Best Buddies Leadership Development programs represents one of our organization’s four key mission pillars. The programs educate and empower people with and without IDD to become leaders, public speakers and advocates. Best Buddies passionately believes that its program participants can lead the effort within their community and beyond to build a more inclusive world for people with IDD.
BESTBUDDIES® Ambassadors
Offers people with and without IDD the opportunity to gain the public speaking skills, self-esteem and confidence needed to successfully advocate for themselves, their peers and Best Buddies in communities, workplaces and government.
BESTBUDDIES® Promoters
Empowers youth to become advocates for people with IDD and help open new Best Buddies chapters and programs by organizing special events that promote awareness to the disability rights movement.
A Global Volunteer Movement
Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant organization that has grown from one original chapter to nearly 2,900 chapters worldwide, positively impacting the lives of over 1.25 million people with and without IDD. Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 states and in 54 countries around the world.
