Best Buddies

Best Buddies International is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people and their families living with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The organization provides support to individuals with IDD through educational and empowerment actions so that people with disabilities become leaders in their schools, communities and workplaces. In 2019, Fundación MAPFRE exclusively collaborated with Best Buddies to launch the Pre-Employment Training Program in Massachusetts. The program helps students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) identify and develop their career ambitions, explore post-secondary options and prepare for independent living. Workshops and activities focus on self-advocacy and leadership skill development, exploration of work interests and relevant employment opportunities, and experiences that aid youth with IDD in their transition into adulthood. Since its founding, the program has engaged 22 school districts, approximately 1,100 students, and more than a dozen potentially hiring companies in Massachusetts alone. The program has also expanded to 20 US states.