Community Recreation & Leisure Services • Chapter 3 1 1 Learning outcomes • Recall insights from professionals working in community recreation leisure services • Remember key terms, events and people that shaped the development of today’s community recreation and leisure services • Recognize and explain the di ff erent service sectors in community recreation and leisure services • Recognize and explain key themes the provision of community recreation and leisure services 2 2
Learning outcomes (continued) • Recall facts about the passions, pay & perks, possibilities, preparation related to community recreation and leisure services • Summarize future opportunities and challenges facing community recreation and leisure services 3 3 Community recreation & leisure services • A career for people who want to match community residents with the benefits that leisure can provide. • Emphasizes need for: ‣ Creativity ‣ Thoughtful planning ‣ A passion for working with others ‣ Collaboration with community members & networking with other professionals when developing community-based programs 4 4
History of community recreation & leisure services • Open spaces developed into parks near urban centers • Playgrounds were added with life skills taught during play • Emphasis on team sports, gardening, hobbies & physical fitness grew as facilities & services increased during the Great Depression and WWII • Community recreation services now targeted at specific groups (e.g., youth, seniors, and people with disabilities) 5 5 Community recreation — Benefits • Recreation is much more than fun • Benefits include opportunities for: ‣ Mental rejuvenation ‣ Socialization ‣ Physical activity 6 6
Promoting healthy, livable communities • Step up to Health Movement ‣ Provide places to play and exercise ‣ Partner with public health agencies ‣ Host community health events ‣ Active recreation programs • Targets specific populations ‣ Seniors ➤ Senior games ‣ Inclusive recreation ➤ Adapted sports 7 7 Community youth services & positive youth development • Risk behaviors often occur between 2:00 -7:00 PM ‣ Recreation programming in this timeframe may reduce frequency of such behaviors • Recreation programs foster positive behaviors & development 8 8
Site-based youth programming • Occurs in the community, outside planned programs and dedicated rec facilities ‣ May be led by “roving leaders” working with youth directly in their neighborhoods to develop positive social values • Recreation services may be coupled with academic enrichment activities in satellite facilities or in dedicated rec / education facilities • Depends on multi-disciplinary perspective that situates recreation in a larger context of community services (e.g., schools, social work, health services) 9 9 Careers in community recreation & leisure services • PASSIONS • PAY & PERKS ‣ Social interaction ‣ Very variable ‣ Serving your own community ‣ Opportunities for advancement within your agency ‣ Working for ALL residents • Preparation: ‣ Baccalaureate degree in recreation ‣ Supporting training in business, fitness, gerontology, family studies, or public administration ‣ Seasonal, part-time, or volunteer at agencies — get known! 10 10
Careers in community recreation & leisure services • Employment opportunities expected to remain stable ‣ Especially true in Illinois given existence of independent park districts, forest preserves, conservation districts, etc. • Career possibilities: ‣ Recreation programmer ‣ Youth sports leader ‣ After-school / teen center director ‣ Facility manager ‣ Senior recreation programmer ‣ Inclusive recreation programmer ✤ Special recreation associations independent or a ffi liated with park districts & municipalities 11 11 Recreation programmer • Passions: Strong desire to work dircectly with people, belief in & commitment to benefits of community recreation services • Pay & perks: Vary widely, employment may be part-time, seasonal, of full-time • Professional preparation: ‣ Part-time & seasonal: High school or associate’s degree; age requirements may apply ‣ Seasonal & full-time: Advanced seasonal & full-time positions require baccalaureate degree plus work experience • Employment possibilities: Suburban & urban communities, in Illinois also in more rural park districts 12 12
Youth sports & athletics • Passions: Working directly with youth, love of sports & coaching/instructing, league management, facility management • Pay & perks: Entry level comparable to other community-based service personnel; advancement to mid-level (e.g., supervisor of athletics) & senior management possible • Professional preparation: Baccalaureate degree with work in youth sports, recreational sport management, or youth leadership • Employment possibilities: Varies from seasonal to full-time, opportunities greater in suburban & urban areas 13 13 After-school & teen centers • Passions: Working directly with children or teens, making positive contributions to their physical, social, emotional & intellectual development • Pay & perks: Part-time & seasonal positions available to college students looking for work experience, full-time positions generally require baccalaureate degree • Professional preparation: Specialized coursework in youth development, developmental psychology, grant writing, possibly nonprofit administration • Employment possibilities: All three sectors, growing nonprofit & public interest in youth development 14 14
Facility management • Passions: Taking charge, making things happen, problem solving • Pay & perks: Variable by degree of responsibility, size & complexity of facility, number of facilities & employees supervised, individual experience level • Professional preparation: Baccalaureate degree in recreation, facility management, or other appropriate field depending on facility type (e.g., outdoor or natural areas may require natural sciences); senior management may require master’s degree or other advanced training • Employment possibilities: Suburban & urban areas experiencing population & economic growth (e.g., southern/southwestern/northwestern regions in U.S.), some mid-size cities in mid-Atlantic and central mid-West; look for new construction & renovation of existing facilities 15 15 Senior recreation • Passions: Interest in & appreciation of older adults, their diverse experiences & histories • Pay & perks: Entry-level positions include program design & supervision opportunities, mid-level & senior positions include employee supervision & management responsibilities • Professional preparation: Baccalaureate degree in recreation, supporting work in gerontology/aging studies, psychology • Employment possibilities: Likely to expand during next twenty years, all three sectors involved, some facilities becoming more targeted in their service populations, need exists everywhere ‣ Greatest occupational risk: Winding up in the facility where my wife puts me 16 16
Inclusive recreation • Passions: Enabling people, working with diverse popuations, creativity & flexibility, commitment to universal design & adaptive programming, interest in adapted sports & community integration • Pay & perks: Varies depending on nature of employment, educational background & professional certification/licensure (e.g., Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist or Licensed Recreational Therapist) • Professional preparation: Baccalaureate degree in recreation with emphasis in therapeutic recreation or directly in therapeutic recreation, appropriate supporting coursework • Employment possibilities: Residential and daycare facilities, clinical settings, nonprofits, community TR growing (the Special Recreation Associations in Illinois) 17 17 Future opportunities, issues & challenges • Trends to note: ‣ Promoting healthy & active lifestyles ‣ Meeting the needs of increasingly diverse populations ‣ Interdisciplinary collaborations & partnerships ‣ Senior programs on the rise 18 18
Getting involved • Nationally ‣ National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) (www.nrpa.org) ‣ American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) (www.aahperd.org) ‣ Other more specialized organizations abound ‣ Illinois ‣ Illinois Association of Park Districts (agency memberships only) (IAPD) (www.ilparks.org/default.asp?) ‣ Illinois Park & Recreation Association (IRPA) (connect.ilipra.org/home) ‣ Department of RPTA ‣ Student Recreation Society, HELP & other opportunities 19 19 In Review • Benefits of community recreation that are frequently described include ‣ Improving the environment ‣ Providing opportunities for social engagement ‣ Reducing the risk of various diseases ‣ All of the above 20 20
In Review • During what hours are youth most likely to engage in risk behaviors ‣ At lunchtime ‣ After school ‣ Late evening ‣ Around midnight 21 21 In Review • Which of the following is an example of resilience? ‣ Seeking out positive opportunities despite di ffi cult circumstances ‣ Stopping playing the piano when you are teased ‣ Competing in weight training and aerobic exercises ‣ Waking up early after a long day 22 22
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