Heerhugowaard, September 17, 2025 – In a unique collaboration between the province of North Holland and Changefied, virtual reality is being deployed extensively in education in North Holland. With Virtual OV, both parties are enabling thousands of young people in secondary special education to be trained annually in independent public transport travel – directly from the classroom, wearing a VR headset.
VR breaks down barriers – unique collaboration with government
Virtual public transport is not only innovative in education, but also in how a government chooses technological innovation and social impact. The province of North Holland, in collaboration with Changefied, is making VR headsets and software available free of charge to all special education schools in North Holland North, Haarlem/IJmond, and the Gooi and Vechtstreek region – areas where the province is the commissioning authority for public transport. This makes it one of the largest regional VR education initiatives in the Netherlands.
North Holland Provincial Executive Jeroen Olthof
:
“Public transport is for everyone, and everyone should be able to use it independently. This is crucial for participating in society. Moreover, what you learn young, you'll remember when you're older! If young people learn to use public transport early, they're more likely to choose it later. As a province, we're continuously working to improve the accessibility of our bus transport. We're also exploring new, innovative approaches, such as this curriculum with virtual reality headsets. I wish all students the best of luck and enjoyment, and I invite all special education schools (VSO) to participate in this project!”
Scalable platform – thousands of young people per year
The VR curriculum is being used in rotation at dozens of schools, allowing thousands of young people each school year to practice buying tickets, finding the right stop, and transferring independently in a realistic way. The scalability of Virtual Public Transport enables a broad social impact: from increased freedom and self-confidence to sustainable mobility preferences later in life.
Social impact as a business model
Virtual public transport is offered free of charge thanks to a public-private partnership focused on inclusion and future-proof skills. Schools receive not only access to hardware and software, but also structural support and an annual training period tailored to their size. This enables successful and large-scale adoption in practice.
"Virtual reality is more than just technology: it's an opportunity to equip thousands of young people each year with essential self-employment skills, together with partners who believe in the power of innovation," says Tim van Dam, CEO of Changefied. "The collaboration with the province of North Holland demonstrates that VR has matured as a social solution."
About Changefied
Changefied develops gamified learning solutions for education, healthcare, and social services, with practical and scalable applications of virtual reality and XR technology.
Their mission: "To provide everyone with equal opportunities to develop independent skills with innovative technology."
