A disability awareness and befriending initiative which links secondary school children with young people with intellectual disabilities has helped break down existing barriers, the launch of an evaluation report on the programme was told recently.
Breda Crehan Roche, the chief executive of Ability West which piloted the Best Buddies schools’ programme, said it has given Galway students an opportunity to understand intellectual disability.
“It also helped break down the existing barriers which may have prevented them from meeting and getting involved in the life of a peer who has an intellectual disability. By fostering one to one friendships, the programme has empowered young people with an intellectual disability to live life to the fullest of their potential.”
This befriending initiative, which is supported by AIB, was introduced to the west in 2008. A total of 68 young people aged 16 to 18 years participated in the programme. Four Best Buddies chapters were set up in five secondary schools and a total of 34 programme events were held bi-monthly over the school year. As part of the programme 23 matched pairs were established and facilitated to meet up at the programme events and maintain weekly contact.
Key findings of the evaluation report entitled “Changing Lives, One Friendship at a time” indicate the programme had a positive impact on the young people who took part. It improved their understanding of the capabilities of people with intellectual disability and their attitudes towards spending time with them both in and out of school.
The students (peer buddies ) learned about people with intellectual disability and discovered how much they both had in common.
“The secondary school students saw young people with intellectual disability in a different light - a person first and foremost, someone who just wanted to ‘hang out’, the report indicates.
“The Best Buddies programme also provided opportunities for the students to develop leadership and organisational skills. It provided an important social outlet for young people with intellectual disabilities to get involved in community events and interact with other people their own age. It offered opportunities for young people with intellectual disability to increase their self esteem and become more independent.
“By creating the opportunities for young people with intellectual disability to have new experiences and meet new people, the programme makes it possible for lasting friendships to develop.”
The report recommends that the programme is continued and developed further to increase the number of young people who could benefit from participation.
Welcoming the publication of the study, the Minister for Equality, Disability and Mental Health John Moloney said it highlighted the benefits of the Best Buddies programme. The initiative enriched the lives of young people with an intellectual disability through establishing the foundations of genuine friendships with their peers.
“This report shows how the programme offers young people with an intellectual disability increased social interactions and the opportunity for friendships with young people their own age where they can spend time together on shared interests and concerns. The report also highlights the highly positive impacts of the Best Buddies Programme on teenagers’ understanding of the capabilities of people with an intellectual disability and their attitudes towards spending time with them both in school and non school settings.
“I congratulate Ability West on their vision in implementing this programme in the west of Ireland. I am very impressed by this initiative in which AIB, a private sector organisation, has worked together with Ability West and the local community to bring about a real improvement in people's lives.”
Dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities, Best Buddies was founded in the US in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, a son of the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver who founded the Special Olympics movement.
