First-of-Its-Kind Wellness Model Toolkit Places Parks and Recreation as Central to Equitable Community Health and Well-being
Ashburn, VA (June 15, 2022)
The National Recreation and Park Association’s new resource provides strategies for creating Community Wellness Hubs through local parks and recreation
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the nation’s leading advocate for parks and recreation, has launched a new resource to help park and recreation professionals create equitable community health and well-being through Community Wellness Hubs.
Community Wellness Hubs are trusted gathering places that connect every member of the community to essential programs, services and spaces that improve health outcomes and enhance quality of life. NRPA’s new toolkit — Community Wellness Hubs: A Toolkit for Advancing Community Health and Well-Being Through Parks and Recreation — is a first-of-its-kind resource that places parks and recreation at the center of bringing people, services and healthy environments together.
The toolkit is based on an evaluation of 15 local park and recreation agencies that planned, developed and created wellness hubs between 2020 and 2022. In addition to practice-based strategies, resources and case studies, the toolkit provides a step-by-step guide to creating a Community Wellness Hub in alignment with seven dimensions of well-being.
“We are thrilled to launch our Community Wellness Hub Toolkit for our park and recreation professionals” said Kristine Stratton, NRPA President and CEO. “This truly is a first-of-its-kind resource that elevates the critical role park and recreation professionals play in advancing community health and well-being. Park and recreation professionals have long been the center of convening partnerships and this toolkit provides a process for how to bring people together for the health and well-being of all community members — especially those who have typically lacked access to critical health connections.”
The resource comprises five primary sections with additional resources embedded throughout:
- Parks and Recreation as Community Wellness Hubs
- How to Create a Community Wellness Hub
- The Seven Dimensions of Well-Being
- Strategies and Approaches to Advance Community Wellness Hubs
- Case Studies from the Field
This toolkit was made possible thanks to support from the Walmart Foundation as well as the many park and recreation professionals who implemented the Community Wellness Hub model and provided their input and experiences to help create this resource.
To learn more and access the toolkit, visit nrpa.org/CommunityWellnessHubs
To lean more about NRPA, visit nrpa.org.
About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. With more than 60,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and advocates — the catalysts for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.