Sammenslutningen af Unge Med Handicap

What Sammenslutningen af Unge Med Handicap does

Sammenslutningen af Unge Med Handicap (SUMH) is a Danish non-profit umbrella organization founded in 1981 (originally as De Samvirkende Invalideorganisationers Ungdom, renamed in 2003) that serves as the national representative body for young people with disabilities aged 16–35. Headquartered in Taastrup, Denmark, the organization operates as a federation of 13 member organizations (including Autisme Ungdom, CP Ung, DBSU, DDL, DøvBlinde Ungdom, Muskelsvindfonden, and Unge Hjerner) collectively representing approximately 4,800 young people across all disability categories. Its core activities span political advocacy, community organizing, volunteer-led programs, and the development of specialized educational materials covering sexuality education, digital literacy, accessibility, employment, and international youth disability work.

SUMH's product portfolio focuses on domain-specialized educational and accessibility tools. The LigeLyst web-app delivers sexuality education for young people with disabilities using large illustrations and read-aloud text; Os Online is a digital literacy and online-safety learning platform for STU schools and residential care settings; the annual Uge Sex teaching package provides curriculum materials for special education facilities; Tjek Tilgængeligheden is an accessibility assessment workshop kit; and Ban Vejen for Job is an employment program that has brought nearly 50% of participants into jobs or education. These products are built on standard web technologies and distributed free of charge to end users.

SUMH's business model is non-commercial and grant-funded. The organization derives nearly all income from foundation grants (Bevica Fonden 12M DKK for 2026–2030, Egmont Fonden, VELUX FONDEN, Tuborgfondet) and government funding (Sundhedsstyrelsen, Socialstyrelsen), supplemented by nominal membership fees of 400 DKK per organization per year. All activities for young people aged 16–35 are free. The go-to-market motion is community-led, with recruitment through the website, social media, and the 13 member organizations' networks. Distribution is national (Denmark) plus four country partnerships in Africa (Uganda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Ghana). The secretariat employs approximately 18 staff supporting a volunteer structure of 8 board members plus 4 alternates, all of whom are young people with disabilities.

Name

Sammenslutningen af Unge Med Handicap

Legal name

Sammenslutningen af Unge Med Handicap

Website

https://sumh.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sammenslutningen af Unge Med Handicap (SUMH) is a Danish non-profit umbrella organization, founded 1981, that unites 13 member organizations representing approximately 4,800 young people with disabilities aged 16–35 through advocacy, community programs, and specialized educational content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Disability Advocacy Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG), Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy (BPAGAFAF), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH), Assistive Technology (AT) & Accessible Learning Tools (EDALAGAB)

Keywords

• Disability youth advocacy
• Community umbrella organization
• Special education materials
• Employment support programs
• Sexuality education disability

Headquarters

HQ city

Höje Taastrup

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Grant funding and project financing: SUMH is primarily funded through grants from foundations (Bevica Fonden, Egmont Fonden, VELUX FONDEN, etc.) and government bodies (Sundhedsstyrelsen, Socialstyrelsen, etc.) for specific projects and operational costs. Membership fees from member organizations are minimal (400 DKK/year per organization). SUMH is a non-profit organization; all activities for young people are free.
2. Member organization fees: 13 member organizations pay an annual membership fee of 400 DKK. This is a nominal revenue stream used to cover organizational costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SUMH operates as a non-profit umbrella organization providing free advocacy, community activities, educational programs and digital learning resources for young people aged 16-35 with disabilities in Denmark. Its portfolio includes the LigeLyst web-app for sexuality education, Os Online learning universe for digital safety, the Uge Sex annual teaching materials, the Ban Vejen for Job employment program, the Ta' ordet empowerment project, SUMH Aktiv social activities, and the Tjek Tilgængeligheden accessibility tool. The organization represents 13 member organizations and approximately 4,800 young people across Denmark.

