The product of collaboration - South Carolina Rural Recreation Project

Parks & Recreation, Sept, 1996 by Susan Wright, Rick Harwell

(Collaboration -- to labor together' to work jointly with others, or to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality which one is not immediately connected.)

If you want to see this definition come to life, look no further than the South Carolina Rural Recreation Project (SCRAP).

The Project

The SCRRP was established to provide recreation services to rural communities in South Carolina, with the belief that every citizen is entitled to the benefits of recreation. SCRRP is designed to help small rural communities, that are without established recreation programs, develop their recreation potential. Through recreation, SCRRP strives to enhance the self-esteem of the participants, assist in developing stronger family units and establish a greater sense of community.

SCRRP assigns a full-time recreation director to each participating community for the summer months-usually from mid-May to mid-August-over a three-year period. The director coordinates local, human, financial and physical resources to create programs that focus on low-cost, life-long activities for all age groups, from preschoolers to senior citizens.

The Collaborators

Clemson University's Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management Department manages the project and provides office space, staff and support services. The project director oversees new town selection, hires summer directors, advises town officials, raises funds, plans for the summer, and conducts research. The project also has two graduate students to assist the director. Several partnership organizations-both public and private-from within the community contribute major pieces to the puzzle. It is this pulling together of unique resources that makes the program so successful.

South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department (PRT) is an integral partner in SCRRP. They provide professional support and expertise on site selection. PRT staff has also helped advise summer directors on how to obtain grant money for their community.

The South Carolina Recreation and Parks Association (SCRPA) also plays a vital role in the success of the project, largely through its mentor program. This program provides the summer director access to recreation professionals in neighboring cities who provide advice and facility and moral support. All mentors have a significant amount of experience to share with their young proteges.

Another entity that collaborates with the SCRRP is the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program of the Job Training Partnership Act JTPA). This program matches local disadvantaged youth with jobs that open opportunities for them. Many times these youth are minorities, and the SCRRP is a great chance to expose them to the park and recreation profession. During the summer, they act as recreation aids assisting the directors in the operation of day camp, posting flyers, getting in touch with the community, and other program assistance. Many of the youth enjoy the summer experience so much, they request to work with the program again the following summer.

In addition to their exposure to the parks and recreation field, JTPA youth attend a training session at the beginning of the summer. They visit the Clemson campus and receive information on how they can gain acceptance to college. They also take part in an initiative and ropes challenge course and receive CPR and First Aid training along with training that prepares them to work in recreation settings.

Another major collaborator and supporter is the South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) Company, whose donation allows the project to reach additional communities. This corporation does not only offer financial support, they supply bucket trucks to the recreation programs so that children may experience a ride in the sky.

Other business collaborators contribute to the project at the local level. In each SCRRP-serviced community, local businesses have helped to support the recreation programs. Grocery stores donate food and drinks; banks support children's programs; fast food chains give coupons; and several phone companies have made significant contributions to the project.

The collaborators that contribute the most valuable resource-well-trained, knowledgeable, budding parks and recreation professionals-are the college and university parks and recreation departments from around the country. During the fall, the SCRRP director begins recruiting for the next summer. Summer directors are: enrolled in parks and recreation, experienced in programming and have a positive attitude and good work ethic. SCRRP has employed recreation majors from universities in South Carolina, Colorado, Washington, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, and even the United Kingdom. Each summer director brings a different perspective and makes his or her own contribution to the community in which he or she works.

The Training

The collaborators come together at the week-long Summer Director Training Workshop. The week begins with all summer recreation directors meeting at a training site. This past year, the training was held at Hickory Knob State Park with accommodations arranged and donated by PRT.