Stichting Vakantiespelen Dijkgatbos

What Stichting Vakantiespelen Dijkgatbos does

Stichting Vakantiespelen Dijkgatbos is a Dutch nonprofit foundation (Stichting) headquartered in Hoorn, Netherlands, that has organized week-long outdoor holiday activity programs for children since 1964, with the foundation formally established on January 18, 1980. The core offering, "Vakantiespelen," serves primary school children in groups 3 through 8 (approximately ages 6 to 12) from the West-Friesland region, transporting them by bus to the Dijkgatbos forest for sports, games, and outdoor activities across four weeks of the Dutch summer holiday (weeks 29-32). The organization also operates ExpeR (Expeditie Robbenoord), a survival-themed bush-craft week for teenagers aged 13-15, and runs a Steunfonds support fund to subsidize participation for lower-income families. The foundation is entirely volunteer-driven: it operates with a 9-person uncompensated board and a network of approximately 25 year-round organizing volunteers and 175 summer-week activity leaders, drawing on a cumulative pool of 300+ volunteers over its history.

The business model combines low one-time participation fees paid by parents with recurring annual donations through the Friends of Vakantiespelen program at 50, 100, or 150 EUR tiers, supplemented by corporate sponsorships and in-kind contributions from partners including Rabobank, Staatsbosbeheer, Taxi Kaijer (bus transportation), Grasdrogerij Hartog, Rotary Medemblik, NTW Workwear, and Gebo Tours. Go-to-market is community-led: enrollment is driven by word-of-mouth across a multigenerational participant base, with parents who attended as children enrolling their own children, supported by a website and Facebook page as digital touchpoints. Annual throughput is approximately 1,200 participating children. There is no proprietary technology stack relevant to the core service; the organization is a service-delivery nonprofit, not a technology company.

Key current strategic priorities include securing a new base camp location around the Dijkgatbos forest from 2028 onwards, following the non-renewal of the 25-year Snippenwei agreement with Het Bos Roept, and maintaining safeguarding governance through the 2022 partnership with De Vertrouwenskamer for independent confidential counseling services.

Name

Stichting Vakantiespelen Dijkgatbos

Legal name

Stichting Vakantiespelen

Website

https://stichtingvakantiespelen.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stichting Vakantiespelen Dijkgatbos is a Dutch nonprofit foundation, founded in 1964, that runs week-long outdoor holiday activity programs for ~1,200 primary school children and teenagers annually in the Dijkgatbos forest of West-Friesland, funded by participation fees, tiered donations, and sponsorships, and operated entirely by volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Outdoor Recreation Programs

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps (7212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs (THAAAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Recreation & Activity Services (Hiking, Boating, Climbing, Fishing—Guided/Authorized) (THAAAGAF), School Group & Curriculum-Led Trips (THAKAGAB)

Keywords

• Outdoor children's recreation
• Summer holiday programs
• Volunteer youth activities
• Nonprofit foundation services
• Forest adventure camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoorn NH

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Others, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Participation fees (deelnameprijs): Parents pay a participation fee for their children to attend the holiday games. The organization works to keep these fees as low as possible through sponsorships, donations, and volunteer work. A support fund (steunfonds) exists for families who cannot afford participation.
2. Friends of Vakantiespiele donations: Recurring annual donations from 'Friends of Vakantiespiele' program with three tiers: 50 euros, 100 euros, or 150 euros per year, collected via automatic debit.
3. Sponsorships and donations: Various sponsors provide support including equipment, materials, and financial contributions. Companies can become sponsors by emailing [email protected].

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stichting Vakantiespelen Dijkgatbos organizes week-long outdoor holiday activity programs (Vakantiespelen) for primary school children in groups 3-8 during summer vacations, held in the Dijkgatbos forest in West-Friesland, Netherlands. Children are transported by bus from designated regional stops to participate in sports, games, and outdoor activities, with multiple weekly sessions offered. The foundation also operates the ExpeR survival program for teenagers aged 13-15 and maintains a Steunfonds (support fund) for families who cannot afford participation.

Product overview

Stichting Vakantiespiele Dijkgatbos operates a single core offering—Vakantiespiele—which is a week-long outdoor holiday games program for primary school children held in the Dijkgatbos forest during summer vacation. The organization offers multiple weekly sessions (weeks 29-32 in 2026) with bus transportation, sports, games, and outdoor activities for children in groups 3-8. An associated program, ExpeR (Expeditie Robbenoord), provides a survival-focused week for teenagers aged 13-15 during the first week of summer vacation. A support fund (Steunfonds) ensures financial accessibility for families in need. The organization is entirely volunteer-run and has been operating since 1964.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ExpeR (Expeditie Robbenoord): A bush-craft style survival week for young people aged 13-15 from secondary education, organized in the first week of summer holidays.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1200 children participate annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• StaatsbosbeheercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey collaboration partner; together with Staatsbosbeheer, the organization developed the group campsites Snippenwei in 2003. Currently searching for a new base camp location around Dijkgatbos for 2028 onwards.
• Taxi KaijercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTransportation partner providing bus services to transport children to and from the Dijkgatbos forest location during the holiday weeks.
• Kampeerterrein Het Bos RoeptmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampsite partner. The future plans of Het Bos Roept with the Snippenwei location have led to the termination of the current contract, prompting the search for a new base camp location for 2028.
• Grasdrogerij Hartog B.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial collaboration partner listed among the key partners supporting the organization.
• De VertrouwenskamercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal confidential counselor organization. Since 2022, the foundation has partnered with De Vertrouwenskamer, allowing volunteers and participants to contact independent, LVV-certified confidential counselors if needed.
• MatreonminorOthersSponsor providing hosting and IT services. Logo displayed on the website footer.
• RabobankminorOthersFinancial sponsor of the organization.
• Rotary Club / Rotary MedemblikminorOthersSponsoring organization providing support.
• Gebo ToursminorOthersListed sponsor from Nieuwleusen.
• NTW WorkwearminorOthersSponsor providing workwear for volunteers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stichtingvakantiespielein
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichting-vakantiespelen-dijkgatsbos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Stichting Vakantiespelen Dijkgatbos