Coming March 2025! Enjoy this session from the NRPA 2024 Virtual Conference! Starting in 2022, Apex Park and Recreation District’s aquatics program went through several changes to help its sustainability, quality and inclusion for all guests. These changes included enacting an 80 percent group lesson and 167 percent private lesson cost-recovery pricing model that allowed for a $3+ increase in wages, requiring all instructors to be certified through the American Red Cross as water safety instructors, creating an aide position to assist with safety and active participation time, and mandating monthly trainings for staff to attend. In July 2022, we started offering adaptive swim lessons for people of all ages with special needs so they could attend lessons with a higher trained swim instructor. In 2023, we enacted more changes and additions that included certifying the adaptive instructors in Swim Angelfish, adding a full-time employee to manage private swim lessons, hosting a water safety instructor trainer academy and starting a non-competitive swim team. With the change to the cost-recovery model, we saw revenue increase 147 percent and 116 percent in back-to-back years. This allows us to help sustain our adaptive programs and our open swim hours through increased revenue.

Coming March 2025! How farmers markets around the United States and park and recreation agencies can work together to create a sustainable market. I plan to 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.

Released February 2025! In this learning product, we will cover the importance of parks and recreation in community well-being, exploring challenges and solutions to foster effective leadership within this sector. We will also delve into adaptability, proactive change leadership, mentorship, and succession planning, all essential for cultivating successful leadership paths in Parks and Recreation.

Released January 2025! This presentation will cover the methods, challenges and successful outcomes of Lewisville's turf-to-native plant conversion project, providing practical insights into ecological restoration. This information is relevant to learners, as it offers actionable strategies for enhancing biodiversity and sustainability in urban landscapes, demonstrated through a proven, award-winning initiative.

Released December 2024! The CDC Branch Chief for the Drug Free Communities (DFC) program will present the rates of youth substance use in the United States and how the DFC program addresses youth substance use. She will then discuss ways park and recreation departments can collaborate with DFC coalitions, and how they can also directly apply for the funding themselves. A representative from the Douglas County, Kansas, DFC coalition and their local park and recreation department will then share a real example of how they successfully worked together on reducing youth marijuana use in their community.

Released November 2024! This session will review the importance of creating inclusive spaces for all individuals to experience belonging in the community through recreation & leisure activities. The presenter specifically will focus on ways to include individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in recreational programming and using specific supports and resources to bolster success.

Find previously live Park Access Network content here! 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.

Released September 2024! Learn about innovative ways parks and recreation serves older adults and fosters opportunity for connections across the generations. You will learn about a recent NRPA study on older adult and intergenerational programming within parks and recreation. You will also hear directly from park and recreation practitioners about their experiences providing these programs and services to older adults and the broader community. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about innovative approaches to serving and honoring the older adults in our communities.

Released November 2024! This online learning event equips participants with tools to build or enhance a dynamic volunteer program, focusing on recruitment, onboarding, appreciation, and the distinction between leading and managing, to support their organization's mission and goals.