VIP Planning Tools

Park & Recreation Videos Available On YouTube
As introduced at the Pacific Southwest Training Conference, CPRS has recently prepared videos which describe various ways in which parks and recreation are essential to communities. The first of these videos follows. We ask that you cut and paste the message (in red below) and email it to your email lists.  By doing so, you can help fellow park and recreation professionals spread the word about different ways in which parks and recreation are essential to communities.  The kinds of people who might be interested in the message include: friends, co-workers, public officials (city council members, county supervisors, state legislators, congressional representatives), local media and park users.

This message from the California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS) provides interesting insight into how park and recreation programs can give hope and direction to inner-city youth.  Please pass it on. http://youtube.com/user/CalParkandRecSociety

VIP Council Report
The City of La Palma reports quarterly on its steps in reaching its mission objectives. Click here to download their second quarter report.

VIP Framework Posters
Here is the VIP Action Planning Framework made ready on four separate documents for posting in your workspace, or sending to poster board size on a CAD or poster printer for staff meetings and trainings.  Remember to change your printer settings under ‘page scaling' or properties because this document is currently set for a poster. Click here to download the pdf file.

"Space To" Ads and Posters
CPRS recognizes the importance of effective communications to your policy makers and constituents. We also recognized two critical issues: (1) not all agencies have the resources to develop public relations messages and (2) that the delivery of consistent messages across the state will enhance visibility of parks and recreation – and your agency. CPRS created three easy-to-use ads and posters to help promote the value of your parks and recreation agency. For more information on the CD click here.

Policymakers: A Checklist of Youth Development Principles
Principles and a checklist of important questions as a guide for policymakers when creating, modifying, supporting, and/or funding youth policy. Click here to download.

CPRS Releases Health and Wellness Report
You cannot open a magazine, read a newspaper, or watch news broadcasts without a reference to our national crisis in obesity and inactivity. As stated in the VIP Action Plan, a mission of parks and recreation is to promote health and wellness. CPRS is pleased to release a new VIP Action Plan report Leading…to Promote Health and Wellness. The first of a series of VIP Action Plan reports, this report provides background data, agency examples, and a wealth of information on how you can position your agency as a leader in this critical health area. Click here to download your copy now.

Communications and Media Advocacy Tool Kit
The tool kit is filled with ideas and how-to materials to conduct external communications and media advocacy to promote the value of parks and recreation.
Took Kit    $25 CPRS members    $40 non-members
(Watch for CPRS sponsored training programs to maximize your public relations efforts)
Download tool kit order form.

Press Releases
For November, we have created two messages that can be easily adapted for your use. Both these messages support the mission of "strengthening safety and security" and promote the profession's role in Creating Community through People, Parks and Programs.

Message #1:   Parks and Recreation:  Preventing Youth Violence

Click here to receive tips and tools for placing an opinion-editorial piece (op-ed) with your local newspaper.  We have also included a sample op-ed for you to adapt.  The goal is to communicate your agency's role and promote local activities for youth, which tie to the public's concern about violence prevention. Click here to download the editable Word version.

Message #2:  Parks and Recreation: Partners in Community Safety

Click here for tips and tools for placing a media release.  We have provided two "swiss cheese" releases (it's up to you to fill in the holes!).   Again, our goal is to tie to national news with a local angle.

Message #3: Parks and Recreation: After School Hours Remain Critical To Well Being of Youth

This "swiss cheese" press release describes the importance of parks and recreation programming and facilities in providing youth space to be safe and secure. It is loosely tied to the potential problems associated with budget cuts. Click here to download.

Creating Community Power Point Presention
In response to member requests for ideas on how to articulate the agency's role in creating community through people, parks and programs, CPRS has released a power point presentation. This power point presentation includes templates that allow the agency to easily personalize it with the agency name, statistics, programs and services. This presentation is excellent to use for presentations to neighborhood associations, non-profit organizations, and business groups. For more information click here. To download the presentation, click here.

Core Competencies Defined
In order for park and recreation professionals to perform their work effectively in the 21st century, they must possess certain competencies. The competencies have been grouped into five categories: Business Acumen, Communications & Marketing, Planning & Evaluation, Community Relations, and Leadership and Management. To view the 22 competencies click here.

Job Descriptions
Job Descriptions written using language from the "Creating Community" VIP Action Plan. Ideal for identifying candidates who have the core competencies necessary for park and recreation professionals in the 21st century. These descriptions are created in Microsoft Word format for easy download and editing.

Recreation Division Manager
Aquatics Supervisor
Parks Maintenance Supervisor
Recreation Therapist
Youth Development Program Coordinator
Director of Parks and Recreation or Community Services

Core Competencies Performance Evaluations
Sample of how to design a performance evaluation using the core competencies as outlined in the "Creating Community" VIP Action Plan.  Gives examples of Competency Statements and Performance Criteria in many competencies including: Communications, Community Building, Human Development, Leadership, Strategic Thinking, and more. 
Click here to download a Microsoft Word document for easy editing.  
Also available is a Performance Appraisal Evaluation for Management Employees (click here).

Benchmarking
Benchmarking allows park and recreation professionals to position the profession better with policy makers, collect data to improve agency operations, stimulate strategic planning, forecast industry trends and identify best practices.  There are three benchmarking reports available 1) Playground Safety Inspection, 2) Low Impact Aerobics Instruction for Adults 55+ and 3) Making The Connection: Youth Development Staff Training.  Each report includes the subjects: Study Methodology, Best Practices Findings, Detailed Appendices and Questionnaire Results.  The reports are $13 each for members, $23 for non-members (for order form click here or call 916/665-2777).  Free to members who download them from the website (click here).

Leisure Education Policy
Youth need to learn how to develop healthy interests and to take personal responsibility for initiating their own positive leisure activities. Park and recreation agencies are uniquely positioned to educate youth about the value of parks and recreation through, before and after school programs. Click here for policy

RFP for Consultant Services
If your agency is preparing to write a strategic plan, general plan or master plan and you will be looking to hire a consultant to help with the plan, you will want to see the RFP Writing Guide. Developed to help agencies when writing an RFP for professional service in preparing a strategic plan, general plan or master plan. The guide helps agencies write an effective RFP to obtain and evaluate pertinent information.  Click here to download an editable word document.