HEALTH & WELLNESS
NRPA programmed specific sessions for this year’s virtual conference, NRPA Virtual, regarding how park and recreation professionals can play a role in the mental health and well-being of their communities.
Health and Wellness: Top of Mind During NRPA Virtual By Lauren Kiefert
T
he 2020 NRPA Annual Conference looked very different compared to past years. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has changed the majority of our daily lives — with our new normal consisting of virtual learning, video chatting, teleworking and physical distancing. With these changes come challenges, often in the form of isolation, and feelings of depression and sadness, anxiety and worry, and more. With more and more restrictions and no clear end in sight, it’s no surprise that mental health has become a large focus. NRPA recognized this challenge and intentionally programmed specific sessions for this year’s virtual conference, NRPA Virtual, regarding how park and recreation professionals can play a role in the mental health and well-being of their community.
Supporting Children’s Mental and Physical Health It’s a “new day” for learning, from staggered schedules to hybrid 22 Parks & Recreation
learning and virtual education. The Afterschool Alliance (afterschool alliance.org) and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (AHG) (healthiergeneration.org) shared an easy-to-use blueprint to help recreation agencies support the social, emotional and academic development of children. The speakers also provided ideas for supportive community partnerships and tangible resources that can be
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shared with staff and caregivers. The Blueprint for How Afterschool Programs and Community Partners Can Help (tinyurl.com/ y4cjm2tx) is broken into five main building blocks, with equity embedded into each category: 1. School-Community Partnerships 2. Commitment to Active and Engaged Learning 3. Family Engagement 4. Intentional Programming 5. Health and Well-Being Resources also were shared to help support all aspects of health and well-being during times of uncertainty and change: • NRPA’s Commit to Health campaign (nrpa.org/CommitToHealth) • Afterschool Alliance’s Protective factor issue brief (tinyurl.com/
