EYE ON THE PROFESSION
A CLOSER LOOK AT TRENDS AND ISSUES IN THE PARK AND RECREATION PROFESSION                                

The Ripple Effect

William J. M. Wald, CPRP IPRA Executive Director

A drop of water has fallen, and its ripple effect is yet to be determined. The IAPD/IPRA Joint Public Awareness Committee (JPAC) has adopted as its mission the "Benefits Movement" for Illinois park districts, forest preserves, and recreation agencies. As a result, small ripples are being made throughout the state.

By the time you read this, many will have seen the premier of the Illinois Benefits Video at the opening session of the 2001 IAPD/IPRA Annual Conference. Hopefully, many of you will have dropped your business card in the basket at the JPAC booth to receive more information regarding the Benefits movement or, better yet, to setup an agency training date. I congratulate the districts who are already involved in the Benefits Movement. Many of you have realized the value of adopting a Benefits philosophy and the implementation of Benefits Based Management, Awareness and Programming.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, please take a moment to read on. This article may change the way you think about your job, your agency and the importance of parks and recreation in peoples lives.

We've Come a Long Way You have to admit the field of parks and recreation has come a long way in the last 50 years, even in the last 20 years. At one time, we were the small, quiet unit of local government that most taxpayers rarely questioned. Then we began building waterparks, skate parks, fitness clubs, community centers and much more. Our communities grew and residents started requesting more and more. We spent most of our energies providing facilities and programs and now offer more recreational opportunities than ever before. With the tax cap, we are not relying so heavily on tax dollars but rather seeking out alternate revenue sources such as partnerships and sponsorships. We have adopted a business attitude. Many of our professionals are earning MBAs and other graduate degrees as the need for expertise in specific areas of parks and recreation has grown. Look at how far we have come!

Fitness clubs are packed because people want to reduce stress, improve their health and, hopefully, lengthen their lives.

But this progress has not come without a price. As our communities grew and residents demanded more, we spent most of our energies focusing on facilities, services and programs and began losing sight of our main focus. Have we forgotten why we exist in the first place?

• We offer dance classes and swim lessons for kids to have an opportunity to have fun, make friends, and improve their self-esteem.

• Fitness clubs are packed because people want to reduce stress, improve their health and, hopefully, lengthen their lives.

• We are providing seniors with opportunities to socialize, fulfill their sense of adventure and, in some cases, reduce boredom and feelings of isolation.

These are just a few of the endless benefits we provide. These benefits are what we are all about. We provide not only individual benefits but also community, environmental and economic benefits. I could go on and on but I won't.

Instead, I encourage you to have Illinois Benefits mentors from JPAC come to your agency and introduce you and your entire staff, from frontline personnel to park and maintenance employees to your administrative team, to the Benefits Movement.

12 / Illinois Parks and Recreation

THE RIPPLE EFFECT                                                                                          

History of the Benefits Movement

The National Park and Recreation Association established the "Benefits of Parks and Recreation are Endless" campaign in 1996. The campaign focuses on three main areas including public awareness, management and programming. NRPA developed three training programs related to these areas: Benefits Based Awareness, Benefits Based Management and Benefits Based Programming. Illinois jumped on the bandwagon in 1998 by offering these NRPA programs and also by using the Benefits logos provided by the Advisors Group, a marketing company that partnered with NRPA to support this campaign. The Benefits message slowly infiltrated agencies across Illinois.

An Illinois Breakthrough

A major breakthrough in the Illinois Benefits movement came in August 2000 when the Joint Public Awareness Committee adopted the Benefits Campaign as its mission. The committee's goal is to create an Illinois Benefits Program that will train elected officials, professionals and staff on the NRPA Benefits philosophy as it applies to Illinois. Also, JPAC intends to promote the benefits of Illinois park districts, forest preserves and recreation agencies to external audiences including legislators, the mass media and, of course, the general public. This movement will help agencies educate their community leaders and will provide sound data that can be used when approaching potential funding sources and partners.

Says Sandy Gbur, the chair of JPAC: "The Benefits Movement brings us back to our roots, our reasons for existing. It will help us to eliminate the misconceptions related to the field of parks and recreation and help us communicate to the public and other external audiences just how vital our programs, parks, facilities and services are to our communities and society as a whole.

"But it's more than a public awareness campaign. It's a whole new way of thinking which will affect the way we manage, program and communicate."

Areas of Focus

JPAC, with the assistance and support of the IPRA Benefits Subcommittee, is implementing a five-year marketing plan, created by the committee. This plan focuses on three main areas: training, public awareness and research.

Training
JPAC is currently providing a three-hour agency training program that introduces your entire staff to the Benefits Movement. Not only is this a great team-building opportunity, but it also provides a feeling of purpose and achievement. To bring this program to your agency, call IPRA.

The committee also is organizing two-person teams of IAPD and IPRA members to make 10- to 15-minute Benefits presentations at park board meetings throughout the state. These presentations not only encourage agencies to get involved in the Benefits Movement, but also educates those in attendance on how to talk in terms of Benefits when conversing with their local school boards, community organizations, potential partners and corporate sponsors and, most importantly, the public.

Public Awareness
An Illinois Benefits logo and slogan is in the works. As soon as it's completed, it will be available to Illinois agencies to use in program brochures, on stationery and other agency promotional items.

Research Western Illinois University has partnered with the JPAC Committee and Benefits Subcommittee to provide a graduate student for the spring 2001 semester to collect existing data regarding the benefits of parks and recreation in Illinois. Once this research is collected, it will be compiled and made available to Illinois park and recreation agencies. Preaching to the Choir In parks and recreation, we commonly preach to ourselves about our accomplishments and how vital we are within the community. But what would happen if we weren't here? Who would maintain the fields, facilities, and parks? Who would provide programs for all ages, a place for seniors to socialize and affordable fitness opportunities? Through the Benefits Program and with its resources, we will be able to spread this message to the outside. We must tell our story to legislators, city officials, county officials, corporate leaders and citizens. This external message will build and strengthen our already well-established reputation in our communities and build a solid reputation throughout the state. One Small Drop This is the current status of the Illinois Benefits Movement, in a nutshell. We are on the threshold of an extremely exciting time for park, recreation and forest preserve districts in Illinois. The tiny drop of water has fallen. Are you going to be part of the ripple effect? What seems like only a ripple today, can become the wave of the future. •

We offer dance classes and swim lessons for kids to have an opportunity to have fun, make friends, and improve their self-esteem.

January/February 2001 / 13