Design and Implementation of a Leisure Buddy Program

Abstract

Many people with intellectual disabilities are isolated and lonely. This article describes the program design and initial implementation issues and outcomes arising from a leisure buddy program, which is one approach to building social connections between people with and without intellectual disabilities. This program matched a community volunteer with an adult with intellectual disability, with the aim that each leisure buddy pair would spend regular social and recreation time together in various community settings. It had four stages: recruitment, initiating, monitoring, and longer-term support for matches. Data were collected during the first 18 months of the program's operation, through 6-monthly interviews with the program coordinator, and review of program documents and data. All data were collected and analysed by the first author and initial findings discussed with the second author, who was also the coordinator of the program. Eighteen leisure buddy pairs were established in the 18-month period of the study. Key aspects of the programs operation were: ongoing and tailored recruitment efforts of both community volunteers and people with disabilities; importance of geographic proximity of the leisure buddy pair; and the coordinator's support of the leisure buddy pair in the early months after matching.

The study contributes to an understanding of one possible role of formal services in establishing social relationships for people with intellectual disabilities. While the need for such relationships is frequently highlighted, there are few practical descriptions of how services can encourage them.

Keywords:

• intellectual disability
• disability support
• community participation
• friendship
• social support
• social inclusion

Acknowledgements

This work was funded as part of an evaluation for Inclusion Melbourne, Victoria. Details of individuals have been changed in order to summarise but not identify particular people’s situations.