Best Buddies program for people with special needs doubles in size
CBC News | Posted: March 20, 2017 2:00 PM | Last Updated: March 20, 2017
Program at UPEI helps new students get involved in the community, student says
A program at UPEI that pairs people with special needs with a peer buddy has doubled in size compared to last year.
The Best Buddies program has grown to include 40 members.
People paired in the program go on outings together such as bowling or going to the movies. On Saturday the group held a fundraising event with the UPEI Men's and Women's Basketball team, along with Island Storm players who gave autographs and posed for photos.
Good for UPEI students
Maddie Hughes, a fourth-year nursing student, said the program also gives students a chance to get involved in the community.
"We have had a few students from high school that have been transitioning into university and they join our program, which is fantastic, because then they have that buddy that they already know before they come into an already new situation," she said.
Hughes hopes the program, which is no longer limited to the school, will continue to grow as more people become aware of the program.
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