NRPA Develops Guide to Address the Importance of Working Collaboratively Within Communities
Ashburn, Va. (June 18, 2019) —The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has released the Community Engagement Resource Guide: Creating Equitable Access to High-Performing Parks to provide park and recreation professionals with a roadmap to implement equitable and inclusive community engagement strategies around the planning, design, construction, maintenance and activation of park projects and park plans. NRPA believes that all people should have a seat at the table and a voice when it comes to changes in their communities through an equitable and inclusive process.
“NRPA strives to provide our member agencies with the necessary tools they need to create park and recreation facilities that meet the needs of their communities,” said Kellie May, NRPA vice president of programs and partnerships. “This guide provides our members with a step-by-step engagement process that ensures parks and public spaces are created by the people they are intended to serve.”
An inclusive and equitable engagement process is an ongoing and proactive process of working collaboratively with all people. With that vision, this guide assists park and recreation agencies with building trust among community members and park and recreation agencies, improving the environmental, physical, social, and economic health of communities, and develops a community’s ownership over park spaces.
Built on existing research, interviewing park and recreation professionals, and soliciting feedback from local and national community engagement experts, this guide addresses the challenges that park and recreation agencies face when engaging communities and provides strategies, case studies and best practices to address those needs.
The guide divides the engagement process into four major themes to help park and recreation professionals better meet the needs of all people who are impacted by projects and plans:
- Internal Assessment and Planning
- Building Trust with Communities
- Community Engagement Strategies
- Evaluation
While every community is different and faces unique challenges, communities that contributed their stories successfully used these strategies and enhanced public discourse and social cohesion, as a result. In Covington, Kentucky, they established an advisory council that brought together community members to identify and advocate for community needs and will help in the development of future park planning. The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy went on a listening tour to not only gather input but also to learn from the community about their needs, while also supporting “park champions” in the community to be on-the-ground community advocates for park projects. The tools and tips included in this guide provide strategies for agencies of all capabilities a path to meaningful community engagement.
To view the Community Engagement Resource Guide, click here.
Funding for this work is provided by The JPB Foundation.
To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org.
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About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.