Open Space Radio

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Creating a Safe Space for Youth and Teens — Episode 119 Sep 06, 2022

Show notes

It's hard to believe September is already here and in just a couple weeks, park and recreation professionals from across the country will gather in Phoenix, Arizona, at the 2022 NRPA Annual Conference. If you've been fortunate enough to experience this conference in the past, you know that this is the premier event for park and recreation professionals seeking to grow their network, check out some of the latest and greatest products and services, and take advantage of top-tier learning opportunities.

And, speaking of learning opportunities, I'm thrilled to be joined today by one of this year's education session presenters, Sydney Elliott, MBA, CPRP. Sydney is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional and the youth and business coordinator for City of DeSoto Parks & Recreation in Texas. Sydney will be presenting on teen engagement at this year's conference, and I'm excited for the opportunity to learn more about her work and get a preview of her session on today's episode.

Tune in to our full conversation below to learn more about Sydney, how her career in parks and recreation began, and get a preview of her upcoming session. You'll also learn:

Some of the biggest challenges to engaging youth, specifically teens, in park and recreation programming
Creative ways Sydney is engaging youth and teens in her community
Why creating safe spaces for youth and teens is critical to their development
The importance of partnerships in helping teen engagement programs thrive
What Sydney is most looking forward to the 2022 NRPA Annual Conference, and much more!

Related links:

This episode of Open Space Radio is sponsored by Merrell.

How to Rise Up for Parks and Recreation This July — Episode 116 Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

It is officially our favorite month of the year here on Open Space Radio, and I'm so excited to celebrate Park and Recreation Month throughout July. Today's episode is a short one, and you're stuck with just me for a few minutes, but I wanted to take the opportunity to share some of the ways you can join in the Park and Recreation Month celebrations with us at NRPA.

Since 1985, people in the United States have celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation and to recognize the more than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals — along with hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers and volunteers — that maintain our country's local, state and community parks.

This year's theme, "We Rise Up for Parks and Recreation," focuses on bringing awareness to how important it is to rise up and support our field, because every day, park and recreation professionals rise up for their communities in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. So, all month long, NRPA will be highlighting the amazing impact that park and recreation professionals are having on their communities – so right off the bat, make sure you're following NRPA on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn) to catch some of these amazing stories.

Tune in to the full episode below to learn how you can get involved in Park and Recreation Month this July, including:

Downloading the Park and Recreation Month Toolkit, which includes the official logo, graphics, a really amazing poster, sample messaging, social media posts and much more
Using the Park and Recreation Month Proclamation template so your local government can officially recognize July as Park and Recreation Month in your community
Hosting a Park and Recreation Professionals Day celebration on Friday, July 15
Signing up for NRPA's advocacy alerts so you'll be the first to know about critical legislation and how to make your voice heard in Congress
Donating $10 or more to NRPA during July and receive a We Rise Up for Parks and Recreation sticker
Checking out the winning photo and story from this year's Park and Recreation Month cover contest
Posting your Park and Recreation Month photos on social media using #RiseUpJuly

This episode of Open Space Radio is sponsored by ACTIVENetwork. ACTIVENetwork rises up for park and recreation departments throughout North America with a powerful all-in-one software solution that enables parks and rec departments to run smoothly so they can focus on what matters most: their community. Learn more about how ACTIVENet can power your community at activenetwork.com/nrpa.

Paving the Way for Gender Equity in Youth Sports – Episode 115 Jun 21, 2022

Show notes

Research shows that when children play sports, they increase their chances to grow up healthy, build friendships, and develop skills like teamwork and respect. And while 94 percent of park and recreation agencies offer youth sports, there are significant disparities in who has access to and benefits from sports participation.

This June as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX — the landmark piece of federal legislation prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education settings — we should reflect on the many achievements of girls and women in sports. And today, we're doing just that with some incredible guests.

Joining me on today's episode is 10-year-old Evangeline Iarossi of Tampa, Florida. Evangeline was tired of having her softball practices canceled because of the inequities that existed between girls and boys sports, and her Little League complex has multiple baseball fields but only one softball field. What was a frustrating, unfair situation inspired Evangeline to reach out to Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, writing a letter requesting that girls have the same opportunity as boys to participate in sports.

I'm also joined by two of the women who responded to Evangeline's request very quickly and started coming up with a plan to make her wishes a reality. I'm thrilled to welcome Heather Wolf-Erickson, the Athletics, Aquatics and Special Facilities Manager for City of Tampa Parks and Recreation (the first woman in this role in Tampa), as well as Sherisha Hills, the director for City of Tampa Parks and Recreation.

Tune in below to learn more about how Tampa is responding to Evangeline's letter and building on the work they are already doing to center gender equity in sports and all their other offerings. You'll also learn:

What issue Evangeline noticed in her community and what she included in her letter to Mayor Castor
Why Evangeline's story resonated with Heather and Sherisha
How the City of Tampa is responding and supporting Evangeline's mission
What future plans City of Tampa Parks and Recreation has for gender equity
How other park and recreation professionals can ensure their sports programs are equitable and inclusive, and much more!

