With the participation scheme for children, you will receive (if you meet the conditions) compensation for school costs and activities for your children up to the age of 18, such as:
- school trip or school camp
- sports or music lessons
- theater or drama club
- Swimming lesson
- a homework computer
This way we ensure that every child can participate.
Who can apply for the scheme?
The scheme is available to residents of Berkelland, Oost Gelre and Winterswijk with a low income.
- Do you receive benefits through FijnderYou will then automatically be granted the scheme. You will receive a letter about this.
- Do you not receive benefits through FijnderThen you apply for the scheme via the form “Application form Participation scheme for children” on the forms pageApplications can be submitted from January 1, 2026, to November 30, 2026.
Am I entitled to the participation scheme for children?
Each application is assessed individually. Your eligibility depends on your family situation, income, and savings. You're likely eligible if:
- are single, have children under the age of 18 living at home and have assets of up to €8.000,00
- you live together/are married, have children under the age of 18 living at home and have assets worth a maximum of €16.000,00
- een inkomen hebt dat niet hoger is dan 110% van de bijstandsnorm voor Berkelland, 120% van de bijstandsnorm voor Oost Gelre en 130% van de bijstandsnorm voor Winterswijk.
Below you can see what that means in euros (net, including holiday pay):
Berkelland
| Single parent | Married/living together (with child(ren)) | |
| 18, 19 or 20 years | € 380,59 | € 1.201,65 |
| 21 years to retirement age | € 1.541,64 | € 2.202,34 |
| From retirement age | € 1.651,18 | € 2.358,58 |
| *The amounts mentioned are 110% of the standard amounts as of January 1, 2026. | ||
Oost Gelre
| Single parent | Married/living together (with child(ren)) | |
| 18, 19 or 20 years | € 415,19 | € 1.310,89 |
| 21 years to retirement age | € 1.681,80 | € 2.402,56 |
| From retirement age | € 1.801,28 | € 2.572,99 |
| *The amounts mentioned are 120% of the standard amounts as of January 1, 2026. | ||
Winterswijk
| Single parent | Married/living together (with child(ren)) | |
| 18, 19 or 20 years | € 449,79 | € 1.420,13 |
| 21 years to retirement age | € 1.821,94 | € 2.602,77 |
| From retirement age | € 1.951,39 | € 2.787,41 |
| *The amounts mentioned are 130% of the standard amounts as of January 1, 2026. | ||
With this allowance you can pay costs for:
- membership of a sports club (e.g. football, volleyball, gymnastics)
- music or dance lessons
- theater, scouting or other youth clubs
- school costs such as parental contribution, school trip or school camp
- school supplies such as a bag or calculator
How much is the contribution?
Municipality of Berkelland
Social, cultural, sporting and educational activities:
- €200,00 per child up to 4 years old
- €425,00 per child from 4 to 12 years old
- €500,00 per child from 12 to 18 years old
School fees:
- €175,00 per child in primary school
- €350,00 per child in secondary education
Please note: You can only receive one allowance per child per calendar year: either the primary school allowance or the secondary education allowance. If your child moves from primary school to secondary school in a calendar year, you will receive the secondary education allowance for that year.
Municipality of Winterswijk
- Maximum €200 per child up to 4 years
- Maximum €425 per child aged 4-12 (including school fees for primary and secondary education)
- Maximum €500 per child aged 12-18 (including school fees for further education)
Please note: You can only receive one allowance per child per calendar year: either the primary school allowance or the secondary education allowance. If your child moves from primary school to secondary school in a calendar year, you will receive the secondary education allowance for that year.
Municipality of East Gelre
- Maximum €350 per child up to 18 years old (including school costs for primary and secondary education)
With this allowance you can pay costs for:
- membership of a sports club (e.g. football, volleyball, gymnastics)
- music or dance lessons
- theater, scouting or other youth clubs
- school costs such as parental contribution, school trip or school camp
- school supplies such as a bag or calculator
The compensation is intended to cover the costs of swimming lessons and the exam for diploma A for the municipality of Winterswijk and Oost Gelre and swimming diploma A, B and C for the municipality of Berkelland.
Berkelland
- Full costs for swimming diplomas A, B and C reimbursed
Winterswijk
- Full costs for swimming diploma A reimbursed
Oost Gelre
- Full costs for swimming diploma A reimbursed
This allowance allows you to purchase a computer or laptop needed for school. Consider:
- a computer for homework
- school projects or presentations
- access to digital learning resources
Berkelland
- Maximum €500,00 per child (for children attending secondary education)
Winterswijk
- Maximum €500,00 per child (for children attending secondary education)
Oost Gelre
- Maximum €500 per child (for children attending secondary or vocational education)
How do I use the participation scheme?
To use the credit, please follow these steps:
(Automatic) budget
- Go to participate.fine.nl
- Click 'Start' and enter your email address.
- You will receive an email to log in to the website, then click on 'Log in'.
- You will be redirected to the Regulations page. Select a scheme from your municipality that has been assigned to you and click "Apply."
- Log in with DigiD and your scheme(s) will be activated immediately.
If you are entitled to multiple schemes and activate one scheme, the other awarded schemes will also be activated immediately. - You can use your plan(s) immediately. You will receive a separate voucher for each plan. You can use this voucher:
a. View in the me-forus app.
b. Email to yourself.
c. Print.
Webshop
You can spend your budget via the webshop: https://meedowww.fijnder.nl/enHere you can see which shops and organizations are participating.
Paying
Have your voucher scanned at the store or organization. Payment will be processed immediately. You don't need to pay anything upfront or submit a claim later.
Want to participate in society? We're here to help!
My favorite store or organization isn't listed. What should I do?
Let us know which store or organization you'd like to join. We'd be happy to explore the possibilities. You can contact your income consultant or call our general phone number: 0544 – 47 42 00.
I want to offer an activity in the Meedoen App. What now?
We're glad you'd like to offer an activity in the Participation App! Since January 2020, we've been offering activities digitally with automatic payment processing. You can register your organization via: https://forus.io/provider/sign-up?tag=sdoa. The manual explains step by step how to register.. If you encounter any problems, please contact our application builder Forus by phone. 085 - 004 33 87.
Do you have any questions about the participation scheme?
Visit participate.fine.nl