New Facebook group provides ideas & support for Pennsylvania parks & rec staff
Philadelphia Parks & Recreation’s Joshua Bell recently completed the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society's (PRPS) inaugural Leadership Development Academy. One of his class assignments has provided a valuable new resource for Pennsylvania parks and recreation staff: a Facebook page.
Josh, Park Manager 2 in Parks & Rec’s Operations & Landscape Management unit, is active in PRPS. This nonprofit organization brings together Pennsylvania parks and recreation professionals and advances the profession through legislative lobbying.
PRPS’s Leadership Academy debuted this year. It was created for PRPS members identified as emerging leaders. Josh was joined by seven other municipal employees from across Pennsylvania.
During the 13-week certificate program participants:
completed self-guided lessons.
attended a 2-day in-person workshop at PRPS headquarters.
read John C. Maxwell’s book, The Five Levels of Leadership.
Josh found the experience valuable. “I have been able to utilize concepts learned from the lessons in my day-to-day work. I was able to network with other professionals, learn from other’s experiences, and personally grow my professional skills.”
One of Josh’s final class assignment’s was to review PRPS’s strategic plan and implement an aspect of their marketing strategy. Josh focused creating a forum where Pennsylvania park and recreation staff could “safely share work-related stories, ask relevant questions, seek assistance, and work through any difficulties they may be experiencing.”
The result is a Facebook page titled “What’s Up P + R?!” The closed group (you must request to join) welcomes parks and recreation staff to “share the good, the bad, and the helpful in a safe space for like-minded professionals!”
All Pennsylvania parks and recreation professionals are welcome. After joining, members are encouraged to post “comments, questions, or stories that celebrate your professional prowess!”
Check it out today! Request to join the group (requires Facebook account).
The text below is excerpted from one of Josh Bell’s assignments for PRPS’s Leadership Academy, described above.
By Joshua Bell, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
Each year, the Philadelphia International Unity Cup tournament brings together many different cultures around the common language of soccer. Last year was my first time working the Unity Cup tournament, and it was an absolute joy. Not only could I gain comp time to watch a soccer tournament, but more importantly, I got to socialize with peers from other divisions.
In a large department like Parks & Recreation, with 4 major divisions and 700 employees, the event allowed me to gain a greater perspective of what “the other side” deals with.
It is so refreshing to see and hear all of the different cultures throughout the tournament. My involvement with the Unity Cup has gone beyond just simply a worker, and transformed me into an observer, absorber, and socializer of working culture.
I highly suggest if you have multiple divisions in your township/municipality/ organization that you break out of that silo as often as possible. Go talk to someone in another department, 'that guy/gal from public works' could become Joe/Jill Doe who happens to work for Public Works.
Expand your purview, you will be surprised how powerful it can be.