Related:

City of Tampa Parks and Recreation
@notthe1800s on Instagram
Email Evangeline's nonprofit
Blog post: Tampa Athletics Director Heather Wolf-Erickson Fights for the Full Promise of Title IX

This episode of Open Space Radio is sponsored by NIC Outdoors. You know the outdoors, now get to know the new NIC Outdoors plus US eDirect. NIC Outdoors is the only outdoor recreation technology and services provider exclusively focused on government. With over 30 years of experience in providing secure licensing, reservation, and digital and payment solutions for local, state, and federal agencies, NIC Outdoors serves the people who serve the people with one platform for all outdoor recreation experiences. Learn more about NIC Outdoors.

How Phoenix Is Honoring the Life of Lori Piestewa — July Bonus Episode Jun 16, 2022

Show notes

As we officially begin our Park and Recreation Month celebrations with the July issue of Parks & Recreation magazine, I'm thrilled to be joined on today's bonus episode by a few of the people involved with the event highlighted in this month's cover story. Our cover this month, which is the winner of our annual Park and Recreation Month cover contest, is a photo that was taken during the tribal dedication of the Ocotillo Ramada at Phoenix's Piestewa Peak.

Formerly known as Squaw Peak, the City of Phoenix renamed the mountain Piestewa Peak, in honor of Lori Piestewa, who lost her life in the Iraq War in 2003. Lori, a member of the Hopi tribe, was the first Native American woman to her lose her life in combat while serving in the U.S. military.

I'm honored to be joined today by two members of her family, her mother Percy and son Brandon Whiterock, as well as Cynthia Aguilar, the director of City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation. Tune in to the full conversation below to learn more about Lori, this dedication, and how this space is providing inclusive recreational opportunities for the community. You'll also learn:

How this dedication to honor Lori's life came together
What it means for Lori's family to be able to honor her life in this way
Why it was critical to ensure Piestewa Peak is accessible
How Phoenix is making sure that the benefits of parks and recreation are inclusive for all people, regardless of their race, age, ability or identity
How the Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department is working with tribal communities to ensure they have a seat at the table and their voices are heard, and more!

How Mentoring Supports Youth Impacted by the Opioid Epidemic – Episode 114 Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

This podcast episode is supported by Grant # 2020-JY-FX-0002 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, a component of the Office of Justice Programs at U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this podcast are those of our guests and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Justice.

While we have talked a lot about the COVID-19 pandemic on the show, and how that has been impacting communities, there also is another crisis that is impacting our communities and continuing to grow – the opioid epidemic. According to recent data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, more than 107,600 people died from drug overdoses last year, with more than 71,000 being opioid-related.

NRPA recognizes the impact substance misuse has on local park and recreation agencies and their communities, and to address this issue, we are supporting local agencies in their efforts to pilot a mentorship program for youth impacted by the opioid epidemic. One of these agencies is the park and recreation department in Berwick, Maine, which was recently awarded a grant that will help start a youth mentoring program that will prevent, reduce and address opioid misuse among youth in the Berwick community through evidence-based mentoring practices.

I'm so excited to be joined by three individuals who are playing a key role in this program: Angela O'Connor, the director of parks and recreation for City of Berwick; Patrice Baker, the director of prevention programs at Pinetree Institute; and Chief Bob MacKenzie, the police chief for Kennebunk Police Department.

Tune in to the full episode below to learn more about how Angela, Patrice and Robert came together to bring this program to their community. You'll also learn:

What issues they noticed in their community that led then to apply for this grant

What goals they are hoping to accomplish with this program
How have their own experiences contributed to working on solutions to address the opioid crisis in thei community

Why partnerships are so important, especially in work of this nature

How they are breaking down stigma and opening up more conversations across the community around substance use disorder
How park and recreation professionals can start a program like this in their community and address issues like substance use disorder and the importance of youth mentoring, and more!

Related Resources:

West Lafayette's Mission to Make Wellness More Inclusive – June Bonus Episode May 19, 2022

Show notes

The June issue of Parks & Recreation magazine is out now, and on today's bonus episode of the podcast, we're diving deeper into one of this month's feature stories titled, "Making Wellness More Inclusive."

The story highlights a new inclusive wellness center that is part of the parks and recreation department in West Lafayette, Indiana, and today I'm joined by two individuals who were critical to its design. Today's guests are Brent Ross, the Sports, Recreation and Entertainment Practice Leader for Perkins&Will, and Dylan Fischer, a project architect and associate with Perkins&Will, which is a global design practice with a goal of designing places that make a positive difference in the world.

Tune in to learn more about how inclusion was at the forefront when considering the design of this space, as well as what excites Brent and Dylan about this project. You'll also learn:

What to consider when planning for inclusive spaces and facilities
Why community engagement was important for this project, especially getting input from community members who have been under-represented in community outreach efforts
How inclusive locker rooms and restrooms are ensuring the privacy and safety of all individuals who use them
How concerns about certain inclusive features were addressed from an educational standpoint
What lessons were learned and key takeaways for park and recreation professionals seeking to create more inclusive spaces, and much more!

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