By Michele Richinick
People often look to friends for comfort, understanding and amusement. For millions of people with intellectual disabilities, creating lasting friendships can make a significant impact on their lives.
For Kara Pavone, a junior behavioral neuroscience major, creating relationships between people with intellectual disabilities and students at Northeastern has not proved to be easy. At the beginning of the semester, Pavone started Northeastern’s chapter of Best Buddies International.
“The mission of Best Buddies is to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment,” according to their website. Intellectual disabilities can be caused by any condition that impairs development of the brain before birth, during birth or during the childhood years. The three major known causes of intellectual disabilities are Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome and Fragile X.”
Pavone said she felt this was a worthy cause that Northeastern students should be involved in.
“Originally I just wanted to join an activity on campus,” Pavone said. “I already knew the regional advisor of Best Buddies, who encouraged me to start a chapter here at Northeastern. I knew this [program] would be a great leadership opportunity for me, and also a way to bring something amazing to campus for everyone else. Northeastern students are very driven, so I figured it would.”
“The buddies,” participants with intellectual disabilities, affiliated with the Northeastern chapter participate in an interactive art program at Gateway Arts in Brookline. At the program, they use their artistic abilities to sculpt, paint, draw and even weave.
To be a college buddy, one must be a full-time undergraduate student. The individual must meet with his or her buddy at least twice a month and make contact with them once each week by phone, e-mail or letter.
“We are planning to have one group event per month to help meet the bi-monthly commitment,” Pavone said. “Events may include anything from movie nights and bowling to dance parties. We are open for any suggestions by the members.”
If someone is interested in the group, but does not have the time to be a college buddy, they can become an associate member. These members will attend group meetings and outings but will not have their own buddy.
Gateway Arts has each participant take a match survey, a questionnaire of interests that helps to determine compatible matches between students and buddies. Pavone said she hopes Gateway Arts will make the buddy matches within the next week. Once the matches are made, students will meet their buddies during a movie night that will supply snacks and arts and crafts.
The group will meet once a month to plan activities, and one other time a month to have a fun group activity with all of the buddies.
To publicize the group to the campus community, Pavone has been working with three other student officers: Leanne Fortune, treasurer; Kerry McEnaney, membership coordinator; and Jo
