Providing training and knowledge to boards reaps community benefits - Citizen-Board Member Branch

Citizens support parks and recreation for many reasons--to help children, support conservation, promote the arts, reduce crime and violence, improve health, save a tree, and on and on. Each year, hundreds of concerned citizens join governance boards and committees to support their community's parks and recreation programs. Whether they're policy or advisory boards, these commissions and councils must work in a cooperative, thorough and thoughtful manner.

Citizens and the governance boards they serve are the strongest advocates for public parks and recreation. The challenge is to help boards and staff improve their relationships, identify roles and responsibilities, and learn how to establish common goals and objectives.

NRPA wants your agency to achieve its goals by fully engaging its citizen board in support of parks and recreation. Throughout the year, NRPA will hold educational seminars for professionals and citizens to help both groups work together. One will occur at this month's NRPA National Congress and Exposition in Tampa. Further programs will be held at regional schools and at the NRPA MidYear Meeting in Washington, D.C. Empower your community volunteers with the knowledge and access they need to fully advocate for parks and recreation programs and facilities. Working together, the members of a community can realize their goals and fully discover the benefits of parks and recreation.