Best Buddies Breaks Divide For People With Disabilities
by MERI R. KENNEDY
Cranston Herald
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BRINGING IN THE BUDDIES: Best Buddies has opened a chapter in Cranston. Through this free program, students from middle school through college are paired up with individuals with developmental disabilities. Pictured above are Karen Schnabel, state director of Best Buddies RI and Erica Friedlander, program manager. |
The Best Buddies organization has only been open in Cranston since September, but already there are more than 600 individuals volunteering to improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities.
"Best Buddies is unique because of the one-to-one friendships that are established," said Karen Schnabel, state director. "We consider these friendships, the Buddy Pairs, to be mutually enriching as both participants benefit from the program. The friendships focus on abilities, not disabilities."
The organization partners volunteers with individuals with disabilities for at least one academic year, but many relationships go beyond that. Pairs are matched based on a survey in order to best meet the needs and interests of both Buddies.
There is no fee for the program and training for volunteers, which is also provided to students and leaders of school chapters, is also free of charge. Although the state chapter first opened this fall, college chapters were established in Rhode Island in 1993 at both Providence College and the University of Rhode Island.
Presently, the local chapter supports friendship programs in 15 public and private schools across the state.
The organization reaches beyond the local level, however, and has been an international non-profit since 1989. It was founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver at Georgetown University when he realized that there was a lack of social opportunities for people with disabilities.
Schnabel describes the friendships as having a "ripple effect" among students as Buddies meet the friends of their Peer Buddies.
Such a ripple effect has been witnessed firsthand by the Northern RI Collaborative, which has been involved in Best Buddies for more than six years at Mount St. Charles High School.
"We go in our van to Mount St. Charles every other Thursday for lunch and special activities," said Marion Hamilton, a registered occupational therapist with the Collaborative. "There are at least 150 Mount students involved with our 12 buddies."
According to Hamilton, Mount St. Charles supports the program as well, as last year's senior class left $1,000 to this year's Best Buddies group. In addition, a secretary had a yard sale and donated $300 to the group.
This holiday season, Mount students bought Christmas presents and winter clothing for the Buddies in need.
"The most special experience is the look on each Buddy’s face as they sit together and visit," said Hamilton of both the volunteers and the participating students. "Our students have significant disabilities and behavioral issues and it's not easy for a high school student to spend an hour sitting with a student who cannot talk or hear; but they do it well."
Also involved with Best Buddies at Mt. St. Charles is Kathy DeSisto from the Collaborative.
"I was looking at the pictures from the last time we were at Mount and I was realizing how well some of our students are doing," she said, ticking off names and describing how much enjoyment they seemed to glean from the program.
"Steven was sitting and laughing and talking with his buddy and another student and he was really talking to them not just using his usual script. Aaron, another Best Buddy from the Collaborative who is usually anxious, was very calm."
Another student named Matthew had an individual education plan goal to sustain a conversation for five minutes. With his Peer Buddy, he surpassed that and chatted for 20 minutes.
In addition to the benefit of developing new friendships, Best Buddies Middle and High School programs also give students opportunities for leadership. With the support of school faculty and Best Buddies staff, students lead and direct the chapters within their schools.
Seventeen-year-old Emily Hebel is the president of the Middletown High School Best Buddies chapter, and has been involved in the program since middle school. Her Best Buddy, Seth, is 18 and they both share a love of sports and the same birthday.
She met Seth in her sophomore year and their Buddy friendship continues to this day.
"The buddies in Best Buddies do not care what you look like or where you come from; they don't judge you," Hebel said. "This is the reason why I love Best Buddies so much because the friendships that are formed are not ‘fake’ like some other friendships that people make; these friendships are real."
Among the other benefits, Hebel touted improved communication schools as well as the chance to see things from a new perspective.
"I truly enjoy being involved with Best Buddies, and I hope more students will join to not only raise awareness, but to also make true friendships," she said.
Best Buddies holds several events each year, including a Local Leadership Training Day, a Best Buddies Ball that will this year be held on March 27, and Boogie for Buddies. Going forward, Schnabel believes the organization will continue to grow.
"Together we will continue to work with students, advisors, and community supporters to integrate people with developmental and intellectual disabilities into mainstream society, one friendship at a time," she said.
To learn more about Best Buddies, contact Erica Friedlander, program manager at (401) 228-9700 or by e-mail at either karenschnabel@bestbuddies.org or ericafriedlander@bestbuddies.org.
SOURCE:
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