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# Parks & Recreation

8 Ways to Boost Community Engagement and Inclusion in Parks and Rec

Authored by Civic Plus Logo

CivicPlus

January 29, 2025
5 min

Spring and summer are usually the busiest seasons for park and recreation programs as summer vacation, warm weather, and longer days drive demand for more events, facilities, and activities. As you prepare for this year’s peak seasons, focus on strategies that prioritize resident engagement and accessibility to help you:

  • Increase community participation in events and programs
  • Create more inclusive spaces for all residents
  • Improve communication and outreach to diverse community members
  • Make sure access to parks and facilities is equitable
  • Strengthen relationships with residents and community organizations

In this article, we discuss why community engagement should be a top priority for park and recreation departments. Read on for strategies to support inclusive engagement and how CivicPlus® solutions can help.

Related Read: Four Ways to Kick Off Your Summer Recreation Programming

Why Community Engagement Matters

Community engagement is essential to the success of park and recreation programs for a number of reasons. When programs and spaces reflect the needs and values of all community members, residents feel a better sense of belonging and are more likely to participate in programming.

Actively involving diverse voices in program development makes offerings more accessible and inclusive, leading to:

  • Increased Engagement: When residents feel heard and valued, they’re more likely to participate in local programs and activities.
  • Stronger Sense of Ownership: Creating an environment where your community has a say in program development fosters pride in local parks and facilities, leading to more use of those spaces.
  • Improved Program Quality: Understanding the needs of your community leads to more relevant and impactful programs.
  • Expanded Funding and Resources: An engaged community that feels more ownership in park and recreation decisions are more likely to advocate for better funding and resources to maintain facilities and programs.
  • Greater Social Cohesion: Meaningful engagement turns park and recreation spaces into hubs for connection that help bridge divides, bring people together, and drive revenue to the department for future programming and activities.

Related Read: Cultivating Thriving Parks and Recreation Spaces: The Power of Community Engagement and Inclusivity

8 Strategies for Building Inclusive Community Engagement

Park and recreation initiatives need to be inclusive in order to garner more participation from the broader community. Strategies should seek to address barriers such as language, affordability, and physical access to enhance equity and strengthen support and trust from your community.

Here are eight actionable strategies to implement into your park and recreation initiatives:

1. Diversify Communication Channels

When communicating with residents, it’s important to use multiple channels to ensure maximum reach. For instance, when planning a meeting to discuss new park builds, programs, or initiatives, use your agency’s social media profiles as well as email newsletters, community event boards, and print media to help get the word out to residents. This helps ensure your message reaches everyone in your community so they can actively choose to take part in discussions and decision-making processes. Diversifying the channels you use to communicate can also lead to more event sign-ups and revenue growth.

2. Provide Multilingual Resources

Language barriers remain a significant obstacle for community engagement. The American Public Health Association found cultural and language barriers to be a significant challenge for providing quality out-of-school-time (OST) programs to children, including those offered by park and recreation departments.

Information needs to be made accessible to non-English speakers. Resources like translated materials and interpretation services can ensure everyone in your community is able to access programs and services equitably.

3. Conduct Surveys and Focus Groups

It’s easy to forget that simply asking your community for their insight is often one of the best ways to give them the experiences they want and expect.

Ask residents to share their input on program preferences to help identify barriers to participation. This information can help you understand the nuanced needs of different demographic groups within your community.

4. Create Advisory Boards

Another way to gather resident input and support is to establish community advisory boards, a group of community representatives who bring resident voices to initiatives, projects, programs, and policies. Individuals serving on these boards should represent your community’s diverse perspectives to better provide ongoing input for parks and recreation planning.

Allow residents to vote for who will represent them on these boards. This can help your community feel more involved in the process and more confident in any final decisions your department makes.

5. Offer Programs for All Ages, Abilities, and Interests

The programs your department offers need to cater to the varying needs and interests of all community members.

For example, what will appeal to families with young children may not appeal to families with older children or no children. People with pets will want programs they can bring their pets to. Those interested in sports will want quick and easy access to recreational spaces. There should also be adaptive recreation opportunities so those with disabilities and physical limitations can safely and confidently use park and recreation spaces.

6. Partner with Community Organizations

Data from Recreation Management shows that nearly 85% of recreation, sport, and fitness facility respondents confirm having partnerships with other community organizations for programming. Collaborating with local schools, community centers, and non-profits can help expand reach and promote inclusion in underserved communities.

7. Prioritize Accessibility

Ensuring park facilities as well as park and recreation websites are accessible to residents with disabilities is critical for equity and legal requirements.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Architectural Barriers Act (ABA), and local and state accessibility laws provide mandates to ensure residents with disabilities are included. These laws dictate accessibility standards for a range of park and recreation spaces such as playgrounds, trails, restrooms, parking lots, and recreational facilities. Additionally, digital equity and web accessibility regulations help residents view program options and sign-up for events online regardless of their level of ability.

8. Promote a Welcoming Environment

Your community wants to feel safe and respected when using park and rec facilities and taking part in programs. To create a welcoming place for your community, provide staff with training on cultural sensitivity as well as how to support residents with disabilities. This can include specialized safety and disability awareness training, inclusive program design, and family outreach to support those with disabilities and their families.

Boost Resident Participation and Equitable Access with CivicPlus Solutions

Park and recreation professionals have to amplify community engagement while also managing activities, classes, events, facilities, volunteers, and payments. We understand how taxing it can be to handle it all — which is why our Recreation Management software was purpose-built to support park and rec departments like yours. Our solution helps you engage your community and manage park and recreation programs effectively.

With our Recreation Management solution, you can:

  • Gather feedback through online surveys and forms, giving residents the opportunity to share their feedback to help inform future program planning.
  • Manage program registration and payments, facilities, events, and more, with a focus on both physical and digital accessibility to maintain compliance.
  • Communicate with residents through email and social media, using multi-language capabilities so all residents can read and sign up for programs and events.
  • Track program participation and measure impact so your team can foster a welcoming environment with programming that is diverse and inclusive.

The time to commit to building stronger connections with your community is now. Prioritize engagement and inclusion by investing in the right solutions to create park and recreation spaces that truly serve everyone in your community.

Ready to discover how CivicPlus Recreation Management can help you achieve your park and recreation goals? Take a tour of our software today.

 

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Authored by Civic Plus Logo

CivicPlus

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