BEST BUDDIES IN OKLAHOMA HOSTS LEADERSHIP TRAINING DAYS FOR CHAPTER LEADERS

TULSA AND OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, 2023 – Best Buddies in Oklahoma is a state affiliate office of Best Buddies International (BBI), and recently hosted their annual Local Leadership Training Days for students throughout the state. BBI is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Local Leadership Training Days are hosted by Best Buddies offices annually for chapter leaders (students) and advisors (teachers) from elementary schools all the way up to college programs on how to best run their Best Buddies chapter. Through the training, students share best practices on effective strategies to recruit peers to join the club on campus, plan engaging and meaningful activities throughout the school-year, set specific and measurable goals for the program, and provide training support and resources from the Best Buddies staff. With the guiding principal that change comes from a passionate volunteer movement led by young people on a peer-to-peer level, Best Buddies focuses intentionally on supporting student leaders to be the change agents on their campus and throughout the community. Attendees left Leadership Training Day feeling empowered and prepared to guide the Best Buddies mission at their school.

“Local Leadership Training Day helped me by opening me u pto detailed information around host sites, club positions, as well as giving me a chance to meet other Best Buddies leaders in the area,” Antonio Pastrana, the Chapter President at the University of Tulsa said. “I think it was a great event for my executive board to attend so they could better grasp the purpose of why Best Buddies exists and how they can most successfully accomplish the mission through their position.”

This year’s Leadership Training days welcomed nearly 15 leaders from 11 schools across the state. Best Buddies in Oklahoma is looking forward to the 2023-24 school year to creating meaningful friendships and successful inclusion on campuses throughout the state.

If you are interested in learning more about Best Buddies in Oklahoma or getting involved and supporting this work, please email Oklahoma@bestbuddies.org or visit www.bestbuddies.org/oklahoma.