As a workplace leader, navigating conflict is part of the role—whether it's managing egos, resolving disputes, or addressing limited resources. Today’s workplace is facing heightened conflicts fueled by polarizing issues like politics, racial and gender dynamics, and remote work. Leaders must address these challenges to protect morale, productivity, and psychological safety. The National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC) developed the "Culture, Communication, and Conflict Clinics" workshop series to help leaders foster positive, inclusive workplace cultures through practical, interactive sessions designed to equip them with effective conflict management strategies. These clinics will be at 2:00pm EDT every Thursday in February 2025!

In these clinics participants will learn:

1. You’ll learn how to effectively handle challenging one-on-one conversations. You’ll explore strategies and techniques to embrace and promote inclusivity. 

2. You’ll learn how to empower others at your workplace to become thoughtful upstanders and to create a sense of belonging. 

3. You’ll learn to lead a collaborative, problem-solving conversation that is future-focused.

Communication is a big part of our daily lives – in the workplace, in the community and at home. Yet we sometimes find ourselves unable to express what we intended or needed to say. Perhaps this is because we are reluctant to offend the other person, or we don’t want to escalate a situation. At the National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC), we understand the desire to avoid conflict is natural. That's why we developed The ARTful Conversation, an interactive workshop that helps participants learn how to communicate their needs in a way that builds relationships, rather than hurting them. This workshop uses real examples, developed with the participants in mind, to help them practice the ARTful Conversation structure in a practical way. They gain a deeper understanding of how others perceive and process conflict. They also learn how to adapt their own style to work more effectively with others, in all settings. 

By the end of this clinic:  

1. Participants learn and practice four intervention techniques that they might use with the person responsible for the concerning behavior 

2. Participants discuss how and when communication with the Target of unwanted behavior is warranted. 

3. Participants gain a better understanding of the point of view of the Target, and practice supportive communication skills that are practiced. 

Parks and recreation create stronger, more resilient communities that can adapt to and better recover from environmental, social and economic challenges. However, significant racial and socioeconomic disparities affect access to parks, including the number of quality parks, proximity of parks and connection to safe, inclusive, culturally-relevant parks and programs. Moreover, Black, Indigenous and people of color and low-income communities receive fewer resources and support to prepare for, respond to and recover from the impacts of climate change.

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.

Members are encouraged to use this network frequently, as well as invite colleagues to join in on the discussions. Special events, such as network calls, webinars and other events, will be developed over the next year – recommendations are welcome!

Upcoming network meeting dates can be found below and are at 2:00PM EST:

January 22, 2025

March 26, 2025

May 28, 2025

July 23, 2025

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. NRPA membership hours will take place the second Thursday of each month at 1pm ET. We invite all everyone to join!

• December 12 - 1:00 PM EDT
• January 9 - 1:00 PM EDT
• February 13 - 1:00 PM EDT
• March 13 - 1:00 PM EDT
• April 10 - 1:00 PM EDT

One thing is certain in workplaces today: At some point, someone is going to make an inappropriate comment or behave in a cringy way. It’s the kind of thing that, when left unaddressed, can escalate to the point where an individual feels harassed by their coworker. Join us on December 5th, 2024, at 2 p.m. EDT for The Bystander Challenge Clinic, an interactive workshop developed by the National Conflict Resolution Center (NCRC), the bystander’s role in changing this dynamic is explored. Increasingly, bystanders are being asked to become upstanders who stand up to “red-flag” behavior. As many recognize, it’s easier said than done, as workplace dynamics can make it challenging to know the correct course of action. There are other factors that come into play, too, like long-term working relationships, workplace culture, lack of diversity on a team, or discomfort with the topic. While notices and directives abound in workplaces to define and raise awareness of harassment, few programs teach people how to communicate with each other when they perceive red flags. NCRC equips people to have these challenging conversations in a way that demonstrates respect, inclusiveness, and dignity for everyone involved. In a safe learning space, participants gain confidence using these skills. Concepts are further reinforced through thoughtful interactive exercises and reflective conversations.

The training has a proven positive impact on workplace culture and perceptions of safety. Allowing participants to take what you’ve learned about bystander intervention and make it part of your everyday approach to fostering a respectful and inclusive workplace. Whether it’s practicing the four intervention techniques, offering support to someone targeted by inappropriate behavior, or simply opening a conversation, your actions can create a safer, more inclusive environment for everyone. Use these skills consistently to communicate with empathy and encourage positive change in your workplace culture. 

By the end of this clinic:  

1. Participants learn and practice four intervention techniques that they might use with the person responsible for the concerning behavior 

2. Participants discuss how and when communication with the Target of unwanted behavior is warranted. 

3. Participants gain a better understanding of the point of view of the Target, and practice supportive communication skills that are practiced. 

The speaker will discuss the rationale for inclusion and cover the benefits for individuals with disabilities, their families, for recreation agencies, and for the community. The presenter will highlight the connection between diversity and disability and how language and the social model of disability can help ensure that everyone belongs. The presentation will cover specific sports, including sensory, behavioral and social supports, as well as considerations for including self-advocates in the planning and evaluation processes of recreation programs.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Participants will be able to identify 5 reasons why inclusion Is important in recreational spaces for both the recreation agency and the community. (Community: increased social competencies; positive role identity & self-confidence; family involvement; Recreation agency: increased participation; avenue for innovation)  

2. Participants will be able to identify 3 ways in which disability is a component of diversity (Natural part of the human experience; added intellectual, physical, social diversity; intersectionality within the disability experience) 

3. Participants will be able to describe 5 strategies and supports for achieving success when working with individuals with disabilities 1) Language use; 2) Needs Assessments; 3) Sensory Considerations; 4) Behavior Supports; 5) Social Strategies. 

