Consistently, past NRPA Congress attendees tell us the high value they place on the continuing education and certification programs offered during the three-day conference. For park and recreation professionals, Congress is a one-stop shop for networking, professional development and information about our industry. During this year’s event, we’re featuring even more opportunities to learn and grow during our Off-Site Institutes (OSI) and Pre-Congress Workshops (PCW). As NRPA’s Education Manager of Conferences and Schools Tom Crosley puts it, “[Off-Site Institutes and Pre-Congress Workshops] focus on the subjects that folks need to dig into and spend more time with. It’s an opportunity to show up early and take advantage of additional training.”
Pre-Congress Workshops
The 2014 NRPA Congress is set for October 14–16 in Charlotte, North Carolina, but those who arrive early can gain access to an impressive roster of classes, trainings and networking events. The first PCWs begin Saturday, October 11, and include units on agency accreditation, playground safety, grant writing, Certified Park and Recreation Professional training, fund development, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and the highly anticipated Brand+Aid Marketing Institute.
Of particular note is Monday’s one-day Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) training, titled, “Agency Accreditation and CAPRA Visitor Training: A Mark of Excellence.” Here, new standards for accreditation will be unveiled and attendees will receive information tailored to these new benchmarks. This unit is recommended for all agencies going through the initial or continuing accreditation process. Attendees will also qualify to apply to become CAPRA visitors, and the training serves as a refresher for current visitors. The training reviews all 144 accreditation standards and identifies recent changes to the accreditation program, including new fundamental standards, eliminated standards, and changes in how visits and hearings are conducted, and it provides an opportunity for audience questions to be answered. Registration and tuition, set at $65 per person, is required to attend.
Perhaps the gem of the PCWs is Monday’s Brand+Aid Marketing Institute, which functions as a “mini-conference within the conference,” says Crosley. Many agencies lack the time and expertise to launch an effective marketing campaign in their communities. Brand+Aid is designed to give valuable marketing tips and tools to park and recreation professionals with budgets of any size, or no budget all. Experts from both the public and private sectors will share how to develop branding and marketing strategies that work, increase citizen advocacy, develop targeted advertising campaigns, and more effectively utilize both print and digital advertising media. The day-long event is broken down into several sessions covering everything from digital marketing to social media, website design, mobile marketing and more. Attendees can choose which sessions they’d like to attend. Lunch will be provided and CEUs may be earned. The cost to attend Brand+Aid is just $99 for those also attending Congress, $125 for NRPA members not attending Congress and $162 for nonmembers.
Off-Site Institutes
This year, almost a dozen OSIs are available to Congress attendees. The trainings, classes and tours are planned by the Congress host committee, meaning the folks in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation (MCPR) have taken pains to tailor offerings to highlight the best the area has to offer, as well as best practices among those facilities. Three days before Congress, as well as the Thursday during the event, offer unique opportunities to experience the gems of Charlotte’s parks and urban spaces. Here, we highlight just a handful of the many beneficial OSIs of which Congress participants may take advantage.
Kicking things off for Sunday’s batch of OSIs is “Anne Springs Close Greenway: Outdoor Recreation, Education and Special Events.” Topics for discussion include special-event planning and challenges, event execution, resource utilization for educational programming, promotions, sponsorships, membership sales and logistics. Attendees will experience a blend of outdoor recreation, educational programming, agri-tourism and agri-tainment, plus earn 0.6 CEUs. The OSI also coincides with the Fall Frolic Festival, an annual month-long event that showcases many of the outdoor recreational activities the property has to offer. This is a great opportunity for park and recreation professionals to see firsthand methods of leveraging a property’s potential uses, for everything from organized recreation to community events that draw huge crowds and attention to a municipality’s parks system. The festival is open to the public each weekend in October and includes a variety of educational programming throughout the week. Highlights of the event are a four-acre corn maze, hay mazes, hiking, lead-line horse rides, pedal carts, wagon rides, kayaking, gem mining and more.
Those who wish to get a larger overview of Mecklenburg County parks would be well-served to attend the “Best of the Best” tour, also set for October 12. Parks officials will lead a day-long tour to showcase the area’s most popular parks, remarkable facilities and successful partnerships. Scheduled stops include the new uptown Romare Bearden Park, the popular Freedom Park, Revolution Sports Academy, Nevin Park, Jetton Park on the shores of Lake Norman, and the 1,400-acre Latta Plantation Nature Preserve on Mountain Island Lake. Participants will also learn more about park system partnerships with youth athletic clubs, Charlotte Boxing Academy, First Tee of Charlotte, the Carolina Panthers, Carolina Raptor Center and Historic Latta Plantation.
On Monday, October 13, those who are not able to attend the Best of the Best OSI but wish to learn about some of Mecklenburg County’s most-loved open spaces should plan to attend “Latta Plantation Nature Preserve: Partnerships, Challenges and Opportunities.” Here, informative guides will lead a tour of three of the county’s most outstanding nature preserves: Latta Plantation, Rural Hill and Cowan’s Ford. Park officials attribute much of the success of these locations to partnerships with like-minded organizations including the Carolina Raptor Center, Historic Latta Inc., Rural Hill Inc. and the Latta Equestrian Center. During this OSI, participants will learn more about managing such partnerships and the many benefits and amenities that result, both in terms of additional programming and community involvement.
Congress participants looking for a bit more excitement in their OSI experience will definitely want to check out “U.S. National Whitewater Center: Public-Private Partnerships for Outdoor Recreation,” held Monday, October 13. This session will focus on the partnerships that facilitated the development of the U.S. National Whitewater Center, with emphasis on the struggles and successes that resulted along the way. Speakers will also instruct attendees on methods of being more creative with outdoor recreation programming. Then, once the classroom session finishes at noon, visitors are welcome to stay and further explore the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Mecklenburg County shuttles will continue to run through 7:30 p.m., allowing plenty of time to experience whitewater rafting and kayaking, flatwater kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, rock climbing, zip lines, ropes courses, a canopy tour or mountain biking more than 25 miles of trails.
Crosley assures, no matter the OSIs or PCWs you choose to attend, you’re guaranteed to come away with a “better understanding of Charlotte and the exciting things Mecklenburg County is doing with public-private partnerships. And, get better at your job!”
Learn more about the NRPA Annual Conference.
Samantha Bartram is the Associate Editor of Parks & Recreation Magazine.