PARK COUNSELORS
"A Deterrent to Vandalism"

by Roger Key

Vandalism and misuse of parks are problems facing many of us, and the solutions to these problems are not easy to obtain. Arlington Heights is now in its second year of employing Park Counselors in trying to curb and eliminate these problems.

The program started with the Youth Council which conceived the idea of placing qualified High School Guidance Counselors in the parks to help and counsel the youths that congregate in the parks and cause many of the problems. The Youth Council approached the Park District for approval of such a program and then the Village Board of Trustees for finances. The Village Board approved a sum of $10,000.00 to fund five community parks on a nightly basis for the summer months. The program, therefore, is three-fold: the Village finances the program; the Youth Council acts in an advisory capacity; and the Park District hires the Counselors and supervises the program. This type of cooperation is an exhibit of participation by various community agencies working together to solve a problem that is the concern of the total community.

The Counselor's role is to mix and mingle with the youths and try to gain their respect and rapport. Once this is established, the Counselor tries to steer their behavior into channels of constructive use of leisure time. Programs initiated directly by the counselors and the youth include pizza and late evening swim parties, several folk and rock concerts in the parks, road rallies and special trips. Therefore, the Counselors serve as eyes and ears for the Park District in the area of programming for teens who normally would not get involved in our activities.

The pilot program was evaluated as a success due to the following criteria: fewer complaints from park users; fewer police calls from homeowners; calls from parents complimenting the Counselors and the program and the influence they had upon their teenagers; and the great reduction in vandalism.

The program is essential and quite worthwhile. Parks serve as a natural meeting place for youth, and when they congregate, the use of alcohol and drugs, plus vandalism and rowdy behavior are potential occurrences. The Counselor program by no means stopped this type of activity completely, but certainly curtailed it. Strong police action seemed only to incite the youths more and cause retribution by the youths in terms of vandalism. The trained Counselor, on the other hand, very seldom punished, but rather listened to the youths and either acted on many of their valid complaints and desires, or tried to make the youths aware of how absurd some of their actions and desires were.

The mechanics of the program were not difficult to administer. Two Counselors were assigned to each park and were responsible to make out their own work schedule in such a manner that one of them was on duty each evening of the week. They work four hours a night from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Meetings are held weekly to air problems and discuss possible solutions and approaches to chronic problems. The Counselors are paid $6.50 per hour and time clocks verify their hours.

The program is accomplishing the established objectives. For the most part, the youths identified with the stated problems are not that difficult to reach when approached with trained, qualified adult Counselors. The youths are usually lacking maturity, responsibility and leery of adult supervision and authority. The adults who are trained in guidance counseling help alleviate much of the frustrations that the teenagers are experiencing and gear their actions in a positive manner and hopefully can instill constructive use of their leisure time.

(EDITORS NOTE: Roger Key is Recreation Coordinator for the Arlington Heights Park District.)

Illinois Parks and Recreation 26 September/October, 1974