De Twijn
De Twijn is a Dutch public special education school in Zwolle serving students aged 4-20 with physical, intellectual, or multiple disabilities, operating SO and VSO programs with three exit profiles (continuing education, employment, day activities), supported by on-site rehabilitation and therapy partnerships, and extending ambulatory expertise to mainstream schools across a 50km regional radius.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersZwolle, Netherlands
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What De Twijn does
De Twijn (legal name: Onderwijscentrum de Twijn) is a public special education institution headquartered in Zwolle, Netherlands, operating under Stichting Openbaar Onderwijs Zwolle (OOZ), a foundation comprising 38 schools. It delivers Speciaal Onderwijs (SO) for students aged 4-12 and Voortgezet Speciaal Onderwijs (VSO) for students aged 12-18 with physical disabilities (LG), long-term illness (LZK), multiple disabilities (MG), or very difficult learning profiles (ZML). Students are placed via regional samenwerkingsverbanden and progress along three exit profiles: vervolgonderwijs (continuing education), arbeid (employment), and dagbesteding (day activities). The school operates across six Zwolle locations, including a site with a therapeutic swimming pool.
The core methodology combines small-class instruction (7-15 students) with integrated on-site therapy, drawing on multidisciplinary specialists in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychomotor therapy. Key proprietary frameworks include NmG (Nederlands met Gebaren) sign-supported Dutch instruction, the Re-Fit attendance-recovery program, the Talenten/Gebaren visual support system, and a Positive Health training program co-developed with Fontys Hogeschool. The on-site care stack is anchored by a partnership with Revalidatiecentrum Vogellanden, supported by Kinderfysiotherapie De Regge, Logopedisch Centrum Nouwels, and personal-care providers De Kameel, FRION, and PGVZ. The adjunct Regionaal Expertiseteam provides ambulatory support, training, and consultative services to regular primary, secondary, and MBO schools within a 50km radius, contracted through multiple PO and VO samenwerkingsverbanden.
De Twijn is a non-profit, government-funded entity with no tuition charges. Revenue is derived from Dutch education subsidies linked to student enrollment and special-needs categories, supplemented by ESF+ European Social Fund co-financing (project 2025ESFp20218) for labor-market orientation. The go-to-market model is referral-driven rather than commercial: students arrive via regional samenwerkingsverbanden eligibility determinations, healthcare provider referrals, and orientation interviews. The school is governed by algemeen directeur Louise van de Beerekamp (since July 2025, succeeding Pieter Greidanus after his 17-year tenure), supported by five netwerkdirecteuren across SO, VSO, and combined SO/VSO dagbesteding, and a directeur of the Regionaal Expertiseteam.
De Twijn firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- De Twijn
- Legal name
- Onderwijscentrum de Twijn
- Website
- https://detwijn.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- De Twijn is a Dutch public special education school in Zwolle serving students aged 4-20 with physical, intellectual, or multiple disabilities, operating SO and VSO programs with three exit profiles (continuing education, employment, day activities), supported by on-site rehabilitation and therapy partnerships, and extending ambulatory expertise to mainstream schools across a 50km regional radius.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
De Twijn industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Education Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Home Health Care Services (62161), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Behavioral Health & MTSS/RTI Tiered SEL Supports (EDAKAMAE)
Keywords
Where De Twijn is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zwolle
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
De Twijn business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Education Funding: As a public special education school under Stichting Openbaar Onderwijs Zwolle (OOZ), De Twijn is primarily funded through Dutch government education subsidies. The school receives funding based on student enrollment and special needs categories.
- ESF+ European Social Fund: Receives financial contribution from European Social Funds Plus (ESF+ 2021-2027) for participation in the regional labor market project for VSO and Praktijkonderwijs (project number 2025ESFp20218).
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
De Twijn product offering
Product offeringCore offering
De Twijn is a public Dutch special education school providing Speciaal Onderwijs (SO, ages 4-12) and Voortgezet Speciaal Onderwijs (VSO, ages 12-18) for students with physical, intellectual, or multiple disabilities across the Zwolle region. Its offerings are organized around three exit profiles (vervolgonderwijs, arbeid, dagbesteding) and include integrated on-site healthcare, a Regionaal Expertiseteam that provides ambulatory support to mainstream schools, a Trajectbureau for transition guidance, and specialized programs such as Re-Fit and Positieve Gezondheid training.
