Workshops are extended educational opportunities which provide both education on the topic as well as time to design projects to be completed in your community or department. The following workshops are designed to guide practitioners, volunteers, park or trail boards, friends groups, and community leaders. Additional workshops and programs are considered quarterly upon request.
To receive information about how to register, join our Listserv. Registration opens in July 2024.
Social & Behavioral Marketing
October 23, 2024 in Dallas, Texas (3 hour morning workshop)
Learn the fundamentals of social and behavioral marketing and how to have purpose with your messaging and communication.
Wayfinding and Cognition Summit– More than signs helping you find your way!
October 24, 2024 in Dallas, Texas (All Day)
This session will cover the key concepts of wayfinding and nudge theory. Attendees will learn how people organize and understand their environments, how we use these concepts to connect people, both visually and physically to parks and trails, and how to get started in applying these concepts in their communities. This summit will provide a space for attendees to discuss issues and trends, share and deliberate ideas with peers and experts, and develop action plans for their local efforts.
CPTED for Parks
November 19, 2024 in Dallas, Texas (3 hour morning workshop)
In this workshop, attendees will learn Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) basic principles, evaluate a site, learn how CPTED is integrated into park plans and policies, and devise related action steps.
Maintenance Planning Basics
November 19, 2024 in Dallas, Texas (3 hour afternoon workshop)
This course is designed to motivate you to start or update maintenance and operations planning. The workshop reviews the value of maintenance plans, discusses key components of maintenance plans, helps you start to identify what is meaningful for your organization, and allows you time to brainstorm how to get started on maintenance planning in your organization.
Small Community Master and Site Planning
December 4, 2024 in Dallas, Texas (3 hour morning workshop)
January 7, 2025 in College Station, Texas (3 hour morning workshop)
Learn how to compile or update Community’s Parks and Open Space or Trail Master Plans. In addition to overview and instruction, the workshop will assist attendees in developing project plans.
Grant Writing 101 for Parks, Trails, and Open Spaces
December 4, 2024 in Dallas, Texas (3 hour afternoon workshop)
January 7, 2025 in College Station, Texas (3 hour afternoon workshop)
Attendees will learn the basic concepts of grant writing including how to look for grants, best practices in writing grants, and key terms such as logic models, milestones, etc. Attendees will review grant opportunities and practice reviewing key sections and support materials required for grants.
Community Engagement
February 12, 2025 in College Station, Texas (3 hour morning workshop)
OR
February 19, 2025 in Dallas, Texas (3 hour morning workshop)
The introductory workshop aims to help practitioners, volunteers, and community leaders learn the basic principles of community engagement. During the session, instructors will highlight various types of processes. The session will also highlight the engagement continuum which develop higher level involvement with local partners and advocates.
Youth Engagement
February 12, 2025 in College Station, Texas (3 hour afternoon workshop)
OR
February 19, 2025 in Dallas, Texas (3 hour afternoon workshop)
This session covers the basics of working with youth and engaging them in park planning, upkeep, and development. Various youth programs will be highlighted. Attendees will have time to develop ideas to apply in their communities.
Developing and Assessing Your Engagement Continuum in Parks and Recreation Summit
February 27, 2025 in Dallas, Texas (All Day)
Modern day park systems are strengthened by their social systems. Engagement is more than just talking with and listening to people. It involves everything from communication to co-production. This summit reviews the literature and case studies on engagement, community systems, and co-production. Attendees will learn how to assess and develop their engagement continuum to support their park and recreation outreach, equity, and outcomes. This summit will provide a space for attendees to discuss issues and trends, share and deliberate ideas with peers and experts, and develop action plans for their local efforts.
Asset-based Approaches to Community Development in Parks and Recreation Summit (All Day)
February 26, 2025 in Dallas, Texas (All Day)
Asset-based approaches helps leaders identify, build, and empower local communities based on their strengths and resources. This approach guides local advocates to focus less on the “needs” culture that has often lead to deficiency-laden planning processes, dependency on external resources, and feeling broken. The program helps leaders learn and identify processes to focus on identifying community resources and strengths, how it can work together, and what it can accomplish by working together via co-production. This program is designed for communities of all sizes with all levels of resources. This summit will provide a space for attendees to discuss issues and trends, share and deliberate ideas with peers and experts, and develop action plans for their local efforts.
Playability
Date TBD in Dallas, Texas (3 hour morning workshop)
Review best practices and outcomes for Pop up Play, Painted Places, Open Streets, and Mobile Play programs. The workshop guides local groups through site or community evaluation techniques and related action planning steps to incorporate play into the daily fabric of their organization or community .
Activating Environments
Date TBD in Dallas, Texas (3 hour afternoon workshop)
This initiative provides practitioners and community leaders with an overview of successful programs and concepts to activate spaces. It reviews the basics of placemaking, pop up play, open streets, playability, and usability. The instructors will highlight key steps used to plan and implement programs, as well as share highlights on how outcomes and impacts are measured
For more information or to receive an e-mail about registration, please submit a request.
