The Lebenshilfe der Region Baden-Baden - Bühl - Achern e.V. is a charitable association that supports people with disabilities in Baden-Baden and the surrounding region. It is one of more than 471 local and district associations belonging to the nationwide Lebenshilfe.[1] Founded in 1966 as a parents’ association, it says it now supports over 900 people of all ages at some 23 locations in the city district of Baden-Baden, the southern Rastatt district and the northern Ortenaukreis.[2]
Services and activities
The Lebenshilfe accompanies people with disabilities through every area of life, beginning in early childhood. Its services span education, work, housing and leisure, with the aim of a life led as independently as possible and of taking part in society.[2]
Early support and schooling for children
For children with an impairment the association offers early intervention and early counselling, an inclusive day nursery and a preparatory school kindergarten. Schooling itself is handled by the association’s own Mooslandschule in neighbouring Ottersweier, a special-needs education centre.
Work and vocational training
Work for disabled adults is one of the association’s main strands. Over 300 employees with disabilities work in three workshops, in Sinzheim, Bühl and Achern. Each workshop splits into a vocational training section, a production section and support and care groups for people who need more assistance. Anyone looking to move on to the open labour market can find jobs with full social insurance through the inclusion company INTEGRA Mittelbaden gGmbH.
Besides production, the work areas cover garden and landscape maintenance and several CAP grocery stores, which the association runs as local suppliers and where people with and without disabilities work side by side. In Achern the Lebenshilfe also runs the bistro at the Illenau Arkaden.
Housing
Housing ranges from the specialist residential homes in Bühl and Achern through supported shared flats to assistance in a person’s own home and neighbourhood, and to supported living with host families. Short-stay places give relatives a break when they need one.
Open support services and leisure
Through its Offene Hilfen the association supports children and adults in everyday life, among other things with a family support service, with integration assistants and with outings, holidays and leisure activities.
Provision in Baden-Baden
In Baden-Baden the Lebenshilfe is present mainly in the northern and western districts. In Sandweier it runs a CAP store and the supported shared home “Backöfele”, and in Steinbach a second CAP store. The nearest workshop for adult employees from Baden-Baden is in neighbouring Sinzheim.[3]
Structure
The Lebenshilfe is organised as a group. Alongside the association Lebenshilfe der Region Baden-Baden - Bühl - Achern e.V. it comprises several charitable subsidiaries, among them WDL Nordschwarzwald gGmbH for the workshops and housing, INTEGRA Mittelbaden gGmbH as the inclusion company, and Illenau Arkaden Bistro gGmbH. The association’s chair is Frank Breuninger.[2]
History
The Lebenshilfe is a nationwide self-help and parents’ movement. Its umbrella body, the Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe e.V., founded in Marburg in 1958, sits above more than 471 legally independent local and district associations, which are grouped into 16 state associations. Around 110,600 people are organised within them altogether. The Lebenshilfe der Region Baden-Baden - Bühl - Achern is one of these local associations.[1]
The association dates back to 1966. In that year parents and relatives of people with disabilities founded both a local Lebenshilfe association in Baden-Baden and a district association in Bühl, to advise and support disabled people and their families and to ease their daily load. Today’s regional association, based in Bühl, grew out of those beginnings and has widened its services over the decades across the whole region between Baden-Baden, Bühl and Achern.[2]
References
- ↑1.1↑1.2 Organisation der Lebenshilfe, Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe e.V., retrieved 19 July 2026
- ↑2.1↑2.2↑2.3↑2.4 Lebenshilfe der Region Baden-Baden - Bühl - Achern e.V., retrieved 19 July 2026 (Archived)
- ↑ Standorte der Lebenshilfe, Lebenshilfe der Region Baden-Baden - Bühl - Achern e.V., retrieved 19 July 2026