Best Buddies Canada, an organization helping children with intellectual disabilities, has launched a new program dubbed Buddies United In Leadership & Development (BUILD).
The program pairs each participant with a speech therapist in an attempt to assist them get jobs and make new friends.
“My whole world has change in the sense of what my focus is so I’m going into social work,” Jessica Tuefel, a coach at Best Buddies said.
The coaches volunteer their time to assist the children and the sessions run throughout the school year.
“Coaches are vital to the success of the program,” Emily Bolyea-Kyere, director of program and special events with Best Buddies Canada said. “It’s our coaches that are there for their buddies to give reassurance, to help them with new ideas, to give them the abilities to say what they want to say the way they want to say it. Sometimes they just need a little help, and our coaches are there.”
At the end of the program, certificates and awards are presented to both the coaches and the buddies.
“There is a lot of important programs out there, but Best Buddies truly makes a difference and I think there needs to be a best Buddies program in every high school in Canada,” Steven Pinnock, executive director of Best Buddies Canada said.
The Best Buddies Canada 19th Annual Leadership & Development Conference, part of the BULD Project will be held on September 7 and 8, 2013. For more information visit the at www.bestbuddies.ca
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