Product overview
De Twijn is a special education school offering a unified portfolio of educational and support services for students aged 4-20 with physical, intellectual, or multiple disabilities. The core offerings consist of Speciaal Onderwijs (SO, ages 4-12) and Voortgezet Speciaal Onderwijs (VSO, ages 12-18), each with three exit profiles: vervolgonderwijs, arbeid, and dagbesteding. These are complemented by integrated healthcare services (rehabilitation, therapy), the Regionaal Expertiseteam providing ambulatory support to mainstream schools, the Trajectbureau for career guidance, and specialized programs like Re-Fit for attendance prevention and Positieve Gezondheid training for professionals. All services operate from multiple Zwolle locations with the aim of preparing students for meaningful participation in society.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Speciaal Onderwijs (SO) Special education program for students aged 4-12 with physical (LG), long-term illness (LZK), multiple (MG), or very difficult learning (ZML) disabilities, offering three exit profiles (vervolgonderwijs, arbeid, dagbesteding) and integrated therapeutic support at the Boterdiep location in Zwolle, including an on-site swimming pool for therapeutic swimming.
- Voortgezet Speciaal Onderwijs (VSO) Continuing special secondary education for students aged 12-18 with physical, intellectual, or multiple disabilities, organized around the same three exit profiles (vervolgonderwijs, arbeid, dagbesteding) and including career orientation, internship programs, and transition support. Operates from the Hengeveld College locations at Dr. Hengeveldweg 2 and 9 in Zwolle.
- Regionaal Expertiseteam Regional expertise team providing consultative support, ambulatory counseling, observation, training, and specialized expertise to mainstream schools within a 50 km radius of Zwolle. Addresses physical disabilities, developmental delays, motor development, behavioral issues, and attendance prevention for students with special educational needs.
- Trajectbureau Career guidance bureau for students aged 16 and older preparing for transition to further education, employment, or day care. Provides trajectory counselors, future conversations, and support with applications for disability employment assessments, Wajong benefits, and sheltered work placements.
- Re-Fit Programma Training program for students in secondary and vocational education experiencing persistent physical symptoms causing reduced school attendance. Combines individual coaching and group training focused on mental well-being, sense of purpose, and resuming school participation through a positive health perspective.
- Positieve Gezondheid Training Training program for education professionals on working with the Positive Health concept, developed in cooperation with Fontys Hogeschool. Combines e-learning with reflection meetings to help professionals focus on resilience and meaning in educational settings.
- Healthcare Services Integration On-site integrated healthcare services including nursing care, physical therapy (Kinderfysio De Regge), speech therapy (Logopedisch Centrum Nouwels), and rehabilitation treatment through Revalidatiecentrum Vogellanden, all coordinated within school hours.
Quantifiable outcome
- Students successfully transition to continuing education, employment, or day activities based on their abilities and needs
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use De Twijn
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
De Twijn technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
De Twijn partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Vogellanden (Revalidatiecentrum)coreClose collaboration with Vogellanden, center for medical specialist rehabilitation and special dental care. Treatment rooms are available at all school locations. Students with rehabilitation indications receive coordinated care including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychomotor therapy under the revalidationarts (rehabilitation doctor).
- KentalisminorNational organization for people who are hard of hearing, deaf, or deaf-blind, or have a language developmental disorder (TOS) or communicative multiple disabilities. Provides specialized support for relevant student needs.
- BartimeusminorExpertise center for visually impaired or blind people. Provides support and guidance for students with visual impairments.
- VisiominorExpertise center for visually impaired or blind people, similar to Bartimeus, providing specialized support for relevant student needs.
- LWOE (Landelijk Werkverband Onderwijs en Epilepsie)minorNational expertise network for education and epilepsy, providing specialized knowledge and support for students with epilepsy.
- Kinderfysiotherapie De ReggecorePhysiotherapy practice providing services at the school for students who do not have a rehabilitation indication but still need motor development support. Services provided during school hours with close coordination between therapist and teacher.
- Logopedisch Centrum NouwelscoreSpeech therapy practice providing services at the school for students needing speech, language, voice, breathing, or eating/drinking support without a rehabilitation indication.
- De KameelminorCare organization providing personal care assistants (persoonlijk begeleiders) in classrooms. Parents and school can request additional budget for these services.
- FRIONminorCare organization providing personal care assistants for classroom support, working together with school to provide one-on-one student assistance.
- PGVZminorCare organization providing personal care assistants for classroom support, one of several providers used by the school.
- De HoogstraatminorRehabilitation center, one of several specialized partners in the broader network.
- MeremminorMedical rehabilitation provider, part of the network of rehabilitation partners.
- Steunpunt Onderwijs NoordminorEducational support center for LZK, LG, MG, ZML students in Friesland region, providing expertise sharing.
