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NRPA’s program for helping park and recreation professionals make impactful change
NRPA’s Equity in Practice program stands as a beacon of hope in a profession grappling with historical inequities. Parks and recreation — meant to create communal spaces for health and wellness, cultural expression and celebration, platforms for environmental stewardship, and conduits to adventures — hasn’t always lived up to this promise. Racism persists and impedes equitable access to high-quality green spaces, programs and resources that local parks and recreation is uniquely poised to provide. Recognizing this, NRPA embarked on a transformative journey in 2020, culminating in the launch of the Equity in Practice program in 2022. Explore the program’s potential impact on the profession, what we have learned so far and what to expect in the future.
Unearthing the Roots
It is important to understand why we lead with race in the Equity in Practice program. As part of a robust exploration process when creating the program, we learned that racism is often the hardest disparity for park and recreation professionals to discuss — yet it is the most perverse and detrimental barrier to fully serving our communities. Yes, there are other forms of discrimination — far too many, unfortunately — and it is important to remember that racism intensifies all other forms of discrimination. It is because of this that we lead with race, and we use a lens of transferability to intentionally help make connections across identities — equipping park and recreation professionals to address inequities related to all forms of discrimination (e.g., ageism, ableism, homophobia, sexism, transphobia).
Prior to NRPA’s initiative, research consistently exposed the uneven distribution of access to and quality of park and recreation resources. A 2021 study by Trust for Public Land revealed that communities with predominately Black residents have 40 percent less park space compared to white communities. Additionally, these parks are often of lower quality, lacking amenities and proper maintenance, and this spatial disparity translates into a barrier to positive health outcomes. There is significant evidence indicating a correlation between access to parks and lower rates of obesity, heart disease and depression (tinyurl.com/mvsze2f4, tinyurl.com/bdzrvj8m, tinyurl.com/38tnkv9u). The lack of equitable access creates a significant barrier between Black individuals and the health benefits of parks and recreation.
Ideas for Action
NRPA’s Equity in Practice program distinguishes itself from traditional diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training. The focus is on actively putting “equity in practice,” a philosophy that transcends mere awareness-building. The Equity in Practice program centers on the practical application of equity principles, ensuring these values translate into tangible actions within everyday park and recreation work. This program is not only a pathway to personal and professional growth, but also a commitment to promoting equity within every facet of the park and recreation profession.
The Equity in Practice program is anchored by its three-tiered certificate structure. Each certificate, delivered throughout multiple weeks, provides a structured learning experience with increasing levels of complexity and interactive learning tasks, such as workshopping action ideas and building an equity action plan.
Certificate 1: Exploring Racial Equity lays the groundwork for the program by fostering an understanding of historical and contemporary issues related to racial equity in parks and recreation. Interactive workshops and guided self-paced activities encourage open dialogue and knowledge exchange. Participants are exposed to concepts and frameworks that help them think critically about how they can use their unique context to address gaps in equity by analyzing existing power dynamics within the profession.
Certificate 2: Pursuing Racial Equity in Parks and Recreation builds upon Certificate 1 and empowers participants to translate theory into action using the foundational knowledge and skills learned in Certificate 1. This program guides them in developing a strategic Equity Action Plan. This plan serves as a roadmap, outlining concrete steps toward greater equity within the context of their specific agency or community.
Certificate 3: Integrating Equity in Practice promises an even deeper dive. Participants will concentrate on a specific initiative aimed at advancing equity within their park or program. They will receive valuable feedback from their peers and other park and recreation leaders, allowing them to refine their approach while prioritizing ways to amplify attention to equity in their day-to-day work moving forward. This culmination stage strengthens the integration of equity considerations into everyday practice.
NRPA recognizes that certificates alone cannot comprehensively address the multifaceted issue of equity. Alongside the core program, NRPA offers a range of resources that support ongoing learning and engagement. On-demand webinars and events delve into specific topics, such as culturally responsive programming and designing inclusive playgrounds. Additionally, NRPA maintains a robust online resource library that houses case studies, best practice examples and research reports. This library enables park and recreation professionals to learn from successful initiatives implemented by their peers across the country.
Furthermore, NRPA fosters a sense of community and safety among participants through online forums and regional workshops. This creates a space for professionals to share challenges, exchange ideas and celebrate successes. This sense of shared purpose and collective action strengthens the program’s impact.
The Potential Impact
The potential impact of NRPA’s Equity in Practice program is far-reaching. By equipping park and recreation professionals with the knowledge, skills and tools to move toward greater equity, the Equity in Practice program is well positioned to lead to transformative change in the profession. Here are some key areas where the program’s impact will be felt:
More Inclusive Park Design and Programming: The program fosters a focus on understanding the diversity of community needs. An increased understanding of diverse community needs can inform the design and programming of park and recreation agencies. For example, parks may cater to a wider range of interests, abilities and cultural backgrounds by incorporating sensory gardens, providing culturally relevant and appropriate programs like traditional dance classes, building accessible playgrounds, and providing multilingual signage.
Enhanced Community Engagement: The Equity in Practice program emphasizes community engagement strategies that enable individuals from historically marginalized communities to be equitable partners in the planning, design and implementation processes. This fosters a stronger relationship and increased trust between park and recreation agencies and the communities they serve.
More Representative Workforce: The program enables participants to examine their organizational culture, and the focus on equity can inspire more equitable practices like broader recruitment efforts within park and recreation agencies. This helps to build a workforce that is more representative of the community it serves while bringing fresh perspectives and a deeper understanding of community needs.
Increased Funding and Resources: Program participants are better prepared to collect important data and document disparities in park access in their communities. This data and the knowledge gained from it can be used to advocate for increased funding and more resources, while also helping park and recreation professionals identify and apply for grants and other resources aimed at promoting equity in parks and recreation.
Where We’ve Been and Where We Are Going
We are so excited to reflect on the first full year of Equity in Practice. Since the first cohort of Certificate 1 in January 2023, we have completed five additional cohorts for a total of six cohorts — and Cohort 7 is coming in fall 2024! Throughout each cohort, we have intentionally focused on continuous quality improvement and assurance so that our participants have a meaningful learning experience. More than 100 park and recreation professionals have completed Certificate 1 and actively are applying their learnings in their day-to-day work.
We are also excited to share that we will be offering our second cohort of Certificate 2 in fall 2024. Cohort 1 wrapped up during summer 2023, and while we are still analyzing our learnings from this inaugural cohort, we do recognize that we have opportunities to provide more visibility to the work that is already happening to move the needle toward greater equity in parks and recreation. Read “Equity in Practice” on NRPA’s Open Space Blog (tinyurl.com/2ckjya5u) to learn what participants had to say about their experience in the Equity in Practice program.
The knowledge and experience we have had with both Equity in Practice Certificate 1 and Certificate 2 have helped inform the initial development of an Equity in Practice catalog of professional development opportunities, including Clinics that explore the competencies for equity in practice and a series of online learning events focused on navigating uncomfortable conversations, applying best practices for accessible communication, centering equity in youth development spaces and more.
For too long, the benefits and promise of parks and recreation have not reached all corners of our communities. NRPA’s Equity in Practice program is more than a bandage for a wound — it is an instrument wielded for change. It is a call for park and recreation professionals to step up and dismantle the legacy of racism that has long cast a shadow on our communities. It is a chance to unlock the transformative power of parks and recreation for every community member and create a future where parks are truly for everyone.
Author’s Note: Our learnings also have informed the development of Certificate 3, and we couldn’t be more excited to announce that this offering will be available in early 2025.
Tiff Cunin (they/them) is Senior Education Manager for DEI at NRPA.