chapter

18The Nature of Recreation and Leisure As a Profession

Introduction

1. Explore various issues related to professionalism and whether leisure services qualifies as a profession.

2. Present 6 major criteria that define a profession.

3. Measure the field of park, recreation, and leisure services against 6 major criteria defining a profession.

Definition of a Professional

“. . . professions are unique in that their members have special knowledge, perform a specialized role and have control over their occupation’s structure, function, practice and destiny.”

—Sessoms, 1991, p. 249

Evaluating the Leisure Services Profession

• Several criteria have been identified as defining a profession (Kraus, 2001; Sessoms, 1991).

• The following 6 criteria define whether recreation and leisure services qualify as a profession: 1. Social value and purpose2. Public recognition3. Specialized body of knowledge4. Specialized professional preparation5. Quality assurance through accreditation,

certification, and professional associations6. Professional code of ethics

Social Value and Purpose

• Ask someone what they like to do on the weekend or how they want to spend their retirement years. Chances are the response you get will contain some reference to leisure. True? False?

• Recreation and leisure have social value and serve a purpose in today’s society. How?

• What is it about leisure opportunities that make them so valuable to the people who participate in them?

Our Professional Mandate

“One of the characteristics of a profession is that it has a social mandate.• Mandate is grounded in meeting a fundamental

need of society, whether it be a concern for its health, system of justice, literacy, or quality of life.

• Without a mandate, there is no soul, no sense of purpose, no sustaining will, which attracts people to the cause …”

(Sessoms,1992, p. 47)

Benefits Approach to Leisure

Benefits approach to leisure (BAL) “is not only a philosophy about the roles of leisure in society and how leisure service delivery systems should be managed, but also a system for directing leisure research, instruction, policy development, and management.”

(Driver & Bruns, 1999, p. 349)

Benefits Approach Outcomes

1. Information on outcomes of participation helps people make informed decisions about leisure.

2. Helps managers educate policy makers and the general public about the value of their services.

3. Consistent with a marketing orientation centered on identifying the needs of participants and segmenting them into groups so that these needs might be fulfilled most efficiently and effectively.

Positive Outcome Categories

• Personal benefits:– Psychological– Physiological

• Social and cultural benefits

• Economic benefits

• Environmental benefits

But the Benefits Are Not Endless: Cautionary Notes

• Outcomes of our programs and services are not always positive. Excessive exercising and eating disorders may be just two of the negative by-products because some recreation activities reinforce body image issues, especially among women (Shaw, 1991).

• Focusing on the benefits reduces leisure to its instrumental value, thereby implying that leisure in and of itself is less valuable than the outcomes it produces (Hemingway & Parr, 2000).

(continued)

But the Benefits Are Not Endless: Cautionary Notes (continued)

• It is unrealistic to suggest that, in any one locale, all of the outcomes categories can be achieved through leisure.

• Need exists for parks and recreation to adopt a more clearly defined “position” in each community. General public will better recognize our specific contributions.

Public Recognition

• “Obviously there is a paradox: While leisure is the leading economic sector and the most important social service sector, the scope and magnitude of the benefits of leisure are not recognized and appreciated.”

• At the start of the 21st century, neither Canada nor the United States had federal policies that “broadly recognize, protect, and promote leisure as a significant business and social service.” What are the question and implications of this?

—Driver & Bruns,1999

(continued)

Public Recognition (continued)

• In one U.S. national telephone survey, more than 60% of respondents said that their community benefited “a great deal” from local parks (Godbey, Graefe & James, 1993).

• With respect to recreation programs provided by local governments, it was found that the personal and social (e.g., getting to know people, community awareness) benefits accruing from these were perceived to be quite high.

Four Reasons for Recreation and Leisure’s Poor Public Profile

• First factor:– Disregarded as serious area of study or employment. – General public seldom recognizes the difficulty and complexity

of managing facilities, preserving parkland, and creating quality leisure experiences.