- Kennisgroep SpeciaalminorNetwork of nine organizations with special education schools, enabling knowledge sharing and best practices.
- De Kleine PrinsminorExpertise center for students with special educational needs in the Midden Nederland region.
- Samenwerkingsverbanden (PO and VO)coreRegional educational partnerships (SWV) that contract with De Twijn for student placements and expert support. Contracts with multiple PO SWV (22-03, 23-04, 23-05, 24-02, 24-03, 25-09, 00-01) and VO SWV (22-03, 23-05, 23-07, 24-02, 25-09, 00-01) and various MBO schools.
- WaardeRingminorCircular Craft Network where businesses, educational institutions, and organizations collaborate to structurally put circularity on the map. De Twijn participates in sustainable practices.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
De Twijn competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Koninklijke Auris Groep: Dutch special-education organization focused on children with hearing, language and communication needs — runs SO/VSO schools with integrated therapy support in a comparable school-based delivery model.
- Koninklijke Visio: Dutch expertise center supporting children and adults with visual impairments through education, rehabilitation and ambulatory services — same model of integrated special education plus regional expertiseteam support that De Twijn operates.
- Stichting Bartiméus: Expertise center for blind and visually impaired people in the Netherlands offering special education and ambulatory services — directly comparable population (sensory disability) and service model, also a named De Twijn partner.
- Stichting Koninklijke Kentalis: National Dutch organization providing special education, care and expertise for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have language-development disorders (TOS) — directly comparable to De Twijn's SO/VSO mission and named as one of De Twijn's expertise partners.
Broad incumbents
- 's Heeren Loo: Major Dutch care and support organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — comparable to De Twijn's SO/VSO dagbesteding and arbeid exit pathways, operating at much larger scale across multiple regions.
- Stichting Philadelphia Zorg: Large Dutch care provider for people with intellectual disabilities, including support with employment, day activities and assisted living — overlaps with De Twijn's dagbesteding and arbeid exit profiles, especially at the VSO transition point.
- Stichting Openbaar Onderwijs Zwolle (OOZ): Parent foundation of De Twijn, operating 38 schools across the Zwolle region including regular PO/VO and special education — provides the governance, funding and distribution infrastructure within which De Twijn operates.
Regional players
- Steunpunt Onderwijs Noord: Educational support center in Friesland for students with LZK, LG, MG and ZML needs — provides expertise sharing and ambulatory support, comparable mission in an adjacent Dutch region.
Others
- LWOE (Landelijk Werkverband Onderwijs en Epilepsie): National Dutch expertise network supporting schools with students who have epilepsy — comparable advisory/expertise role to De Twijn's Regionaal Expertiseteam, focused on a specific disability area.
- Revalidatiecentrum Vogellanden: Regional rehabilitation center in Zwolle providing medical-specialist rehabilitation and special dental care — De Twijn's most important partner, co-locating physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy at school sites.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
De Twijn social profiles
Digital presenceDe Twijn financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
De Twijn leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
De Twijn funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
De Twijn M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about De Twijn
What does De Twijn do?
De Twijn is a public Dutch special education school providing Speciaal Onderwijs (SO, ages 4-12) and Voortgezet Speciaal Onderwijs (VSO, ages 12-18) for students with physical, intellectual, or multiple disabilities across the Zwolle region. Its offerings are organized around three exit profiles (vervolgonderwijs, arbeid, dagbesteding) and include integrated on-site healthcare, a Regionaal Expertiseteam that provides ambulatory support to mainstream schools, a Trajectbureau for transition guidance, and specialized programs such as Re-Fit and Positieve Gezondheid training.
Is De Twijn a public or private company?
De Twijn is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was De Twijn founded?
De Twijn was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is De Twijn based?
De Twijn is headquartered in Zwolle, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does De Twijn make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Education Funding is the primary driver. The others are ESF+ European Social Fund.
Who are De Twijn's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Koninklijke Auris Groep, Koninklijke Visio, Stichting Bartiméus and Stichting Koninklijke Kentalis. Broad incumbents are 's Heeren Loo, Stichting Philadelphia Zorg and Stichting Openbaar Onderwijs Zwolle (OOZ). Steunpunt Onderwijs Noord is listed as a regional player. Others are LWOE (Landelijk Werkverband Onderwijs en Epilepsie) and Revalidatiecentrum Vogellanden.
Does De Twijn have an API?
No public API is recorded for De Twijn.
What industry is De Twijn in?
De Twijn's product category is Special Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKAMAE, Behavioral Health & MTSS/RTI Tiered SEL Supports. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8200.