Best Buddies Leadership Development Programs

Best Buddies Leadership Development programs represents one of our organization’s five 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.

Join a Program or Volunteer

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.

Attend a Training

Host a Training

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.

Join a chapter

Best Buddies promoters participants on a playground

BESTBUDDIES^® Transitions

Offers a combination of classroom-based training, experiential learning, and corporate mentorship to help students with IDD explore post-secondary options, prepare for independent living, and identify career ambitions. Workshops and activities offer experiences that aid youth with IDD in their transition into adulthood.

Join the program

Best Buddies Transitions program member at work on a farm

How the Ambassadors Program Works

Advocacy Training

When a Best Buddies participant joins the Ambassador program, they enter into a series of group and private training in speech writing and public and conversational speaking to become advocates for themselves and the disability rights movement.

Public Speaking

Once trained, Ambassadors work with Best Buddies staff to identify public speaking opportunities in their local community, where they can share their personal stories with Best Buddies chapters, businesses, legislators, interest groups and donors.

Speech Coaches

Each Ambassador is paired with a speech coach, who helps them brainstorm, organize, write, edit and practice a speech and provides one-on-one attention as needed.

Ongoing Development

Throughout their participation in the program, Ambassadors have access to a variety of ongoing advocacy trainings led by Best Buddies staff.

Advancement

As Ambassadors gain advocacy experience in conversational and public speaking, they have the opportunity to grow into a State or Global Ambassador where they may be invited to speak nationally or internationally on behalf of Best Buddies.

How the Promoters Program Works

Connect

Students attending a school without a special education program can join a Promoters chapter to develop connections with people with IDD, or can start one by contacting their local Best Buddies state office.

Ongoing Support

Each Promoters chapter is led by a President from the student body and a Faculty Advisor, and is assigned a Best Buddies staff person who offers regular support and guidance.

Advocate

Once formed, Promoters chapters host events, activities, fundraisers and assemblies where they advocate for people with IDD, educate the public about inclusion and promote the ideals of the Best Buddies mission.

Events

Throughout the school year, Best Buddies encourages all Promoters chapters to host as many activities as possible (minimum of 4) on and off campus that are inclusive of people with IDD.

How the Transitions Program Works

Eligibility

Individuals with disabilities beginning at age 14; an annual Best Buddies Consent Form, proof of disability and/or registration documentation may be required by local vocational rehabilitation agencies, where appropriate.

Educator Collaboration

Best Buddies Transitions offers students an opportunity to practice and apply career readiness and independent living skills in enriching, community-based learning experiences with support from Best Buddies staff and supporting corporate partners.

Implementation

Participants will meet with Best Buddies staff on a regularly scheduled basis to engage in one-to-one programming, small-group sessions, or classroom-style lessons on topics covered by the five Pre-ETS Components, as outlined in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014:

Self-Advocacy/ Mentoring
Job Exploration Counseling
Workplace Readiness
Work-Based Learning Opportunities
Post-Secondary Counseling

New Hampshire Chapter Listing

To join a chapter, click a school name below

Elementary Schools

Amherst Street School (Nashua, NH)
API address [ 71 Amherst St, Nashua, NH, 03064-2530, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Little Harbour Elementary (Portsmouth, NH)
API address [ 50 Clough Dr, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, US, null, null, 43.0668067, -70.75169360000001, null]

Middle Schools

Brian S McCarthy Middle School (Nashua, NH)
API address [ 41 DiAntonio Dr, Nashua, NH, 03062, US, null, null, 42.7097777, -71.4969637, null]
Heronfield Academy (Hampton Falls, NH)
API address [ 356 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, NH, 03844, US, null, null, 42.9644053, -70.9110402, null]
Londonderry Middle School (Londonderry, NH)
API address [ 313 Mammoth Rd, Londonderry, NH, 03053-3056, US, null, null, 42.87338210000001, -71.3807442, null]
Merrimack Valley Middle School (Concord, NH)
API address [ 14 Allen St, Concord, NH, 03303-1645, US, null, null, 43.2743144, -71.5932864, null]
Parkside Middle School (Manchester, NH)
API address [ 75 Park Side Ave, Manchester, NH, 03102, US, null, null, 42.9882403, -71.47985729999999, null]
Portsmouth Middle School (Portsmouth, NH)
API address [ 155 Parrott Ave, Portsmouth, NH, 03801, US, null, null, 43.0730905, -70.7600564, null]
Woodbury School (Salem, NH)
API address [ 206 Main St, Salem, NH, 03079-3147, US, null, null, null, null, null]

