Recreation lives in the inner-city

The public parks and recreation movement grew out of the late 19th century social welfare movement. The first public recreation programs focused on youth – what we might call today, “youth at risk”. Names synonymous with the social welfare movement (Jane Adams, Joseph Lee, Luther Gulick and others) were part of the playground movement. In the 100 plus years of change playgrounds have moved to parks and agencies are park and recreation departments, districts, or leisure service agencies. As American has grown more affluent and supercenters have become more prevalent, many began to wonder if there was still a social welfare aspect of public recreation.

I’m not a city person. My roots are in the midwest. In communities of 130,000 or less and mostly less. Students from our programs rarely have contact with inner cities, large urban areas, or with programs focusing on lower income groups. We recently toured facilities in Louisville, KY and if I might quote one of our students, “We can sense in your actions and your words the commitment you have to recreation and to the people you serve. It is a pleasure to learn from you.” This came at the end of the first day of touring just a couple of recreation centers and visiting with the staff of many of the centers.

Most university park and recreation students in the midwest do not work in the inner-city, nor do they have much contact. The trip to Louisville was an important growth experience for the students and for the faculty. It has been too long since we listened to committed professionals talk about safe-places, life-changing experiences, opportunities to grow, personal commitment, a second chance, and more. Daily this group of outstanding professionals put our profession into action working with youth who may not have anyone else. Their hearts are tugged, the pocketbooks are not bulging, and yet most nights they go home feeling they have made a difference. This remains the core of what recreation is about.

Sure, they worry about budgets, about revenue generation, about improving the quality of life. When they talk about improving the quality of life, they are talking about changing people in small, yet important ways. In ways most of us no longer discuss. They are not focusing on the new supercenter, or the next hot revenue source. Rather they are focusing on people, people in need, people who have no-one else, people who probably would fall through the cracks and become a dredge to society rather than a contributor. These recreation professionals understand why they are in the business, why they chose this way of life, and they love what they do. It shows every time they talk and act. As Tom Peters might say, “They walk the walk and talk the talk”. It was a joy and pleasure to visit with them. My faith in the profession is rekindled.

Technorati Tags: education, knowledge, learning, recreation, values

Can universities create places?

“Places have a way of claiming people.” This is so according to Cheng, Krueger, & Daniels in a 2003 article. As I was taken around the San Diego State University Campus this past week I became aware of the many different places that were claiming people. There was the Mediterranean garden that imbued a sense of quiet, reflection, and order – quite the opposite of what I have seen in Greece and Cyprus. The seating was arranged for small groups where they could work together or independently, for tables, and for a center fountain. As my guide explained this allows individuals to work independently or in small groups, or to just have time for reflection. There were a few of these places available on the campus – some secluded, in the sense that they were open and viewable, but not inviting to noise, large groups, or as play areas. They could only support a minority of the 30,000 plus students on campus. My guide suggested these were among her favorite spots on campus.

But where do the other multitude of students congregate and is it a “place” or is it just a “gathering spot?” I’m not sure I have the answer to this. The open spaces around the food courts appear to be gathering areas, the multiple seating areas along walk ways appear to be little used, the coffee shops are busy, but are they places.

Do universities actually strive to create senses of place, are the creation of ambience the same as a sense of place, does the nature of the university’s life support the notion of place or inhibit it?

A university is a frenetic place as students are passing between classes, but in between these moments of activity they almost become ghost towns. There are the few students who may be going to one place or another, or the faculty or staff member on their way to a meeting, but the time students stop to take advantage of the settings they are in – when does that occur. I don’t think that as those first rays of spring’s sunshine when all of the coeds lay out for that first tan count. Those are places that claim people.

As I think of my own campus I cannot picture a place that claims me. I am troubled by that thought. Thee are places in the community that give me a sense of place, but not like I have experienced in other locations. What prohibits me from gaining a sense of place? Is it because I am so busy I focus on my office or more importantly the tasks that come with the office? Is it because I see it as a place of work, not of leisure? Is it because I don’t take time to “smell the dandelions”? Is it because I’m too caught up in the rush of the world? Or is it a little bit of all of these.

Community . . .

I have spent the last couple of months engaged with the United Way in our community. This is my fifth year and for the first time I have moved beyond the panel level to the fund distribution committee leadership role. It has opened my eyes and allowed me to see things I have not seen before. I was looking at the tail of the elephant and for the first time I am seeing much more of that elephant. It is a staggering view. As I watch the process unfold I am becoming more and more aware of how we are failing those who have the greatest need at the expense of those who are interested only in themselves. I am convinced if most people could spend the few hours I have seeing how much good these many agencies perform, they too would give more of the their time and money. I believe in the good ness of people. The United Way works hard to help people to grow. It is the volunteers who sometimes growth the most.

I initially worte this last night as I was pondering not only community involvement but the general condition of humans and their inability to think in terms of having a greater concern for the welfare of all rather than just themselves. A Christian perspective suggests that we care for others. Many people do this, but I also see many examples of where caring for others is not of prime importance in a person’s life. The desire for wealth has negatively effected the quality of life not only in the United States, but worldwide. Just this morning I listened to an NPR short report about the high numbers of inidvidiuals who are going to food kitchens – they are not just the homeless, but those who are not, but cannot pay mortgages, utilities, rent and also feed themselves and their family. I don’t consider myself political, but I think the political leadership of this country is going the wrong way!

Go to the December issue of National Geographic and see the section on Global Aid: Hope in Hell. In a very forceful and touching way it focuses on what I have just talked about.