4. Participants will be able to identify 4 practices for engaging with self-advocates in the process of planning recreational programs 1) Planning; 2) Marketing; 3) Operating; 4) Evaluating. 

This talk is available for 1 year from release date!

Coming January 2025! The City of Lewisville (Texas) is sharing their experience in redefining urban landscapes through the conversion of turf grass into thriving habitats for native plants and pollinators. Your organization can find ways to save time, money, and resources while benefiting the local ecosystem of your community. Learn about the project that is being conducted through meticulous research, comprehensive data analysis, and compelling outcomes that showcase the power of ecological restoration. 

This session will review best practices, how to overcome challenges, and offer insights gleaned from the project's achievements. Discover how community engagement played a pivotal role in fostering advocacy and collaboration among residents and organizational leaders, igniting a movement for sustainable, biodiverse landscapes. 

Recognized with prestigious awards and featured prominently in Texas Monthly, the City of Lewisville stands as a beacon of innovation and environmental stewardship. Participants will leave inspired to embark on their own journey towards a greener, more biodiverse future. 

Visit the City of Lewisville's official website to explore our ongoing sustainable initiatives that focus on conservation. Discover a variety of projects and programs designed to enhance biodiversity, promote ecological restoration, and encourage community involvement in our green spaces. Engage with our resources, learn from our successes, and take inspiration for your own conservation efforts! 

Learning Objectives:

1. Design and Implement: Learners will be able to design and implement strategic plans for converting urban green spaces into native plant habitats, incorporating ecological best practices to optimize conservation and biodiversity. 

1. Advocate and Collaborate: Learners will be able to advocate for biodiversity and conservation projects within their communities and collaborate effectively with local stakeholders to ignite sustainable, community-driven environmental improvements. 

1. Replicate and Scale: Learners will be able to replicate Lewisville’s successful model in their own municipalities, adapting the strategies to local conditions and scaling up efforts to transform larger areas into biodiverse, sustainable habitats. 

This talk is available for 1 year from release date!

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 20245 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 approximately 45 minutes to one hour long and is worth 0.1 CEU. 

Each month's virtual subscription Talk will be available for registration in advance, but the contents themselves will go live during the month of release. Navigate to the Contents tab to see what Talks are included for this 2025!  

These talk is available for 1 year from their release date!

Coming December 2024! Across the United States, more than 100 million people — including 28 million children — do not have access to a high-quality park within a 10-minute walk of home. This might appear to be a problem for city park and recreation agencies to solve, but new research from Trust for Public Land (TPL) suggests local agencies are not the primary actors in acquiring or opening new local parks. Instead, city planning and economic development agencies — which oversee residential development policies — and real estate developers are the key driver of parkland acquisition and creation. A TPL review of park and greenway openings between 2018 and 2023 across 10 representative U.S. cities finds that across 76 openings in these cities, 67 percent were built on land acquired from real estate developers via municipal requirements for either land donations or fees to fund the acquisition of park space needed for residents of their new development. There are two primary ways cities are acquiring parkland as part of real estate development: parkland dedication ordinances and impact fees. This presentation will share an overview of these policy mechanisms and summarize how cities can structure these policies to ensure the park access gap doesn't widen.

Learning Objectives:
1. Participants will understand how development policies (parkland dedication ordinances and impact fees) are shaping park access across the country.
2. Participants will understand the fundamentals of development policies, i.e., parkland dedication ordinances and impact fees, as well as how these policies are shaping parkland acquisition and development across the country.
3. Participants will understand how development policies (dedication ordinances and impact fees) can be structured to mitigate inequitable outcomes.

This talk will be available for 1 year from release date!

As the adage goes, “Times have changed,” and so must our recruitment practices. The traditional approach of asking candidates to simply submit qualifications is no longer sufficient. To stay innovative and attract top-tier talent, parks and recreation professionals need to embrace unconventional hiring practices. We will delve into the transformative approach adopted by the City of Las Vegas. In a groundbreaking initiative, the city organized a unique hiring event designed to evaluate potential team members beyond their qualifications. The emphasis was on identifying individuals who not only possessed the necessary skills but also harmonized with the existing team’s culture. This carefully curated event featured a diverse panel of interviewers representing five agencies and varying roles. Learn firsthand how this innovative hiring strategy allowed the City of Las Vegas to attract quality team members for a pioneering project. Discover the keys to fostering a culture fit, creating a dynamic team synergy, and ensuring long-term success in the ever-evolving landscape of parks and recreation. Explore the future of recruitment with us as we redefine the hiring process, embracing strategies that align with the expectations and preferences of the new generation of professionals.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Apply Alternative Hiring Methods: Discern alternative hiring strategies that harmonize with the parks and recreation business model, catering to the preferences of a new generation of candidates. 

2. Optimize Hiring Method Structures: Acquire the skills to structure alternative hiring methods for maximum impact, ensuring a streamlined and effective recruitment process. 

3. Implement Effective Evaluation Techniques: Identify sample questions and evaluation techniques to seamlessly integrate with alternative hiring methods, empowering participants to make informed decisions in candidate selection.