This document summarizes an webinar on how parks and recreation agencies can integrate quality of life elements. It discusses how parks and recreation can address current challenges and provide crucial health opportunities. Specific innovations discussed include preventing health issues, addressing social and mental health needs, homelessness, transportation, resiliency, stormwater management, and overall public health. The webinar advocates for a systematic approach involving stakeholders, data collection, identifying gaps, and creating an action plan. Key recommendations are for recreation centers to serve as wellness hubs, improving active transportation and physical activity, improved nutrition, and increased social and health equity.
2. Why Do We Need Parks and Recreation
as a Current QOL Solution?
Reacting to stress and change
Addressing current challenges
Innovating methods for systems management practices
Providing crucial health and wellness opportunities for all
populations in communities across the country
Leveraging what we do beyond core traditional services
3. Why Parks and Recreation
As a Solution?
Provide access to land and facilities for over 80% of Americans
Facilitate opportunities to participate in active recreation (75%
within two miles)
Provide crucial health and wellness opportunities for all
populations in communities across the country
Affordable programming and managed access to outdoor spaces
can lead to a more active and healthier America
5. Overall Public
Health and Wellness
Nutrition
Individual
Constitution,
Basic
Preferences,
Security, and
Living
Environment
Medical Care
Recreation
Cognitive, Social,
Physical, and
Spiritual Activities,
along with
facilities
P&R Fit in Overall Community Preventive Health Systems
Penbrooke, 2009
National Science Foundation, United States
Antarctic Program, Recreation and Wellness Study
6. Focus: What is Health Equity?
Everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as
healthy as possible
Removing obstacles - poverty, discrimination, and lack
of access to jobs, quality education, housing, safe
environment, and health care
Based on human rights principles
8. Flora / Fauna
Wellbeing
&
Reduced
Stress
Community Spaces
P&R
Public Spaces
Open Spaces
Systems Approach to
relationships between access to public P&R
spaces and wellness
Attention restoration and ADD
Physical activity and social support
Adapted from EPA, 2014; Kuo, 2015; Saw, Lim, & Carrasco, 2015; Penbrooke, 2017; Sturm & Cohen, 2014
9. Preventive
Community
Health
P&R Agencies
& Strategies
Medical Care
and Public
Health
Agencies
Transportation
and Access Schools /
Education
Academic
Research &
Methods
Partners &
Providers
Physical
Activity &
Nutrition
Social &
Parental
Engagement
Public Safety
& Perception
of Safety
Modifiable
Factors
Spaces, Programs,
and Policies
Actors
Facilitating
Partnerships
and outcomes in
the Community
Modifying
Preventive PH
through P&R
Systems Thinking
Actions on all levels
(T.L. Penbrooke, 2017,
with M.B. Edwards, J.N.
Bocarro, K.A. Henderson,
& J.A. Hipp)
10. Evidence & Guiding Theory
Parks & Recreation (P&R) agencies can help improve Public Health (PH) through
various health factors:
• Increasing physical activity and improving nutrition
• Providing psychological and physical benefits from access to nature
• Facilitating social benefits and parental engagement
• Addressing health equity issues, transportation, and safety
• Addressing stress management, smoking, alcohol and drug consumption, etc.
Burns, 2016; Godbey & Mowen, 2010; Kuo, 2013; Sallis, Floyd, Rodriquez, & Saelens, 2012; Slater, Ewing,
Powell, Chaloupka, Johnston, & O’Malley, 2010; Penbrooke, 2017; Wells, 2013; Young, Ross, Kim, & Sturts, 2013
11. • Role of Parks and Recreation in Health
• Funded P&R HC Plans
Integrating P&R and Health
Into Systems & Master Planning
12. Five Elements for Healthy Systems Analysis
Warrant for
Action
•Start inquiry
•Input information
•Create documents
•Start database
•Data transmission
•Warrant for
intervention
•Proposal for action
Community
Systems
• Convene
Stakeholders
• Intersections
• Collaborations
• Partnerships
• Agreements
• Shared assets
• Negative
Markers
Policies, Laws &
Procedures
• Laws (Fed,
State, County,
City)
• Ordinances
• Agency
regulations
• Agency policies
& practices
Fiscal
Resources &
Distribution
• Identify
funding paths
• Determine
allocation
patterns/%
• Identify
sources of $$
• Document use
of $$$
• Identify ROI
Inventory of
Assets &
Affordances
• Assets
• Built
• Natural
• Affordances
• Formal
programs
• Services
Why?
Who?
Impact?
Is the
community
working?
What
influences
AL?
What
funds?
For
what?
What do
we have?
13. Desired Healthy Community Master Plan Outcomes
Strong community
representation
Equity focus
May have sub-areas with
strong differences
15. Comprehensive Information Gathering & Engagement
Staff, Decision Makers, Stakeholders, and Public
• Virtual Mobile Optimized Engagement
• Open Public Forums
• General, Youth, and Senior Focus Groups
• Community-wide Random Mail/Online Survey
• Youth Activities and Nutrition Survey (YANS)
• Social Media
• Agency Staff & Decision Maker Forums
• Key HEAL Coalition & Partner Leadership Meetings
Mixed
methods
Approach
17. Youth Activity and Nutrition Survey
Middle School Students
• Significant findings
• Nutrition – SSB & Breakfast frequencies
• Screen Time & Activities
• Perception of Safety
• Active Transportation for Youth
• Parental Support and Personal Modeling
22. av
Operation Recreation Response
Preparedness
Preparing
Component-Based Inventories
Willing to give and accept help
Training
Decision to Act
Staffing ramp up
Levels of Responsibility
Communication
EOC Guidelines
23. av
ORR Response
During the Event
CERT Team
Mutual Aid
Volunteer Corp
Shelter management
Asset management
24. av
ORR Recovery
Following an Event
Information and leadership to rebuild
and recover
Re-Entry
Meeting Points
Assessments
Resources available for assistance
Re-assignment and management of affected lands
27. Homelessness
& Transitional
Living
• Park Ambassadors & Public Safety integration
• Program management & positive activation
• Safe places day & night for all residents
• Access to showers/hygiene
• Nutrition programs
• Trash removal
• Hotlines and connections to partners
28. Virtual programming
Mobile Optimized Engagement
E-Sports
Video surveillance
Drones for delivery
Organic landscape management
Other
Current
Trends in
P&R
30. Recommendations & Outcomes
Key Opportunities through Parks and Recreation
1. Recreation Centers as “wellness hubs” – for all residents
2. Improved active transportation and physical activity - more
connected and safer trails and sidewalks
3. Improved nutrition - partnered educational campaigns, policy
changes, and healthy food availability
4. Increased social and health equity - increased awareness and
participation from low income residents
5. Acknowledged Value of P&R for all we do
31. HOW P&R AGENCIES CAN INTEGRATE INNOVATIVE QOL
Step by Step “Toolkit” Approach
1. Convene staff, key stakeholders, and the public – FRAME & PARTNER
2. Collect community-specific information using valid methods
• Inventory and analysis of assets and programs available / participation / awareness
• Analysis of current policies, practices, financial, and allocation of resources
• Demographics, regional trends, alignment with national initiatives
• Document partnerships, current providers, and social networks
3. Determine Gaps – Culture? Programs? Assets? Social? Policies? Staff? $$?
4. Create an Action Plan / Logic Model for priorities – MESSAGING & ACTION
5. Report, communicate, and garner resources
6. Evaluate and repeat
CONCLUSIONS
32. Thank you for attending! Thoughts?
Teresa Penbrooke, PhD, MAOM, CPRE
TeresaP@GPRED.org
www.gpred.org www.greenplayllc.com