• Second factor:– Hard facts on benefits of parks and recreation to society are

difficult to come by. – Social merits of leisure are often not adequately articulated to

the general public and decision makers.

(continued)

Four Reasons for Recreation and Leisure’s Poor Public Profile

(continued)

• Third and related factor:– The diversity of backgrounds and mandates has enabled us to

affect multiple areas of social and economic concern.– This serves to create a complicated and fuzzy image of the

field among people who do not regularly use our services.

• Final factor (although there are undoubtedly others):– Overemphasis placed on work in North American society.– When people first meet at parties, they usually introduce

themselves according to their area of employment. (This practice is a remnant of the Protestant work ethic.)

Efforts to Improve the Public’s Perception of Recreation and Leisure

• Research: Professors and professionals must research, document, and communicate the positive contributions our programs and facilities make to individuals and communities.

• Repositioning: The perceptions of stakeholders, such as citizens and elected officials, must change so that parks and recreation are perceived to be significant contributors to important community concerns.

Discussion: Subject: Challenges of Public Perception

What are some of the challenges of improving the public’s perception of our field?

How can we improve these challenges?

Specialized Professional Preparation

• Recreation and leisure studies are multidisciplinary in nature. Our parent disciplines include psychology, sociology, geography, economics, planning, philosophy, political science, history, marketing, and management science.

• Most of our academic programs can trace their roots and evolution to one of three basic areas:1. Recreation and leisure programs came from physical

education. 2. Outdoor recreation evolved from broader forestry and

resource development programs.3. Tourism and sport management programs reflect the

growing specialization occurring in business-based education.

Specialized Body of Knowledge

• 150 years of “professional” history in Canada and the United States exists; however, published knowledge related to our understanding of leisure and park and recreation management was, prior to 1960, not extensive.

• Since 1960, the number of academic journals, professional magazines, and professional books has expanded greatly.

• Unique education includes a thorough understanding of recreational activities and program areas, including, and perhaps most important, the value and benefits of leisure for individuals, communities, and the environment.

Quality Assurance Through Accreditation, Certification,

and Professional Associations

• Accreditation is a process whereby agencies are evaluated in terms of their ability to provide quality, standardized services.

• Certification is usually granted by a professional organization representing the field to individual practitioners who meet or exceed standards of performance.

• A professional organization or association represents practitioners working in a given field and serves the profession in two ways: – Professional development of its members– Communication to the general public (including citizens and

politicians at the national, state, regional, and local levels) of the value of the services provided by its members

Professional Code of Ethics Defined

• Ethic, in its simplest form, means “the right thing.” To behave in an ethical manner is to “do the right thing,” thus conforming to some moral standard.

• Standards by which actions are judged to be right or wrong are products of both individual and cultural morals and values.

Sample Code of Ethics: National Park and Recreation Association

1. Adhere to the highest standards of integrity and honesty in all public and personal activities to inspire public confidence and trust.

2. Strive for personal and professional excellence and encourage the professional development of associates and students.

3. Strive for the highest standards of professional competence, fairness, impartiality, efficiency, effectiveness, and fiscal responsibility.

4. Avoid any interest or activity that is in conflict with the performance of job responsibilities.

5. Promote the public interest and avoid personal gain or profit from the performance of job duties and responsibilities.

6. Support equal employment opportunities.

Summary

• Informal and formal processes are in place that will continue to enhance the status of parks, recreation, and leisure services.

• Leisure services professionals are in a unique position to facilitate human development.

• Potential exists to contribute significant social value, even if unseen by most.

(continued)

Summary (continued)

• Continued research and application of the benefits of leisure will aid in enhancing the positive image.

• The professional body of knowledge is constantly evolving.

• The reach of leisure services extends into multiple societal domains.

Discussion:Subject: Driver & Burns

“Obviously there is a paradox: while leisure is the leading economic sector and the most important social service sector, the scope and magnitude of the benefits of leisure are not recognized and appreciated” (Driver & Bruns, 1999).

Discuss the implications of this statement in the playground.