Best Buddies Canada
Best Buddies Canada is a friendship program that provides people with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to have experiences which most people take for granted - going for coffee, out to a movie, or simply enjoying the company of a good friend.
An Introduction to Best Buddies
This short video explains the Best Buddies programme and gives a glimpse of the friendship between two buddies.
Best Buddies started in Canada in 1993, and in the last five years, it has expanded from 85 to over 250 chapters at high schools, universities and colleges across the country. At each chapter, students are matched with individuals with intellectual disabilities who share similar interests. The “Buddy Pairs” are expected to call each other weekly and get together approximately twice a month. Four times a year, all the Buddy Pairs at a chapter hold a group activity.
Mission Statement: Best Buddies - Vrais Copains Canada is a national charitable organization dedicated to enhancing our communities through one-to-one friendships between individuals with intellectual disabilities and students. Best Buddies is grounded in the belief that friendship is important to the development of all individuals.
The Experience of a Parent
Debbie Leuschner is a parent who has also been a Best Buddies Coordinator for St Francis-Xavier University. In this audio clip she speaks about her experience of Best Buddies.
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