SINGAPORE: In all his years as a climbing coach, one moment stands out vividly for Ng Yan Zhi – the day a student reached the top of a wall after nine months of effort.
It was a big achievement for the 10-year-old boy with autism, who started out unwilling to put on his climbing shoes and harness or even go near the climbing wall.
Mr Ng, 24, knew he had to approach this differently to gain the boy’s trust.
“We started with simple things like getting him to feel the (climbing holds) or go near the wall by putting his favourite toys there. If he doesn’t want to, we play games,” said the instructor at climbing gym Verticlimb.
It took months but the boy began arriving early for class and stopped running away from the coaches. He also improved in his ability to focus and listen to instructions, while gaining confidence on the wall – so much so that he was sometimes able to climb without being told the next move.
Slowly, the boy advanced higher up the wall, one hold at a time, until he finally reached the top.
“After that, he climbed up to the top a few more times. It’s like he broke through a mental barrier,” Mr Ng recalled. “That was when I saw his mum tear up. It has been a long process.”
That rewarding experience got him thinking about how the sport could be made more inclusive for those with special needs.
Previously, Verticlimb only ran classes on weekends and in group settings. The crowd and the noise can be overwhelming for children with autism.
While private classes can be conducted upon request, such as for the 10-year-old boy, the coaches had little to no experience teaching special needs children.
All of this paved the way for the gym’s Special Heights programme, launched in early 2024.
It offers 1-on-1 classes for children with special needs on weekdays, and was drawn up in consultation with special needs educators and occupational therapists.
