I Play Too: Spring Update

By Jason Bookheimer, CPRP, Director of Community Recreation, Danville Parks and Recreation and Project Consultant, Oxbow

May is Mental Health Month and a great opportunity to dedicate some time to think about I Play Too and what it means to VRPS and each of us. I Play Too is a movement dedicated to supporting parks and recreation professionals’ well-being, especially mental well-being.

For the past nearly three years, VRPS members and leadership from around the state have been engaging in work to help focus, understand and provide direction for the betterment of VRPS. What we know is, when you work to support people, no matter mentally, spiritually, physically or emotionally, it is continuous and critical work. Sometimes people like to use the term “move the needle,” but when it comes to anything health related and numbers of large populations sometimes a flatline or small adjustment in the bell curve is positive. The reality is, we will never reach a day when we can close the book and say, “we did it, time to move on.” This work is very deep, it drains your emotional battery, and it digs into the closets and rooms that you don’t want to get into. Evermore, there is constant debate about whether mental wellness should even be a topic of concern or discussion in the workplace. However, it may be one of the most meaningful ways to support each of us as individuals, and that is the mission of VRPS when it comes to parks and recreation professionals’ well-being in the state of Virginia.

To help understand how this initiative has been working we would like to provide some context and examples of shifts in recent years. You may have noticed some small things such as virtual opportunities to engage early on in a post pandemic world, small but mighty shifts to annual conference such as the addition of the Zen Den (shout out to Tracy Newsome and everyone who helps with this!), schedule adjustments for more decompression time, later starts to the day that include exercise and fitness opportunities. Did anyone take part in goat yoga last year?!! Last year, VRPS, with Bailey’s determination and effort, hosted the first ever “Play Day” at Kings Dominion open to all members and families. One of our greatest tasks was administering, as far as we know, the country’s first statewide survey around mental well-being. With the assistance of researchers at UVA, we have dissected the data and information, giving us a good idea of how we are doing as a state and a starting point to have conversations.

We plan to conduct the survey bi-annually and be able to compare our efforts moving forward. Members from around the state have also participated in developmental training and certification such as Mental Health First Aid and Trauma and Informed Care, resource groups have also spurred conversations and hosted discussions around the subject matter. Multiple sessions and presentation have involved members around the state focused on I Play Too and this past year, LTI dedicated learning opportunities for leaders during the institute focused on mental well-being. Movement is happening and energy is being focused on supporting our members’ needs and wants. This initiative shows up in many ways and as we learn and navigate what our members need, we will continue to do so in a fluid and intentional manner. Whether you are in favor of work life balance or not, find yourself in great debate about whether we should provide flexible work schedules, have no clue where to start, or maybe even don’t agree with any of it, VRPS is here to help and ensure that members have a place to connect and move forward. Virginia has and will continue be a leader in the country in best practices.

We have great examples of “next practices” as well as leaders that are doing the right things right. As we move forward, we will continue to lean on these examples, connect members to the right resources and engage in meaningful conversations to support each individual. The VRPS board supports this initiative and wants to help. If you have questions or ideas please reach out and share with any of your board members, service area or resource group chairs. When you think of this work, it is 100% the elephant in the room, it is big and sometimes difficult to understand. This February, members of VRPS were invited to the Virginia Local Government Management Associations winter conference to speak on what we are doing in VRPS, and I Play Too. City, county, and town managers from across the state were interested in what we are doing and seeking help to understand how they can bring this to a system-wide approach and learn from us.

During this conference, we discussed many things with them but focused on how this shows up in the workplace, results from our survey, organizational culture, and leadership’s impact on personal wellness. It is important to know that no one has this figured out, but the good news is many people from organizational leaders to your front desk staff or parks crew cares. While we don’t have all the answers, what we do have is passion and mutual support for our fellow professionals. The greatest takeaway for me was to know that we are not in this alone and many of our leaders from state and national levels are trying to figure this out too. This can seem far reaching and it may take some time, but just know that VRPS is here for you now. I hope that each of you finds time to enjoy what makes you happy this spring, understand how you can make a difference, seek support when you need it, and know that VRPS is going to do things to support each member of our organization. As you prepare for summer services and all that entails, take a deep breath and find time to play a little bit yourself.