Foundations to Innovations in Community Recreation

Support Your Team’s Growth with the Foundations to Innovations in Community Recreation Micro-Credential

Municipal Parks and Recreation Departments play a crucial role in fostering community well-being, promoting social equity, and providing inclusive recreation services. As the demands on public recreation services continue to evolve, it is essential that staff—from frontline supervisors to emerging leaders—have a strong understanding of the broader role recreation plays in their communities.

The Foundations to Innovations in Community Recreation micro-credential is designed specifically for Parks and Recreation Departments seeking to invest in their teams by offering structured, high-quality professional development. This program provides municipal recreation professionals with the knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to effectively serve their communities and respond to emerging trends and challenges. Municipal recreation is a public good that fosters social capital, advances health initiatives, and addresses pressing social challenges, such as homelessness, extreme weather, and community integration. This program supports professionals in their transition into supervisory and management roles in a public-sector context by equipping them with theoretical and practical insights to effectively lead, serve, and respond to the needs of their communities.

Why Invest in Your Staff?

Many municipal recreation staff members enter the field from diverse academic and professional backgrounds. While they bring valuable skills and experience, they may not have had formal training in the foundational principles of leisure and recreation or an understanding of the social, economic, and environmental impacts of public recreation services.

• By supporting staff in completing this micro-credential, municipalities can:
  Strengthen the quality of recreation services by ensuring staff understand the public good that recreation provides.
• Improve community engagement by equipping staff with the skills to communicate recreation’s value to diverse groups.
• Address workforce development challenges, such as high turnover and rapid promotion into supervisory roles, by ensuring employees have a solid foundation in recreation principles.
• Support succession planning by preparing frontline staff to transition into leadership roles.
• Ensure alignment with strategic goals by having staff who can design and implement recreation programs that address community needs.

How the Program Benefits Your Team

This micro-credential offers a cohort-based learning model that allows municipal staff to learn together, collaborate, and apply concepts directly to their workplace. The blended learning approach ensures that employees can balance professional development with their work schedules, with a combination of:

• In-person classes that foster discussion and hands-on learning.
• Online activities that allow staff to reflect on key concepts and engage with peers.
• Cohort based program allows staff to make connections and learn with peers in different areas across your department. 
• Real-world application through a capstone project, where staff propose solutions to actual challenges within the parks and recreation department.

Topics Covered in the Program

• The role of public recreation in fostering community well-being and social equity
• The differences between municipal, commercial, and not-for-profit recreation services
• Emerging trends affecting recreation, such as climate resilience, demographic shifts, and inclusion
• The impact of recreation on public health and community development
• Strategies for addressing local challenges, such as access to recreation, facility management, and programming for underserved populations

Flexible, Workplace-Integrated Learning

This program is delivered in partnership with municipalities, allowing it to be offered on-site at Parks and Recreation facilities or through a hybrid model that combines classroom learning with online collaboration. It is structured to minimize disruption to daily operations while maximizing learning outcomes.

Program Highlights

• Designed for Municipal Recreation Professionals
  Enhance your ability to navigate and contribute to the evolving landscape of community recreation.
• On-site (in community) Delivery
  In-person classes are delivered on-site rather than at Langara College.
• Blended Learning Format
  A combination of in-person classes and online activities to support learning and professional development.
• Capstone Project
  Apply your knowledge to real-world challenges by developing strategic initiatives for your organization.
• Pathway to Further Education
  Credits from this micro-credential can be applied toward the Recreation Leadership Diploma and Bachelor of Recreation Management.

Who Should Take This Program?

This micro-credential is ideal for:

• Recreation professionals currently working in municipal parks and recreation departments
• Individuals looking to advance into supervisory or management roles
• Those seeking a foundational understanding of the role of public recreation in community development

Program Structure

The micro-credential consists of three courses, each worth 1 credit, for a total of 3 credits. The scheduling of the three courses can be customized to fit organizational and operational needs.

1. Essential Elements of Leisure and Recreation (RECR 1000)

   • Theoretical foundations of leisure and recreation
   • The role of public recreation in fostering social equity and community well-being
   • Historical influences on recreation in Canada

2. Contemporary Issues and Trends in Community Recreation (RECR 1001)

   • Current issues shaping municipal recreation services
   • The impact of emerging trends on program design and community engagement
3. Integrative Praxis in Community Recreation (RECR 1002)
   • Strategic approaches to addressing challenges in the organization & community.
   • Development of initiatives to address current challenges