Product overview

SUMH (Sammenslutningen af Unge Med Handicap) is a Danish umbrella organization for and by young people with disabilities. The organization offers a portfolio of educational programs, web applications, and materials focused on youth life aspects including sexuality, digital safety, education, employment, leisure, and accessibility. Core products include the LigeLyst web-app for sexuality education, Os Online for digital safety learning, Uge Sex annual teaching materials, Ta' ordet political empowerment program, Ban Vejen for Job employment initiative, and various guides/toolboxes for inclusion and accessibility. The organization also facilitates SUMH Aktiv social activities and develops resources like the 'Tjek Tilgængeligheden' accessibility assessment tool. These offerings work together as a comprehensive support system addressing multiple aspects of youth life for people with disabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LigeLyst Web-app Web application providing young people with disabilities accessible information about bodies, feelings, partners and sex. Built with large colorful illustrations and text-to-speech functionality covering four main topics: the body, partners, sex, and sexual abuse.
• Os Online Learning universe with materials for teaching at STU schools and residential facilities, for conversations between young people and parents/educators, and for young people on their own. Focuses on digital safety and online behavior for young people with cognitive disabilities.
• Uge Sex Undervisningsmaterialer Annual sexuality education teaching materials package for STU schools, residential facilities, and other special education facilities. Includes exercises, tools, videos, discussion cards, dilemma games, and teaching guides covering themes such as body reclamation, pleasure, consent, and gender identity.
• Tjek Tilgængeligheden Digital guide providing concrete and manageable advice for improving accessibility at physical, virtual, and hybrid activities. Includes a workshop kit for training others on accessibility principles using the accessibility triangle framework.
• SUMH Aktiv Social activity program for young people with disabilities aged 16-35. Arranges concerts, game nights, lectures and more through three activity committees in Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Odense.
• Ban Vejen for Job Employment program helping young people with functional disabilities find jobs matching their wishes and possibilities. Includes job-search and mastery courses; nearly half of participants move into jobs or education.
• Ta' ordet Project strengthening the youth disability movement by empowering young people with disabilities to speak up in public debate, supported by Tuborgfondet.
• Erhvervsuddannelser For Alle Inspirational material for vocational schools, professionals, and companies on how to best support young people with disabilities through their educational journey, including support before, during and in workplace settings.
• Guide til friluftsfællesskaber Guide with inspiration, guides and tools for associations, municipalities, and social/special pedagogical services to start outdoor communities with and for young people with disabilities.
• Fællesskaber for alle Toolbox for associations and other communities wanting to welcome young people with disabilities. Contains descriptions of common disability types and good inclusion practices.
• Frivillighed på STU Method for engaging students from STU (Special Planned Education) as volunteers in communities. Provides tools for creating collaboration between STU and associations so all young people can join volunteer communities.
• Reclaim din krop Photo series featuring ten young people taking ownership of their bodies, gender, sexuality and intimacy, exploring themes often hidden in disability narratives.
• HOPE Traveling Exhibition Traveling exhibition telling the story of young people with disabilities around the world, focused on positive stories and changes in the global disability movement.
• Undervisningsvejledning til LigeLyst Teaching guide with suggestions for concrete exercises and themes in sexuality education. Part of the LigeLyst learning universe, designed for professionals to bring sexuality onto the agenda.
• Frivilligpolitik Policy document outlining volunteer guidelines for young people with disabilities aged 16-35 in SUMH, including expectations, responsibilities, and development opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ban Vejen for Job brings nearly 50% of participants into employment or education
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lær for Livet and Aarhus KommunecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2025A three-way partnership between Lær for Livet, SUMH, and Aarhus Kommune, funded with 7.3 million DKK over 2025-2026, focused on supporting young people in vulnerable positions toward education and employment. The project includes role model initiatives, peer support, life-skills courses, and bridging to everyday life.
• Natur for alle partners (Videnscenter om Handicap)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021SUMH partnered with Videnscenter om Handicap and other stakeholders on the 'Natur for alle' project (2021-2024), which developed accessibility labeling for nature trails across Denmark.
• Youth disability organizations in Uganda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and GhanacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUMH works internationally in equal partnerships with local youth disability organizations in the Global South. Partnerships focus on equal opportunities and participation for youth with disabilities, supporting rights awareness, organizational capacity building, and daily mastery skills. Current projects are in Uganda, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Ghana.
• Højskolen EmmausminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHøjskolen Emmaus in Haslev hosts the Ta' ordet workshop-forløb (organizing and leadership training), which takes place over two intensive weekend workshops.
• FrivilligrådetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrivilligrådet (The Volunteer Council) facilitates the national partnership on young people outside of education and employment, within which the SUMH-Lær for Livet-Aarhus Kommune partnership operates.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Muskelsvindfonden: Muskelsvindfonden (Muscular Dystrophy Foundation Denmark) is both a member organization of SUMH and a peer in the disability services space. SUMH's chairman William Korte came from Muskelsvindfonden, illustrating the close operational overlap. Both run programs, advocacy, and fundraising for people with neuromuscular conditions, with Muskelsvindfonden being more condition-specific.
• Videnscenter om Handicap: Videnscenter om Handicap is the Danish Center for Knowledge on Disability, a direct partner of SUMH on the Natur for alle project. It is comparable as a national knowledge- and project-based organization working on disability inclusion, accessibility, and policy — overlapping significantly with SUMH's accessibility and inclusion work.
• CP Danmark: CP Danmark is the Danish cerebral palsy organization, parent of CP Ung which is a member of SUMH. It is a direct peer in operating condition-specific disability services and advocacy in Denmark, with overlapping member populations and thematic work (education, employment, accessibility).
• Autisme Ungdom: Autisme Ungdom is the Danish autism youth organization and a member of SUMH. It is a direct peer serving young people with a specific disability condition in Denmark, running parallel advocacy, social, and educational activities for a youth population that overlaps significantly with SUMH's.
• NFU - Norsk Funksjonshemmedes Ungdomsforening: NFU is the Norwegian Association of Disabled Youth, a national umbrella organization for young people with disabilities in Norway. It is the most direct functional peer to SUMH, mirroring its role as a national advocate and community organizer for youth with disabilities, though operating in Norway rather than Denmark.

