SEVAN SARKISIAN

READER'S OPINION . . . Education + Experience + Certification ="A PROFESSIONAL RECREATOR" by Sevan Sarkisian.

PHILOSOPHY

This recommendation of mandatory certification, is conceived as a means of upgrading the park and recreation professions in the state of Illinois. With competent education, experience, and certification, this proposal is designed to increase the caliber and stature of the "recreation professional," and his programs.

We here in Illinois have a chance to be the first state to have mandatory certification, and thus set a standard that our profession nationwide can justifiably be proud of.

PURPOSE

Unless the professional field of parks and recreation takes it upon itself to require mandatory certification, our disciplines will never enjoy the public recognition, confidence, and support other professions currently enjoy, and we so desperately need.

Doctors, teachers, lawyers, etc., must be certified by the state to practice their skills. The general public demands certification in these fields, and accordingly, demanding excellence, are willing to pay for it in one manner or another. Can the same be said of the so called professional fields of Parks and Recreation?

Until mandatory certification becomes a reality within this state, we will never enjoy the respect of the citizenry we serve. Many communities will continue to think of the park or recreation practitioner as someone who does not need any formal education of licensing, but rather just anyone— after all, they say—all he does "is open a gym and toss out some basketballs, etc., and make sure the kids don't tear apart the community, but it doesn't really take any professional training—anyone can do it.

This philosophy which is so prevalent in the minds of many, must change if our profession is to make rapid strides forword in the 70's, in the areas of acceptance by the public, adequate financial support, and creative and imaginative programming.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Currently, there are over 1,300 members in the Illinois Park and Recreation Society. Of this total, only 115 are currently "registered" which is roughly only 9% of the total membership.

Even to the laymen, it is obvious that voluntary certification has not achieved the desired results hoped for when this program was adopted more than a dozen years ago. An average of roughly 10 certified professionals a year raises the question—Is certified certification a myth? And how much confidence do these figures inspire in the general public towards finances for facilities, programs, and of course salaries?

Thus, with all of statistical knowledge before us, it would appear certified personnel can only become a reality when all facets of recreation within the state demand its adoption as mandatory.

PROPOSED ASPECTS OF CERTIFICATION

1. All four year institutions granting B.A. degrees in Recreation, will require state certification of all their graduates as a requirement for graduation. This requirement includes satisfactory completion of the student's required fieldwork experience to be followed by successfully passing the examination for "Certified Supervisor." Those passing the examination will be issued a "Provisional Supervisor's Certificate" which will become a "certified" certificate upon completion of two year's full-time park or recreation experience.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 12 May/June, 1974

2. All two year institutions granting A.A. degrees in Recreation, will require state certification of all their graduates as a requirement for graduation. This requirement includes satisfactory completion of the student's field-work experience to be followed by successfully passing the examination for "Certified Leader." Those passing the examination will be issued a "Provisional Leader's Certificate" which will become a "certified" certificate upon completion of 1,000 hours of full-time park or recreation experience.

3. Upon successful certification at any level, provisions should be made by the employing agency for a $300 increase in salary at each level, for the successful applicant. This will add substantial motivation for the "recreator" to improve himself professionally.

4. The Illinois Park & Recreation Society will forward job resumes for certified personnel only.

5. Educate the Illinois Municipal Association, the Illinois Association of Park Districts, and the various merit system personnel departments, of the advisibility of establishing certification as a mandatory employment qualification for recreation vacancies.

6. Insistence on the part of the director of the recreation agency that all future employees be certified to qualify for vacancies within the department.

ADDITIONAL PERTINENT DATA

Can we answer the following question—Why can't mandatory certification become a reality in our professional discipline? We all know that early certification programs were almost entirely the result of a motivation occurring from within the profession itself. That philosophy must change in the 70's, and be expanded to include the public we serve.

Point of information—any barber or beautician, in the state of Illinois can become a recreation leader, but no recreation leader can become a barber or beautician, without a license! It would seem that a meaningful contribution to making certification mandatory should be forthcoming from the National Recreation and Park Association.

By the NRPA implementing such a program, it would do the following:

1. The recreation profession would in effect be policing itself.

2. In order to become a full-fledged profession, recreation and parks must implement an occupational restriction program.

3. A program initiated for the motives listed above would be self-serving because its purpose would be to impress the general public with the quality of its personnel.

4. Hopefully, a mandatory certification program would protect the public from incompetent recreators, and also provide for the displaying of professional abilities to the citizens it serves.

5. The general public will be impressed by a national plan that has real power and real requirements.

(Editors Note: Sevan Sarkisian is Coordinator of Recreation Leadership for College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Articles do not necessarily represent the views of I.A.P.D. and I.P.R.S. We encourage frank and open discussion. We urge opposing views to submit rebuttal.)

Illinois Parks and Recreation 13 May/June, 1974