The beginnings

Martin L. Ryser founded GEWA in 1986. He was supported by the Association for Job Creation (VfA). Supported by a private initiative to offer the unemployed and socially disadvantaged a job and thus an income and social security, the Verein für Arbeitsbeschaffung (VfA) has founded various socially oriented companies and participated in job creation projects in its over 100 years of activity.
It founded its first job creation project back in 1895 with a Brockenhaus. In the 1930s, the "Schreibstube für Stellenlose", the forerunner of the later AWZ, began. This developed into a successful direct advertising company that made handsome profits in its heyday. These flowed into the VfA and thus into various areas of job creation - including a loan to GEWA and à fond perdu contributions during the start-up phase. René Bill, the then director of AWZ (AWZ's activities were taken over by Swiss Post in 2012 and the AG was liquidated), also made a decisive contribution to the development of GEWA.
Three members of the VfA sat on the first board of the GEWA association under the chairmanship of Dr. jur. Richard von Wattenwyl.

On October 24, 1986, the Association of Commercial and Work Centres for the Mentally Disabled in the Bern Region (GEWA) was founded.

GEWA started with a carpentry workshop that produced and sold wooden toys and the horticultural department that still exists today.
 

Development

In 1990, the administrative division is opened with an office service center in the Breitenrain district of Bern. This also marks the company's entry into the integration sector.

1993 The Brockenhaus is taken over from the VfA on Hochfeldstrasse

1995 Relocation of the Bärner Brocki to Pappelweg

1998 Office service moves to Tannholzstrasse in Zollikofen

1998 A logistics department develops from the joinery's forwarding department

2000 sees the launch of the multimedia division

In 2001, VfA decides to withdraw from its long-standing commitment to GEWA. This is taken as an opportunity to liquidate the association and transfer it to the newly established GEWA Foundation for Vocational Integration. Since then, GEWA has stood for "daring together". The VfA became a benefactor and transferred the original loan of 1.5 million Swiss francs to the newly established foundation as foundation capital. The then President of the Board of Directors, Daniel Berthoud, ensures the transition and is the first President of the Foundation Board.

In 2001, the Chlätterbär cooperative is integrated into GEWA

2003 Closure of the joinery

2004 Ruedi Thut takes over the chairmanship of the Board of Trustees from Daniel Berthoud

2006 The property at Alpenstrasse 58 is purchased and relocated within four months

2007 sees the opening of the Esperanza restaurant

2010 the founder and CEO Martin L. Ryser retires, his successor is Samuel Schmid

2011 the 25th anniversary is celebrated in the Bernexpo festival hall

In 2012, the premises at Grubenstrasse 11 in Schönbühl are rented and the Technical Assembly department moves in. The second Aliento restaurant is also opened in Schönbühl

2016 Elisabeth Limbach takes over the chairmanship of the Board of Trustees from Ruedi Thut

2016 Sale of Chlätterbär to Spielkiste

2016 Relocation of Bärner Brocki to Hofweg 5

2017 Takeover of the activities of the Pluspunkt Foundation and continuation under the name startIN

2019 Closure of startIN

 

Today

Thanks to continuous growth, GEWA's workforce now numbers around 850 people: 430 in adapted workplaces, 220 in integration programs and 200 in the management team.
GEWA offers a wide range of services and operates two restaurants and two stores.

In our e-bike store you will find used e-bikes from top brands such as FLYER and Stromer. Get your dream e-bike and support people in crisis with your purchase.

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