Climbing, trekking and team-building activities designed to build fitness, social skills and self-regulation; 50 children ages 6–13 sought; parent lectures and showcase event also planned
Gangbuk-gu in Seoul is recruiting participants for its "Sports Activity Support Project for Slow Learners," aimed at promoting healthy development and social growth among children who learn at a slower pace, the district office announced.
The project was selected through the Seoul Metropolitan Government's "Walking Together with the Vulnerable" grant competition for autonomous districts. It uses physical activity as a vehicle to build basic fitness and support emotional stability and social development in slow learners.
Slow learners are children who do not meet the clinical threshold for intellectual disability but struggle with learning, communication and social adaptation.
The district plans to run an experience-centered, tailored program so these children can interact naturally with peers and build a sense of achievement.
Enrollment is open to 50 slow learners — including children identified as having borderline intelligence — between the ages of 6 and 13 (first grade in elementary school through first grade in middle school). Applications are accepted from Monday through July 15.
Among applicants, the district will give priority to children diagnosed with borderline intelligence and those who struggle more than peers in learning, physical activity or social adaptation. Households receiving basic livelihood benefits, near-poverty households and multicultural families in need of education and welfare support will receive particular consideration.
The program runs from July 24 to Aug. 13 at the Black Yak BAC Center in Gangbuk-gu and the surrounding Bukhansan area. Activities include indoor climbing, team-building exercises, forest orienteering, trekking and a historical and cultural exploration tour — all tailored to the age and individual characteristics of each participating child.
In addition to professional instructors, the program will be staffed by "slow-learner companion supporters" — specialists who have completed training since 2024 in instructional methods suited to slow learners' needs. They will monitor each child's emotional state throughout every activity and support the development of social skills and self-regulation.
Expert lectures for parents will also be held to deepen understanding of slow learners. After the program concludes, a showcase event and completion ceremony will bring together participating children and their families to reflect on the children's growth.
Applications can be submitted online through the integrated reservation system on the Gangbuk-gu district office website, or in person at the Education Support Division (10th floor, Yongsin Building, 323 Dobong-ro). For further details, contact the Education Support Division directly.
"Children who are slow learners have the potential to grow fully when given the right experiences and support," District Mayor Lee Soon-hee said. "I hope this program gives children the chance to build confidence in body and mind and form healthy relationships with their peers."
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