The Wisli Foundation is a non-profit enterprise based in Switzerland that has worked towards greater understanding towards people with mental, physical, or social impairments for over 40 years. The main objective of the Foundation is to support those affected in their rehabilitation in a professionally supervised environment, to encourage them to largely take care of their own lives and to maintain and expand their independence in as many areas of life as possible. The Foundation’s services are geared towards this: they include tailor-made employment, work and integration programs, as well as needs-based forms of housing.

People with mental impairment still suffer from stigma and exclusion in society. The fear of rejection and discrimination is an enormous burden for them, which can also have a negative impact on the course of their illness. It is therefore extremely important that people with mental disabilities are able to partecipate in social life. The workplace plays a central role in this: having a job allows people to partecipate in everyday life, work increases self-esteem and promotes social interaction. The Wisli Foundation works in this context by supporting people with mental impairments in their rehabilitation in a professionally supervised environment.

The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation (NaEPF) has been always committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health of people. In pursuit of this mission, the NaEPF has supported the activities of the Wisli-Campus in the field of vocational integration and training for people with mental disabilities. The new campus, opened in May 2024 in Bülach, Switzerland, made it possible to centralise 10 different work areas on a single site and to develop a new one: a gastronomic work area. This new area offers new opportunities, including apprenticeships in cooking, retail trade and home economics. The catering offer, consisting of the self-service restaurant and a bakery, can create job for up to 20 people and revitalise the neighbourhood by providing meals for residents and employees of local companies. With this aim in mind, the funds provided by the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation have helped to complete the new catering facilities at the Wisli-Campus. However, catering is only one part of the project: the opening of a gift shop and a bicycle repair shop also created added value for people with mental disabilities and for the neighbourhood. The campus has adopted the latest findings in modern workplace design, in particular the “New Work” concept, which aims to create working environments that foster a sense of community and promote creativity, efficiency and productivity.

With the completion of the Wisli-Campus, the Wisli Foundation continues its mission to anchor the topic of mental health in society’s daily activities, normalizing diversity, and standing out for acceptance.