Rebecca Vanderspek is the Program Manager of Best Buddies Citizens program in Melbourne. She is also matched as a volunteer in a BB Citizens friendship. Rebecca’s own friendship positively influences her work:
"Since I matched the first Citizen Buddy pairs in 2006 I have been very lucky to witness nearly 50 friendships created! For me, witnessing such genuine friends who are truly integral to each other’s lives has been inspiring. For most people with an intellectual disability this has been their first true friendship."
My Buddy Tanya and I have been friends for nearly 2 ½ years. We can be found hanging out in our local area, watching and following Australian Rules football games, checking out local cafes, markets, theatre productions, watching chick flicks together at the movies and trying to cook (trying being the operative word!)” Tanya and Rebecca recently spoke at a Rotary Club; “I was so proud of Tanya, standing up in front of a group of people, sharing our friendship story and the mission of Best Buddies. The crowd loved her and she was certainly the star of the night. Tanya wrote her entire speech, without any prompts or assistance from me. Tanya has such a lovely personality- she is always happy and we just love spending time together. Being friends with Tanya has given me some invaluable stories to share with people when I am explaining the program, as well as, most importantly, valuing her for being such a fantastic person and friend to me.
"My hope is that the program will expand and we will be able to offer genuine friendships to the 150 adults with intellectual disabilities who are currently on the waiting list.”
The Best Buddies Australia Citizens Program located in Melbourne is recognised as the best Citizens Program in the word. Of all the matches ever made by Rebecca, 80% have retained a mutually enriching one to one friendship, seeing each other on a regular basis.
