (624), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Unpaid/Volunteer-Linked Work Placement Programs (EDAIAFAE)

Keywords

• Labor market integration
• Social services
• Asylum counseling
• Vocational training programs
• Youth employment support

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Public Funding: SAH derives the majority of its revenue from commissioned services funded by the Swiss Confederation, cantons, and municipalities. Key funding bodies include SECO (Staatssekretariat für Wirtschaft), SEM (Staatssekretariat für Migration), AWA (Amt für Wirtschaft und Arbeit), social services, and invalid insurance (IV). Additional revenue comes from foundation grants, private donations, and participant fees for certain programs such as children's holiday camps.
2. Donations and Foundation Grants: Children's holiday camps and integration programs are significantly financed through donations from foundations and private individuals. Donations with the note 'Kinderferienlager' go entirely to the camps. Major funders include Hirschmann Stiftung, Winterhilfe Zürich, and FPFS.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SAH Schweiz is a non-profit social services organization delivering labor market integration, education, counseling, and social integration programs across Switzerland. It operates through a network of 10 independent regional associations serving unemployed individuals, migrants, refugees, and socially disadvantaged populations, with services commissioned by federal, cantonal, and municipal authorities. Programs span vocational qualification, job coaching, asylum legal representation, language courses, children's holiday camps, and social enterprises (workshops, restaurants, bicycle stations).

Product overview

SAH Schweiz (Schweizerisches Arbeiterhilfswerk) is a non-profit social services organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs for social and professional integration across Switzerland. The organization operates through ten independent regional associations active in 18 cantons with approximately 920 employees. The core offerings span eight main program areas: labor integration (Arbeitsintegration), counseling (Beratung), education (Bildung), social integration (Soziale Integration), asylum services (Asylwesen), children's holiday camps, Check your Chance (youth unemployment prevention), and Prima (professional integration for specialists). Key digital initiatives include 'Digital im Alltag' for digital competency assessment and training, along with various social enterprises including restaurants (SAHltimbocca), workshops (SOS Ticino's Ri-Taglio, Ri-Cicletta, Ri-Sostegno), and retail operations. The organization also provides specialized programs like AMIE for young mothers, FOKUS cleaning courses, and language courses in parks across multiple cantons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kinderferienlager SAH: Holiday camps for children and youth from low-income families in Switzerland, offering summer, autumn, and winter camps.
• Check your Chance
• Prima
• Ri-Taglio, Ri-Cicletta, Ri-Sostegno

