Join the National Conflict Resolution Center's interactive workshop, The Bystander Challenge Clinic, on March 27th, 2025, to learn how bystanders can become upstanders in addressing inappropriate workplace behavior. Participants will gain practical skills to foster a respectful and inclusive workplace through thoughtful communication, empathy, and intervention techniques.

Park and recreation professionals have the tools and resources to lead localized, anti-racist solutions that advance the multitude of benefits derived from equitable park access and climate-resilient park systems. The Park Access Network is an open community bringing together diverse professionals to facilitate conversations and best practices among peers to drive systemic changes that advance equitable and resilient park access.

NRPA membership hours take place the second Thursday of each month at 1pm ET. Join the membership team for a brief overview of NRPA membership at the top of the hour followed by the opportunity to ask questions about your benefits, getting involved with NRPA and much more. We invite everyone to join!

Enjoy this session from the NRPA 2024 Virtual Conference! Like many park and recreation organizations, Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District (THPRD) faced dramatic changes to its workforce, both during and prior to the pandemic disruption in 2020. Longtime staff members departing via retirement, layoffs or by seeking promotional opportunities elsewhere resulted in a loss of institutional memory — a major roadblock in bringing forward the next leaders in parks and recreation. When THPRD first started to see the impact of these losses, its leaders believed that seeking accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) would present an ideal opportunity to document and formalize processes and serve as a succession planning tool. Both in the agency’s initial accreditation, and its first reaccreditation — which occurred post-pandemic — THPRD saw a true value in evaluating processes, prioritizing critical long-range planning and measuring successes. Through their CAPRA journey, THPRD was able to engage emerging leaders by pairing them with tenured managers to share information and formalize processes, thereby providing critically needed workforce and leadership development opportunities. This session will provide tips, tricks and advice on using CAPRA as your leadership development pipeline.

The Social Media Marketing learning opportunity is designed for park and recreation professionals interested in expanding their understanding and application of social media marketing best practices. This opportunity includes a guide for learners to implement the skills learned, an opportunity to view how others in the field are utilizing social media marketing, and free access to some bonus marketing content!

Coming April 2025! Learn how to use our robust Environmentally Sustainable Parks Assessment Tool. This online learning event offers insight into the capabilities of this tool and its possibilities to support a holistic approach to your agency’s environmental sustainability plans, policies and practices.

Coming March 2025! How farmers markets around the United States and park and recreation agencies can work together to create a sustainable market. This online learning event will cover key aspects to consider when planning a farmers market.

The 2025 Monthly Virtual Learning Subscription includes 12 on-demand education Talks, one per month, and is free to Premier Members. These on-demand talks will be released on the first Monday of the month unless otherwise noted. The full 2025 Monthly Virtual Learning Subscription is worth a total of 1.2 CEU. NRPA's virtual education Talks feature knowledgeable subject matter experts presenting on timely insights from research and practice. Each Talk is worth 0.1 CEU.

Enjoy this session from the NRPA 2024 Virtual Conference! In the dynamic realm of parks and recreation management, leadership extends beyond daily operations to encompass crucial project management skills. From coordinating community events to overseeing transformative large-scale park projects, this multifaceted field requires a unique blend of leadership and project management abilities. This workshop focuses on managing large-scale park projects, including creating new parks, renovating facilities and enhancing community quality of life. Participants will gain a comprehensive guide covering the project lifecycle, from planning and budgeting to stakeholder engagement, resource allocation, risk management and successful project delivery. Our session prioritizes practical application over theory, with interactive exercises simulating real-world scenarios. This approach allows participants to actively apply concepts, boosting understanding and retention. Additionally, this workshop is designed to foster confidence and a sense of belonging for individuals less experienced or less confident in their roles, empowering them to excel in park and recreation management.

Enjoy this session from the 2024 NRPA Virtual Conference! This session will be a quick-hitting "self assessment" for recreation professionals individually and from a leadership perspective. The old adage "you never get a second chance to make a first impression" is absolutely true. Current and potential participants, staff, funders and partners hear us long before we say a word. Often we have created obstacles that are almost impossible to overcome because we don't even know they exist. More importantly, good will can be created the same way. There are so many aspects to this that we can't cover them all. But there are a top three that we will address: communication (verbal and non), attitude (staff and participant) and appearance (staff and facility).