Best Buddies Leadership Development Programs

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.

Join a Program or Volunteer

Pennsylvania Chapter Listing

Promoters chapters

Ambassadors program

To join a chapter, click a school name below

Conwell Egan Catholic High School (Fairless Hills, PA)
API address [ 611 Wistar Rd, Fairless Hills, PA, 19030, US, null, null, 40.162216, -74.8500169, null]
Knoch High School (Saxonburg, PA)
API address [ 345 Knoch Rd, Saxonburg, PA, 16056-9301, US, null, null, null, null, null]

Hampton Middle School (Allison Park, PA)
API address [ 4589 School Dr, Allison Park, PA, 15101-2516, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Owen J. Roberts Middle School (Pottstown, PA)
API address [ 881 Ridge Rd, Pottstown, PA, 19465-8421, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Paxon Hollow Middle School (Broomall, PA)
API address [ 815 Paxon Hollow Rd, Broomall, PA, 19008-3421, US, null, null, null, null, null]

Ardmore Avenue Elementary School (Lansdowne, PA)
API address [ 161 Ardmore Ave, Lansdowne, PA, 19050-1546, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Belmont Hills Elementary School (Bala Cynwyd, PA)
API address [ 200 School St, Bala Cynwyd, PA, 19004-1910, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Burchfield Primary School (Allison Park, PA)
API address [ 1500 Burchfield Rd, Allison Park, PA, 15101-4000, US, null, null, 40.5472829, -79.9429663, null]
Center Elementary School (Plum, PA)
API address [ 201 Center New Texas Rd, Plum, PA, 15239-1815, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Copper Beech Elementary (Glenside, PA)
API address [ 825 N Easton Rd, Glenside, PA, 19038, US, null, null, 40.1145912, -75.1386241, null]
Emily Brittain Elementary School (Butler, PA)
API address [ 338 N Washington St, Butler, PA, 16001-5242, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Forks Elementary School (Easton, PA)
API address [ 1709 Richmond Rd, Easton, PA, 18040-8435, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Hartwood Elementary School (Pittsburgh, PA)
API address [ 3730 Saxonburg Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA, 15238-1068, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Highland Elementary School (Abington, PA)
API address [ 1301 Edge Hill Rd, Abington, PA, 19001, US, null, null, 40.1232622, -75.12343349999999, null]
Holiday Park Elementary School (Pittsburgh, PA)
API address [ 313 Holiday Park Dr, Pittsburgh, PA, 15239, US, null, null, 40.471279, -79.714677, null]
Hosack Elementary School (McCandless, PA)
API address [ 9275 Peebles Rd, McCandless, PA, 15101-1926, US, null, null, 40.574722, -80.003129, null]
Kathryn D. Markley Elementary School (Malvern, PA)
API address [ 354 Swedesford Rd, Malvern, PA, 19355-1603, US, null, null, null, null, null]
McKinley Elementary School (Elkins Park, PA)
API address [ 370 Cedar Rd, Elkins Park, PA, 19027, US, null, null, 40.0814257, -75.1053699, null]
McMurray Elementary School (Venetia, PA)
API address [ 626 E McMurray Rd, Venetia, PA, 15367-3420, US, null, null, 40.281329, -80.0806597, null]
McQuistion Elementary School (Butler, PA)
API address [ 210 Mechling Dr, Butler, PA, 16001, US, null, null, 40.8430544, -79.8892692, null]
Pleasant Valley Elementary (McMurray, PA)
API address [ 250 E McMurray Rd, McMurray, PA, 15317, US, null, null, 40.2668681, -80.11956579999999, null]
Riverside Elementary School (Ellwood City, PA)
API address [ 302 Country Club Dr, Ellwood City, PA, 16117-4910, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Schuylkill Elementary School (Phoenixville, PA)
API address [ 290 S Whitehorse Rd, Phoenixville, PA, 19460, US, null, null, 40.1118411, -75.5119594, null]
Starkweather Elementary School (West Chester, PA)
API address [ 1050 Wilmington Pike, West Chester, PA, 19382-7368, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Whitehall Elementary School (Norristown, PA)
API address [ 399 N Whitehall Rd, Norristown, PA, 19403-2711, US, null, null, null, null, null]

Is your school not listed? Click here for info on how to start a chapter.

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.

Male Buddy Ambassador speaking at an event podium

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

Group of Promoter Chapter members playing football on a field

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.

Leadership Development (Pennsylvania)

Best Buddies Leadership Development Programs

Pennsylvania Chapter Listing

BESTBUDDIES^® Ambassadors

BESTBUDDIES^® Promoters

How The Ambassadors Program Works

Advocacy Training

Public Speaking

Speech Coaches

Ongoing Development

Advancement

How The Promoters Program Works

Connect

Ongoing Support

Advocate

Events

Best Buddies in Pennsylvania

Best Buddies International

Leadership Development (Pennsylvania)

Best Buddies Leadership Development Programs

Pennsylvania Chapter Listing

BESTBUDDIES® Ambassadors

BESTBUDDIES® Promoters

How The Ambassadors Program Works

Advocacy Training

Public Speaking

Speech Coaches

Ongoing Development

Advancement

How The Promoters Program Works

Connect

Ongoing Support

Advocate

Events

Best Buddies in Pennsylvania

Best Buddies International

BESTBUDDIES^® Ambassadors

BESTBUDDIES^® Promoters