Products and services

• Kinderferienlager (Children's Holiday Camps) Holiday camps for children and youth from low-income families aged 8–15, providing travel, friendship-building, and experiences outside daily routines. Camps are funded by donations (income-based fees CHF 130–450).
• Check your Chance National program for youth unemployment prevention, providing coaching and support for young adults after completing their education to help them enter the job market.
• Prima National labor market measure for well-qualified job seekers and executives, providing consultation and support during job searches for approximately three months. Approximately 300 participants annually with ~45% re-employment rate.
• Arbeitsintegration (Labor Integration) Programs supporting people in job searching, qualification, building work capacity, and entering or returning to the labor market, with regional offerings tailored to local needs.
• Beratung (Counseling) Professional counseling services covering job search support, solution-oriented coaching, legal advice in asylum, migration, and labor law, targeting professional and social integration.
• Bildung (Education) Educational offerings including language courses, job application training, vocational school preparation, and basic workplace competencies to support professional integration.
• Soziale Integration (Social Integration) Programs promoting societal participation regardless of origin, religion, political stance, or gender, including language courses and social participation opportunities.
• Asylwesen (Asylum Services) Legal and political support for refugees, including free counseling, legal representation, and interpreter services in federal asylum centers, with political advocacy through the Swiss Refugee Aid organization.
• Digital im Alltag / Le numérique au quotidien Digital literacy program assessing participants' digital competencies through online tests in their native language, with tailored workshops covering smartphone apps, online government services, word processing, email, and social media.
• OSEO Fribourg Digital Services (VAL & Boussole numérique) Digital autonomy services including 'Votre administration en ligne' (VAL) for hands-on device training and 'Boussole numérique' for drop-in digital advisory services.
• AMIE Zürich Program supporting young mothers without vocational training in finding apprenticeships, providing coaching, application support, and weekly courses on work-family balance for up to 18 months. Approximately 35 young mothers supported annually.
• SOS Ticino Workshops (Ri-Taglio, Ri-Cicletta, Ri-Sostegno) Three workshops combining circular economy with professional integration: clothing repair, bicycle restoration, and support services, training approximately 600–700 job seekers annually with 45% success rate.
• SAHltimbocca Restaurant Social restaurant in Zurich where unemployed individuals acquire and deepen gastronomic skills in service and kitchen operations.
• FOKUS Reinigung (FOKUS Cleaning Course) Specialized cleaning course providing professional qualification combined with practical implementation for people without basic vocational training. Now with Wetrok Academy certification since 2022.
• Move 2 Work (Velostationen) Bicycle stations offering unemployed individuals work in bike repair, rental services, and bicycle parking security.
• SEMO (Motivationssemester) Motivation semester program supporting youth aged 15-25 in choosing and searching for vocational training.
• Juma Courses for young adults with migration background to develop individual strengths and build perspectives in Switzerland.
• INIZIO Innovative project for young people in difficult life situations combining artistic, digital, and psychological aspects with multidisciplinary support.
• EcoVal Project helping individuals regain work rhythm, integrate into teams, and acquire new professional and personal competencies.
• INTEGRO Program Integration program supporting refugees through group and individual coaching, CV and application letter improvement, and job placement support.
• Sprachkurse im Park (Language Courses in the Park) Summer outdoor language courses held in park settings across multiple cantons, providing casual French and German learning without registration requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• SOS Ticino workshops serve 600–700 job seekers annually, with approximately 45% finding employment through temporary employment programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wetrok AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Since 2022, Wetrok Academy has provided practice-oriented instruction and recognized certification for the FOKUS cleaning courses at SAH Bern, strengthening the program's professional credibility.
• Berner Rechtsberatungsstelle für Menschen in Not (RBS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Cooperates with SAH in providing legal advice and representation for asylum seekers in federal asylum centers in the Ticino and Central Switzerland region.
• BFF Bern (Berufs-, Fach- und Fortbildungsschule)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Since the 2009 strategic refocusing under the FOKUS name, BFF Bern has been a key cooperation partner, sharpening the professional profile of vocational qualification in the cleaning sector.
• TAST BernminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005TAST Bern was the original trustee of the FOKUS cleaning course when it was founded in 2005. SAH Bern took over the program in 2010 and has continued to develop it.
• Klubschule MigrosminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Early cooperation partner providing foundational knowledge in cleaning and building technology for the FOKUS course from 2005.
• Swiss Refugee Aid (Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe, SFH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAH is a member organization of the Swiss Refugee Aid (SFH), the umbrella organization advocating for the rights of asylum seekers. Through SFH, SAH participates in national policy advocacy toward parliament and the federal administration, coordinates legal advice exchanges, develops country analyses, organizes continuing education, and contributes expertise for fair asylum procedure assessments.
• VelafricaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOS Ticino's Ri-Cicletta workshop partners with Velafrica to donate refurbished bicycles collected from private and public donors to African countries, combining circular economy with international development.
• Film Festival LocarnominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFor approximately 20 years, SOS Ticino partnered with the Locarno Film Festival to provide custom-designed bicycles in the festival's leopard colors, contributing to the event's sustainability initiatives.
• Caritas SwitzerlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOS Ticino received, together with Caritas Switzerland, the federal mandate for legal advice for asylum seekers in the federal asylum center of the Ticino and Central Switzerland region.
• CaritascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperates with SAH in providing legal advice and representation for asylum seekers in federal asylum centers.
• IdéeSportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAH partners with IdéeSport on the FamilyWeek pilot project — holiday camps for single mothers and their primary school-aged children — promoting mental health, resilience, physical activity, and peer exchange among single-parent families.
• Health, Social and Integration Directorate of Canton Bern (GSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2022, the Gesundheits-, Sozial- und Integrationsdirektion (GSI) of Canton Bern has held the service contract with SAH Bern's FOKUS program, now focusing on social welfare recipients.
• Derman (Intercultural Interpreters Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOS Ticino's legal protection services are supported by intercultural interpreters from the Derman agency, particularly for Ukrainian refugee cases since March 2022.
• Pfarrer Sieber and the Red CrossminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership in the 1980s–1990s: SAH cooperated with Pfarrer Sieber and the Red Cross to establish Switzerland's first contact and drop-in center (Kontakt- und Anlaufstelle) in Zurich for drug users, operating at the boundary of legality and contributing to a breakthrough in Swiss drug policy.
• Gewerkschaft GBI (Unions Literacy Association 'Lesen und Schreiben')minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAH and GBI jointly established literacy courses ('Lesen und Schreiben') for adults who left school unable to read or write properly. The program started with donations and union support and eventually evolved into the independent association 'Lesen und Schreiben Schweiz'.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Caritas Vaud: Caritas Vaud operates labor-market integration programs and social services in canton Vaud, directly competing with OSEO Vaud for cantonal contracts and providing closely comparable social-assistance services.
• Caritas Switzerland: Caritas Schweiz is the most directly comparable organization in Switzerland, also providing labor market integration, asylum legal advice (alongside SAH in federal asylum centers), migration services, and social support — across regional Caritas entities. Both are federally funded and overlap meaningfully in commissioning with SECO/SEM and cantonal authorities.
• HEKS (Hilfswerk der Evangelisch-reformierten Kirchen Schweiz): HEKS is a Swiss aid organization running similar labor market integration, migration, asylum counseling, and social integration programs with regional offices across Switzerland, making it a close functional peer to SAH with overlapping federal/cantonal funding streams.
• Schweizerische Flüchtlingshilfe (SFH / Swiss Refugee Aid): SFH is the umbrella advocacy organization of which SAH is a member. It coordinates asylum legal advice, country analyses, and policy advocacy on asylum law — directly tied to SAH's Asylwesen product line and federal asylum-center mandates.
• Solidar Suisse: Solidar Suisse was spun off from SAH in the early 2000s during the federation restructuring. Although focused more on international development today, the shared origin and overlapping labor-market / migration advocacy work make it a historically linked peer.
• Pro Juventute Switzerland: Pro Juventute is a Swiss non-profit focused on children, youth, and family welfare, operating services comparable to SAH's holiday camps, youth unemployment prevention (Check your Chance parallels), and family support programs with national reach.

Regional players

• Ortra (Ortra Formation): Ortra operates federally mandated labor-market integration measures in French-speaking Switzerland, overlapping with OSEO associations and competing for similar RAV-commissioned training and qualification contracts.
• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz / Kantonalverbände: Cantonal Red Cross societies deliver integration, language, and refugee support programs at canton level, directly competing with SAH regional associations for cantonal contracts and beneficiary flows.

Others

• Max Havelaar Foundation (Switzerland): Like SAH, Max Havelaar is a recognized independent non-profit foundation in Switzerland, although focused on fair-trade certification. Useful as a structural/category peer for governance and foundation-funding mechanics rather than service overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Swiss Red Cross (Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz / SRK): SRK is a larger humanitarian organization with broader mandates including health, migration, and integration programs across all cantons. While not narrow labor-market focused, it competes for similar government mandates and delivers overlapping integration support services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SAH-OSEO-SOS
• Facebookfacebook.com/sahoseosos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sah-schweiz
• Instagraminstagram.com/sah_oseo_sos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SAH Schweiz