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Access Sport, in partnership with NICAS (National Indoor Climbing Award Schemes), is proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of NICAS Ascend – the UK’s first national climbing award scheme co-designed with, and tested by, disabled and neurodivergent climbers with high support needs.

Piloted in 2024, NICAS Ascend has now entered full roll-out across climbing centres nationwide. The scheme provides a structured, inclusive framework that enables disabled and neurodivergent young people to experience climbing and bouldering, progress at their own pace, and achieve a nationally recognised accredited award.

To celebrate this milestone, Access Sport and NICAS hosted a celebration at Summit Up Climbing Centre in Oldham. This fantastic event brought together coaches, volunteers, climbers and partners to reflect on the success of the scheme so far. With opportunities for local disabled climbers to participate in inclusive sessions and for stakeholders to network, it felt like a significant milestone for inclusive climbing. 

NICAS Ascend was originally co-created by our Programme Leader, Sarah Jones, inspired by her brother Zac.

Zac was a young autistic boy with a learning disability and epilepsy. Zac faced daily challenges and was often labelled “difficult” or “hard to reach.” But when he tried climbing for the first time, something changed.

Despite sensory overload, frustration, and fear, with patience and support from Sarah, Zac reached the top of the wall - then chose to go again, and again. In that moment, climbing gave Zac freedom, joy, and belonging that had too often been out of reach.

Sadly, Zac passed away in 2022 and never had the chance to climb again. But his ascent showed what was possible. It lit the spark that became NICAS Ascend - a framework designed to remove barriers and open climbing up to disabled and neurodivergent young people across the country.

As Ascend marks its one-year anniversary and rolls out nationally, we are proud to honour Zac’s legacy. His climb and Sarah's determination have inspired a movement that will ensure thousands more young people can feel the freedom he found on the wall.

Over the past year, NICAS Ascend has been piloted, refined, and supported through a successful crowdfunding campaign, matched by Sport England’s Movement Fund, to fund inclusive training, resources, and adaptive equipment.

Today, 21 climbing centres are officially accredited to deliver NICAS Ascend, with a further 60 centres across the UK having registered their interest, with instructors trained in disability inclusion and equipped to deliver high-quality, accessible climbing programmes.

NICAS Ascend places disabled young people at the forefront of its approach and is aligned with the Play Their Way Campaign, a Sport England funded initiative led by UK Coaching, which launched in 2023 to transform the way children and young people are coached. The Play Their Way philosophy prioritises children’s rights, needs and enjoyment through a ‘child-first’ coaching approach. 

Helen Rowbotham, CEO of Access Sport, said:

“Celebrating one year of NICAS Ascend is a huge milestone. The scheme is changing lives and, with its national roll-out, we aim to ensure that more disabled and neurodivergent young people can access the life changing benefits of climbing on equal terms.”

Nicholas Parkin, Managing Director of NICAS, added:

“We’ve always wanted climbing to be inclusive and accessible. Ascend provides a recognised pathway for disabled young people, building skills, confidence, and belonging, and we are proud to see it now available nationwide.”

Rebecca McAulay, Head of Campaigns at UK Coaching said:

”It’s wonderful to see NICAS Ascend providing children with equal opportunities to climb. Prioritising accessibility and inclusion through child-first coaching practice, is key to increasing physical activity levels for disabled children and young people.

“The Play Their Way campaign aims to support coaches with whatever they need to help break down barriers that prevent children from participating. We’re confident programmes like NICAS Ascend will encourage disabled and neurodivergent young people to develop a lifelong love for being active.”

Interested in supporting or getting involved with NICAS Ascend?
Click on the link to register your interest.

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