Extending A Hand in Friendship: Assisting Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Build New Relationships

The purpose of this investigation is to identify best practices for facilitating programs that pair young adults with intellectual disabilities with another member of the community in order to develop a meaningful relationship between the two participants. In order to determine these best practices, seven interviews were conducted with organizations who currently facilitate such programs and an academic and grey literature search was conducted. The collected data was then compared to the current Amigos in the Community program facilitated by a local Peterborough not-for-profit agency, Heads Up For Inclusion. This comparison highlights the similarities and differences between this program and those of other established programs. Moreover, a list of suggested recommendations for the Amigos in the Community program has been developed for Heads Up for Inclusion in order to improve its' current program. One recommendation is to host more community events so as to recruit new volunteers, increase community awareness of the programs available, raise funds for the program and offer pairs an opportunity to spend more time together. Another significant recommendation is to identify barriers to inclusion for participants such as access to reliable, accessible transportation. These recommendations along with others identified throughout this report are intended to assist Heads Up for Inclusion in improving their current program and ensuring it meets the needs and interests of their clients.