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I believe most people would agree that we all want to feel like we belong to something — whether it’s playing on a youth sports team, joining a fitness class for older adults, or participating in a therapeutic recreation program for children with disabilities. Park and recreation professionals understand the importance of providing all community members opportunities to make those human connections that stave off loneliness while nurturing their mental and physical health. I witnessed this firsthand in my own community, where the youth soccer program that my son participated in when he was younger welcomed kids on the autism spectrum to play on the same team. This was a perfect way to teach children, including my own son, about empathy, patience and sportsmanship through the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion. It also promoted socialization and teamwork through sports. This speaks to the strength of the park and recreation profession: The ability to recognize the impact recreation programming offerings can have on children at an early age and show them what it means to be an inclusive community.
City of Glenwood Springs (Colorado) Parks and Recreation, featured in this month’s cover story, “Where Community Grows and Thrives” on page 34, illustrates this notion perfectly. NRPA Senior Manager of Digital Content Cort Jones profiles the 2023 Park and Recreation Month Cover Contest winner and how the agency’s therapeutic recreation program supports the theme: “Where Community Grows.” Most importantly, he interviews the mother of Isaac Alonso, the young boy featured in the photo rock climbing, about what the therapeutic recreation program means to her family. “According to Isaac’s mother, Juana Alonso, the program has helped [Isaac] in countless ways. Not only has he become stronger physically in his feet, legs and arms, but also he appears happier and more motivated and is beside himself with excitement on the days he can go climbing,” Jones writes.
Next, Jennifer Schleining, CAPRA accreditation manager at NRPA, shares the lessons that six park and recreation agencies learned during the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) new accreditation or reaccreditation process in the feature article, “The CAPRA Connection,” on page 40.
Finally, in the article, “Simulation-Based Public Engagement,” on page 44, contributors Chris Adams, Liz Carey-Linskey and Hillary De La Cruz explain why we should rethink the way agencies deploy their community engagement processes. “Some cities are going beyond the typical public meeting process to gather input using new digital tools, including interactive online simulations (sometimes called scenario planning),” they write.
What’s more, be sure to check out our special conference section on page 48, which offers some key reasons for attending the 2023 NRPA Annual Conference this October in Dallas. If anything, it’s your chance to share with colleagues why your inclusive programming is “where community grows.” That’s something that we all should celebrate!
Vitisia "Vi" Paynich is Executive Editor and Director of Print and Online Content at NRPA.