What arafdes does

Arafdes (now operating as ENSEIS Management) is a French non-profit association founded in 1987 and headquartered in Lyon, providing professional training and development programs for executives, managers, and specialized staff in the social and medico-social sector (ESSMS). Its core offering comprises state-certified diploma programs (CAFDES for directors, CAFERUIS for service managers, DEESS for social economy executives, and RLE for logistics/environment managers), shorter certification programs (Quality Referent, External Evaluator, Care Coordinator/COPA), and supplementary services such as experience validation (VAE), competency assessments, individual coaching, and customized in-house training. Programs are delivered through a blended model combining inter-company cohorts, intra-company customized sessions, and individual pathways, supported by a network of 155 expert practitioner-instructors and operationalized via the Aurion/ENSEIS training management platform for trainee administration and course management.

The organization operates an exclusively fee-for-service revenue model with no government subsidies, generating approximately €1.2 million in annual revenue from training fees, with pricing ranging from €590 for short two-day modules up to €3,400 for full certification cycles. Its go-to-market is sales-led and community-driven, targeting directors, deputy directors, service managers, quality referents, and coordinators of ESSMS establishments through employer partnerships, sector federations (URIOPSS, NEXEM, CREAI, UNAFORIS, URAFORIS), and a multi-channel marketing approach including newsletters, professional events, and information sessions. Distribution is extended geographically through co-training partnerships with ANDESI Paris, ERASME Toulouse, and CCPAM Martigues, and through an international academic linkage with Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse Occidentale.

Since January 1, 2021, ARAFDES has operated within ENSEIS (Ecole Nationale des Solidarités, de l'Encadrement et de l'Intervention Sociale), formed by the merger of ARAFDES and IREIS, with ENSEIS Management positioned as one of five establishments within the new structure. The company maintains a wholly-owned VAT subsidiary, ARAFDES Compétences (EURL, established 2016), and holds key regulatory credentials including AFNOR NF 214 certification, DataDock referencing, and Qualiopi certification, alongside state authorization to dispense training inscribed in the Code of Social Action and Families.

Name

arafdes

Legal name

ARAFDES (Association Rhône-Alpes pour la Formation des Directeurs d'Etablissements Sociaux)

Website

https://arafdes.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Arafdes (ENSEIS Management) is a Lyon-based non-profit training institute founded in 1987 that delivers state-certified diploma and certification programs for directors, managers, and quality staff in the French social and medico-social sector. It operates fee-for-service, generating approximately €1.2 million annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Training and Executive Education for Social Sector

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Finance, Accounting & Risk (CFA/CPA/FRM) Certifications (EDAAANAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

HR Policy, Governance, Compliance & Risk Advisory (BPACAJAF)

Keywords

• Professional training services
• Social sector management
• Medico-social training
• Executive education
• Continuing professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Continuing Education and Professional Training: Core revenue stream from fee-based professional training programs including diploma programs (CAFDES, CAFERUIS, RESEG/RLE, DEESS), certification programs (Quality Referent, External Evaluator), short training cycles, and intra-company customized training. Revenue generated exclusively from training fees with no government subsidies.
2. Competency Assessment (Bilan de Compétences): Individual competency assessment services delivered through subsidiary ARAFDES Compétences
3. VAE Accompaniment: Validation of Prior Experience accompaniment services with associated jury fees
4. Venue Rental: Meeting and conference room rental at ENSEIS premises

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Arafdes (ENSEIS Management) is a non-profit professional training institute specializing in executive and management development for the social and medico-social sector (ESSMS). It delivers state-certified diploma programs (CAFDES, CAFERUIS, DEESS, RLE), professional certification programs (Quality Manager, External Evaluator, Pathway Coordinator), VAE experience validation, competency assessments, and customized intra-company training to organizations and professionals across France.

