Who are the members of Best Buddies?

  • Chapter Members

    Peer Buddy

    A Peer Buddy is a middle school student who makes a commitment to be paired in a one-to-one

    friendship with a Buddy for one academic year.

    Qualifications and Responsibilities:
    • Must have the desire and ability to form a mutually enriching friendship.
    • Must complete Membership Application and a Matching Survey on the chapter portal at www.bestbuddiesonline.org and obtain parent consent.
    • Must complete a Friendship Update monthly to report weekly contact and monthly activities on the chapter portal at www.bestbuddiesonline.org.
    • Attend chapter activities with Buddy at least once a month.
    • Plan additional activities with Buddy twice a month.
    • Honor the one-to-one commitment for an entire academic year.
    • Contact Buddy once a week (in person, or by phone, letter, note, or e-mail).
    • Attend chapter meetings and group activities.

    Buddy

    A student with a mild to moderate intellectual or developmental disabilities who is matched in a one-to-one friendship with a Peer Buddy for one academic year.

    Qualifications and Responsibilities:
    • Must have the desire and ability to form a mutually enriching friendship.
    • Must complete Membership Application and Matching Survey on the chapter portal at www.bestbuddiesonline.org.
    • Must be able to form a socially appropriate and mutually enriching friendship.
    • Attend chapter activities with Peer Buddy at least once a month.
    • Plan additional activities with Peer Buddy twice a month.
    • Contact Peer Buddy (in person or by phone, note, letter, or e-mail) once a week.
    • Honor the one-to-one commitment for an entire academic year.
    • Attend all chapter activities and events.

    Associate Member/Associate Buddy

    A chapter member who is not matched in a one-to-one friendship. In the event there are a limited number of persons to be matched within the chapter, all people waiting to be matched would serve as Associate Members/Associate Buddies until additional volunteers are identified.

    Qualifications & Responsibilities:
    • Must be an enrolled student at the middle school
    • Attend chapter meetings and group activities.
    • Associate Members must still complete a Membership Application on the chapter portal at www.bestbuddiesonline.org.
    • Join committees to help plan activities or fundraisers. Recommended to join the Friendship Update Committee.