High Schools

Alvirne High School (Hudson, NH)
API address [ 200 Derry Rd, Hudson, NH, 03051-3320, US, null, null, 42.7942669, -71.4381924, null]
Bedford High School (Bedford, NH)
API address [ 47 Nashua Rd b, Bedford, NH, 03110-5530, US, null, null, 42.9372265, -71.51953639999999, null]
Bishop Guertin High School (Nashua, NH)
API address [ 194 Lund Rd, Nashua, NH, 03060, US, null, null, 42.7384825, -71.47466299999999, null]
Bow High School (Bow, NH)
API address [ 55 Falcon Wy, Bow, NH, 03304-4228, US, null, null, 43.1550172, -71.5483632, null]
Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, NH)
API address [ 80 Academy Dr, Wolfeboro, NH, 03894-4115, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Dover High School (Dover, NH)
API address [ 25 Alumni Drive, Dover, NH, 03820, US, null, null, 43.17608329999999, -70.8855136, null]
Franklin High School (Franklin, NH)
API address [ 115 Central St, Franklin, NH, 03235-1131, US, null, null, 43.440725, -71.653337, null]
Goffstown High School (Goffstown, NH)
API address [ 27 Wallace Road, Goffstown, NH, 03045, US, null, null, 43.0125977, -71.58288639999999, null]
Hopkinton High School (Hopkinton, NH)
API address [ 297 Park Ave, Hopkinton, NH, 03229-3091, US, null, null, 43.2304857, -71.71896610000002, null]
John Stark Regional High School (Weare, NH)
API address [ 618 N Stark Hwy, Weare, NH, 03281-4215, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Kearsarge Regional High School (Warner, NH)
API address [ 457 N Rd, Warner, NH, 03278-4401, US, null, null, 43.3486989, -71.90437969999999, null]
Kennett High School (Conway, NH)
API address [ 409 Eagle's Way, Conway, NH, 03860-5800, US, null, null, 44.005288, -71.09765879999999, null]
Kingswood Regional High School (Wolfeboro, NH)
API address [ 396 S Main St, Wolfeboro, NH, 03894-4414, US, null, null, 43.575599, -71.189693, null]
Londonderry High School (Londonderry, NH)
API address [ 295 Mammoth Rd, Londonderry, NH, 03053-3055, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Manchester High School Central (Manchester, NH)
API address [ 535 Beech Street, Manchester, NH, 03870, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Manchester High School West (Manchester, NH)
API address [ 9 Notre Dame Avenue, Manchester, NH, 03102, US, null, null, 42.9866543, -71.47483199999999, null]
Memorial High School (Manchester, NH)
API address [ 1 Crusader Way, Manchester, NH, 03103-3099, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Merrimack High School (Merrimack, NH)
API address [ 38 McElwain St, Merrimack, NH, 03054-3663, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Merrimack Valley High School (Concord, NH)
API address [ 106 Village St, Concord, NH, 03303, US, null, null, 43.2717805, -71.5919644, null]
Milford High School (Milford, NH)
API address [ 100 West St, Milford, NH, 03055-4888, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Monadnock Regional Middle High School (Swanzey, NH)
API address [ 590 Old Homestead Highway, Swanzey, NH, 03446, US, null, null, 42.8759983, -72.2773691, null]
Nashua High School South (Nashua, NH)
API address [ 36 Riverside St, Nashua, NH, 03062, US, null, null, 42.7555843, -71.49526039999999, null]
Oyster River High School (Durham, NH)
API address [ 55 Coe Dr, Durham, NH, 03824-2232, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Souhegan High School (Amherst, NH)
API address [ 412 Boston Post Rd, Amherst, NH, 03031-2730, US, null, null, null, null, null]
The Derryfield School (Manchester, NH)
API address [ 2108 River Rd, Manchester, NH, 03104, US, null, null, 43.0360226, -71.4583215, null]
Timberlane Regional High School (Plaistow, NH)
API address [ 36 Greenough Rd, Plaistow, NH, 03865-2724, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Winnacunnet High School (Hampton, NH)
API address [ 1 Alumni Drive, Hampton, NH, 03842-2282, US, null, null, 42.9318986, -70.8315057, null]

Colleges

Plymouth State University (Plymouth, NH)
API address [ 17 High St, Plymouth, NH, 03264-1595, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Saint Anselm College (Manchester, NH)
API address [ Living Learning Commons, Manchester, NH, 03102-1308, US, null, null, 42.98683219999999, -71.5037827, null]
University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH)
API address [ 4 Garrison Ave, Durham, NH, 03824-2315, US, null, null, null, null, null]

Citizens

New Hampshire Citizens (Manchester, NH)
API address [ null, Manchester, NH, null, null, null, null, null, null, null]

Leadership Development (New Hampshire)

Best Buddies Leadership Development Programs

BESTBUDDIES^® Ambassadors

BESTBUDDIES^® Promoters

BESTBUDDIES^® Transitions