Activating FRPA

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In May 2023, 25 of professionals met for two days at the Florida Elks Youth Camp in Umatilla, Florida, to set about the work of creating the Association’s strategic plan for the 2023-2025 timeframe. The Collaborative Labs of St. Pete College assisted in facilitating the work of this retreat. The process allowed that everyone present contributed and was heard throughout the two-day period.

FRPA is comprised of individual professionals; agencies and organizations whose purpose it is to protect open spaces and provide recreational and cultural services to the public; and corporate partners and allied organizations who support our mission. At the center of FRPA’s work is a passion and commitment to insure our industry is recognized, valued, and supported by users, advocates and decision makers. To accomplish this, FRPA must have influence, and to have influence FRPA must be credible.

The products of this Retreat can be broken down into three categories:

Activating FRPA’s Influence and Credibility

Activating Our Profession

Activating Our Professionals

During the 2023 Annual Conference, the FRPA Board of Directors reported out about how this plan will proceed. You can watch a recap of that session here or download a one page outline. Below you can read more about how these goals will be attained.

Missed the session at Conference? Check it out here!

Download the one page summary of the plan.

ACTIVATING
FRPA'S
INFLUENCE AND CREDIBILITY

Subject Matter Expert Workgroup – 2023 and 2024
Chair: Lara Khoury, Largo Recreation, Parks and Arts
Board Liaison:
PURPOSE: To advance the Association’s goal of supplying Subject Matter Experts available to be called upon to speak on behalf of the Association in a variety of settings in order to advance the profession and to activate FRPA’s influence and credibility.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: It is the responsibility of the workgroup to define what constituted a subject matter expert in the field of parks and recreation; establish a process of identifying someone as a subject matter expert; develop a plan to annually review those identified by the Association as a subject matter expert; and to develop a plan to market those in the subject matter expert collective/bureau to allied organizations, with the purpose and intent of activating and sustaining FRPA’s influence and credibility.

Legislative Committee – 2023 and 2024
Chair: Fred Couceyro, Coral Gables Recreation and Parts
Board Liaison: Becky Gunter, Seminole Recreation
PURPOSE: To advance the Association’s legislative agenda, and review corresponding regulations within state agencies that may impact local government agencies.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: It is the responsibility of the committee to develop resources to assist FRPA members in preparing to address legislative issues with elected officials; to annually review the legislative webpage within the Association website to insure information is relevant and current; to meet annually to discuss issues to be included on the Association’s legislative platform; to meet regularly during session to keep abreast of action needed on issues of relevance; and other duties required to facilitate appropriate representation of the Association’s legislative agenda.

Collaboration Task Force – 2023 and 2024
Chair: Lara Khoury, Largo Recreation, Parks and Arts
Board Liaison: Rick Durr, Seminole Co Leisure Services
PURPOSE: To advance the Association’s goal of collaborating with allied organizations to expand and sustain FRPA’s influence and credibility.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: It is the responsibility of the task force to develop a process wherein allied organizations suitable for collaboration are annual identified, and a purpose for the collaboration outlined with measurable outcomes.

ACTIVATING
THE
PROFESSION

Connections Task Force – Late 2024 and 2025
Chair:
Board Liaison: Charlotte Presensky, Palm Beach Gardens Recreation
PURPOSE: To advance the Association’s goal of advancing the professionals through social connections.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: It is the responsibility of the task force to research the feasibility and the interest of having social and/or service events that foster members connecting with members.

ACTIVATING
THE
PROFESSIONAL

Career Mapping Task Force – 2023-2025
Chair: Susan Lovallo, Port Orange Parks and Recreation
Board Liaison: Terrell Griffin, Haines City Parks and Recreation
PURPOSE: To advance the Association’s goal of activating the professionals by creating a method to develop individuals into our field and to show a clear path to excel in the field.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: It is the responsibility of the task force to identify segments within the field where a defined and specific career path can be identified, and create resources to promote those pathways in order that professionals see future career advancement and sustainability in the field of parks and recreation.

Pipeline Workgroup – 2023-2024
Chair: Shannon Ryan, Plantation Parks and Recreation
Board Liaison: Terrell Griffin, Haines City Parks and Recreation
PURPOSE: To develop a plan to partner with educational institutions for the purpose of promoting workforce pipelines into the field of parks and recreation.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: It is the responsibility of the workgroup to develop a plan to begin working with educational institutions to demonstrate the pipelines that feed entry into the field of parks and recreation, and to demonstrate the career maps that exist for long term careers in the field. This workgroup will work parallel to the Career Mapping Task Force when developing resources.

If you would like to get involved in the work of any of the above items, please reach out to Eleanor at FRPA (eleanor@frpa.org or 850-878-3221). It takes a team to accomplish great things and if anyone knows anything about teamwork it's park and recreation professionals! We hope you'll join in this journey!

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