Broad incumbents

• European Disability Forum (EDF): EDF is the European umbrella organization representing persons with disabilities at EU level. It is comparable to SUMH in mission (disability rights advocacy and representation) but operates at continental rather than national scale, with a broader population scope (all ages, all disabilities).
• Special Olympics Denmark: Special Olympics Denmark is the Danish national program of the global Special Olympics movement, providing sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities. It is a broad incumbent peer — overlapping on serving people with disabilities in Denmark — but its activity scope is specifically sports rather than the broader life-domain work of SUMH.
• Dansk Handicap Forbund (DHF): DHF is the Danish Disability Federation, a broader national disability organization in Denmark that includes Ungdomskredsen (the youth section) as a member of SUMH. As a larger umbrella covering all ages, DHF is a broad incumbent with overlapping advocacy and community work but a wider remit than SUMH's youth-only focus.

Others

• DHPU - Dansk Handicap Forbund, Politisk Udvalg: DHPU is the political committee of DHF, with which SUMH coordinates on policy and advocacy for people with disabilities in Denmark. It is an adjacent peer in the same Danish disability advocacy ecosystem — collaborating rather than competing — and provides useful comparison for political advocacy structures and funding models.

Regional players

• FUB - Riksförbundet för barn, unga och vuxna med utvecklingsstörning: FUB is the Swedish national association for children, youth, and adults with intellectual disabilities. It is a strong regional peer — performing comparable advocacy, member support, and service-development work in the Nordics — but focused on intellectual disability specifically and operating in Sweden rather than Denmark.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sumhdk
• Facebookfacebook.com/SammenslutningenUngeMedHandicap
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sammenslutningen-af-unge-med-handicap
• Instagraminstagram.com/sumh.dk/?hl=da

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Sammenslutningen af Unge Med Handicap