Product overview

ENSEIS Management (formerly Arafdes) is a professional training institute specializing in executive and management development for the social and medico-social sector. The organization operates as a multi-product training platform offering diploma programs (CAFDES, CAFERUIS, DEESS, RLE), certification programs (Quality Manager, External Evaluator, Care Coordinator), experience validation (VAE), individual coaching, short training modules, and customized in-house training. The portfolio is organized around core diploma tracks for directors and managers, specialized certifications for quality and evaluation roles, and supplementary services including competency assessments and facility rentals. Since January 2021, Arafdes merged with IREIS to form ENSEIS (Ecole Nationale des Solidarités, de l'Encadrement et de l'Intervention Sociale), expanding its training offerings across five establishments in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% certification success rate for External Evaluator program
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ERASME ToulousecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-training partner for Quality Referent and External Evaluator certification programs, extending reach beyond Lyon to southern France
• CCPAM MartiguesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional training partner for program delivery in the Provence region
• ANDESI PariscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCo-training partner for Quality Referent certification, enabling program delivery in the Paris region
• Colège Coopératif Provence Alpes MéditerranéecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner for RESEG/RLE program co-development and delivery
• Cabinet RH & OrganisationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term development partner for quality and evaluation training programs, providing expert consultants including Sylvain Jouve as lead instructor
• UNAFORIScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational federation of social intervention training organizations with 170+ member institutions, providing strategic alignment and sector representation
• URAFORIS Auvergne Rhône-AlpescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional association of 15 training institutes in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes for resource sharing and cooperation
• URIOPSS Auvergne-Rhône-AlpescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional union of social and medico-social organizations, providing governance and network access
• NEXEMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational employers federation membership providing strategic commission participation
• CREAI Auvergne Rhône-AlpesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional technical resource center - Arafdes director serves as administrator
• ARAFDES CompétencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWholly-owned subsidiary (EURL) established in 2016 to deliver VAT-subjected services including competency assessments
• ESSSE (Ecole Supérieure Supérieure en Economie)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResource sharing partnership for material and facility sharing
• Haute Ecole Spécialisée de Suisse Occidentale Genève-LausanneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for end-of-training work presentation and valorization
• ENSEIS (Ecole Nationale des Solidarités, de l'Encadrement et de l'Intervention Sociale)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent institution formed January 1, 2021 from merger of ARAFDES and IREIS. ENSEIS Management (ex-ARAFDES) is one of 5 establishments within ENSEIS.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ENSEIS: ENSEIS is the parent institution formed January 1, 2021 from the merger of ARAFDES and IREIS, offering social and medico-social management training across 5 establishments. Direct organizational peer as the merged counterpart and overarching platform.
• IREIS: Former sister organization (now merged into ENSEIS) that historically delivered complementary social sector training programs in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Same customer base, same training mission, and now part of the same parent.
• ASKORIA: Ecole de travail social based in Brittany offering state-certified diploma programs (including CAFDES-equivalents) for social sector managers. Closely comparable in mission, target audience, and credentialing portfolio.
• ETSUP: Paris-based école supérieure du travail social offering professional training for social and medico-social sector managers. Comparable as a long-established French training institute in the same niche, with similar diploma and certification programs.

Regional players

• IRTS Nouvelle-Aquitaine: Regional training institute for social and medico-social professions serving the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Comparable as another French regional training institute with diploma and certification programs in the social work sector.

Broad incumbents

• Croix-Rouge Formation: Training arm of the French Red Cross, delivering a wide range of social, healthcare, and management training programs. Comparable in the social and medico-social training space but operates as part of a much larger healthcare/social organization.
• AFPA: France's national association for adult vocational training, offering professional certification and diploma programs across many sectors. Comparable as a large-scale French adult training provider though broader in scope than Arafdes' specialist focus.
• CESI: National network of higher education institutions offering professional and management development training, particularly for working professionals. Comparable as a French professional and management training provider, though oriented more to industry than social sector.

Others

• UNAFORIS: National federation of 170+ social intervention training organizations of which ARAFDES is a member. Comparable as a sector ecosystem player rather than direct competitor; relevant for benchmarking and network positioning.
• URIOPSS Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: Regional union of voluntary-sector social and medico-social organizations, where Arafdes holds governance participation. Comparable as a closely linked sector association providing market intelligence and policy engagement rather than direct training competition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arafdes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 arafdes