For many students, university life is a whirlwind of academic challenges and personal growth. For Ryan Nicholson, a Queen’s University alumnus, his time on campus was largely defined by his involvement with Best Buddies. Now pursuing work in the field of social work, Ryan’s passion for fostering inclusion shines in both his personal and professional life.
Ryan’s introduction to inclusive programming began long before he attended university. Growing up, he attended a summer camp in Haliburton with a program called Reach for the Rainbow that offered integrated recreation opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
“I was infatuated with the program and made it my goal to work for them,” Ryan shares. He spent two summers supporting clients with diverse intellectual and physical disabilities and took this passion for volunteering with him to university. It didn’t take long for him to find and join the Queen’s Best Buddies chapter. As the largest chapter in Canada, Queen’s stands out for its well-established community relations and leadership opportunities. He started as a volunteer peer buddy but by his second semester, Ryan joined the executive team as a Volunteer Coordinator and later served for two years as Co-President.
“I’m very grateful that I was able to join the executive team so early. It gave me a community at Queen’s when I was looking for one,” Ryan explains. “It set me up to take on more and more responsibilities for the chapter as the years went on.”
In his role, Ryan not only fostered connections between volunteers and buddies but also maintained a close friendship with his own buddy, Taylor. Ryan and Taylor bonded playing basketball and other sports on campus. “The first few times I met him were quite daunting because I had such an expectation on myself,” Ryan admits. “But ultimately when we had spent so long together, I got to know him as a very funny, intelligent person who cared deeply about me.”
Over time, Ryan and Taylor became more comfortable and grew to be close friends. They would go to the arcade, play frisbee, and go bowling. “I tried to limit the amount of bowling we did because it was an embarrassing experience for me,” Ryan laughs. “He was insanely good at bowling.” They developed a meaningful connection that continues to this day.
The Covid-19 pandemic presented unique challenges for the Queen’s chapter, limiting their ability to host in-person events and exacerbating levels of isolation and loneliness for participants. Despite the difficulties, Ryan and the team adapted, hosting virtual chapter events and finding creative ways to stay connected. Ryan and Taylor would regularly talk on the phone and watch movies together over FaceTime.
“A lot of buddies struggled to have the connections that they were having before the pandemic and that was hard feeling responsible for that,” Ryan says. “The pandemic was tricky, but hopping on the computer to watch a movie with Taylor and hear him laughing was always a huge source of comfort and much needed happiness for me in those times.”
Although maintaining inclusivity during this time was difficult, the eventual return to in-person events felt extra rewarding. The chapter felt the benefit of community and friendship much more tangibly after having been on a break for so long. For Ryan, Best Buddies became more than just a club—it was a transformative experience that informed his decision to pursue social work. While he initially thought of social work and volunteering with Best Buddies as a service he could provide, he quickly understood that he gained as much as he gave – growth, friendship, and a sense of community. “Best Buddies changed my understanding of everything. It showed me the importance of compassion and reciprocity in everything I do,” Ryan shares. “I gained a friendship – it’s a two-way street.”
Ryan’s advice to any peers trying to get a new chapter up and running is to rely on community partners as resources. Queen’s developed close partnerships with their Host Sites, Ongwanada Resource Centre and Community Living Kingston, who provided helpful oversight in one-to-one pairings and general chapter affairs. It’s also helpful to find a core group of student volunteers interested in being on the executive team for multiple years. And for anyone considering joining Best Buddies? He hopes they take the leap. “If you have even a little bit of interest, you’re likely a good fit,” he says. “It’s a sign you’re heading towards the right place. It’s a commitment, but the rewards far outweigh the challenges.”
Even now that Ryan’s journey as a student volunteer with Best Buddies has concluded, he takes the organization with him wherever he goes…literally. He’s happy to show off the Keith Haring tattoo on his arm. He had it done in his second year at Queen’s as a permanent reminder of his ongoing commitment to inclusion, passion for social work, and the incredible experience he shared with Best Buddies.
As Ryan reflects on his time with Best Buddies, he feels grateful for the friendships and experiences that defined his university years. “I’m very appreciative of the Best Buddies Canada community,” he says. “A big word of congratulations and thank you to all the other chapters across Canada. I miss Best Buddies very dearly and I’m proud to hear it’s still thriving.”