Workforce Development Community of Practice

Frequently Asked Questions

Timeline

Applications are open. Candidates may be contacted via phone or email prior to selection with specific questions.

Applications will close on July 17, 2024 at 11:59pm PST.

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I eligible to participate in this program?

The primary applicant must be a full-time staff member at a local government agency that manages parks and recreation services (e.g., municipal park and recreation department, tribal recreation department, public works department that manages parks and recreation etc.) or affiliated 501c(3) non-profit organization.  

NRPA encourages membership to ensure that your agency has access to the full suite of education and resources available; however, you do not have to be a current member of NRPA or any other organization to be eligible to apply.

How do I know if this program is for me?

This program was created for rural park agencies (population less than 50,000) who are interested in providing workforce development through Out of School (OST) programming to youth (ages 14-21). Applicants can have a range of experiences in OST programming but must meet at least two of the following criteria. 

• Has an interest in workforce development and OST programming and is willing to participate in discussions with the cohort  
• Has a short- and long-term vision for how they want their workforce development programming to develop 
• Committed to increasing access to workforce development opportunities for under-represented community members 
• Has a robust understanding of the employment challenges in their community 

Priority consideration will be given to applicants who are:  

• Prepared to apply their CoP experience to benefit rural (population less than 50,000) youth in their community  
• Committed to prioritizing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion 

How is this program different from other workforce development planning programs?

The Workforce Development Community of Practice program launching August 2024 comprises of  interactive sessions hosted online with a small working group of 10 participants. While there may be programs with a similar format, there are two primary aspects of this program that set it apart from others:

• This program is meant to be completed by park and recreation professionals to participate in a virtual community of agencies that support workforce development and learn from each other’s successes, challenges, and best practices related to equitable workforce development programming. We aim to provide a space for both to collaborate and learn together, along with nine of their peers in similar situations, creating a unique opportunity to work through and devise actionable community-led solutions in real time.
• While we will be sharing helpful tools, templates, frameworks, and other resources, this program focuses on empowering participants with the right questions to ask and perspectives to consider to anticipate obstacles, involve community members in a meaningful and mutually beneficial way, and consider existing strengths that already lie within their team

What can I expect my participation in this program to look like?

Participants are required to attend 1.5-hour live virtual sessions, hosted over the course for twelve months. We also offer a one-on-one coaching opprotunities with each participating pair for more personalized technical assistance towards the agency’s workforce development goals, as well as asynchronous learning opprotunities. 

We ask that participants complete pre- and post-program evaluations to support our growth and iteration of future programming. NRPA will offer many resources including webinars, articles, conferences, and tools that participants may optionally engage with outside of sessions, though this is not mandatory.

Do I have to attend all sessions?

Yes. If you are not able to attend all twelve sessions of this program, please consider applying for a future cohort (one more will be offered in 2025) when your schedule allows. We understand that emergencies happen and can discuss accommodations should the situation arise while you are in the program.

Is there a cost to participate in this program?

No. This program is currently being offered free of charge to park agencies selected to participate.

If my agency is not selected to participate in this program, will there be another opportunity to apply?

Yes. We intend to have one more cohorts of the Workforce Development Community of Practice program, beginning early in 2025. Please look out for the application to these future cohorts early next year.

Who can I contact with additional questions about the Workforce Development Community of Practice program?

An informational session will be hosted on May 16th from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm ET. Click here to register. If you have more questions regarding this program, please email bkapustin@nrpa.org.