GRPA Membership Benefits

Professional Development is a priority of GRPA and is provided through many quality continuing education programs. GRPA will also keep you informed of other outside professional development opportunities. GRPA participates in the National Recreation and Park Association Certification Program and has installed study support and record keeping to facilitate certification of professional members. The Professional Development Committee monitors the quality of educational sessions to ensure the credibility of continuing education programs. Continuing education credits are recorded at the GRPA administrative office for accurate maintenance of accessible records. The Leisure Careers Foundation coordinates the application process for certification.

The GRPA Annual Conference hosts a variety of educational tracks designed to suit the needs of all recreation and park professionals. The Annual Conference Committee works diligently to provide more than 80 high quality educational sessions to bring the most up to date information in our industry. Conference attendance exposes professionals to over 150 commercial and educational exhibits providing exposure to industry innovations.

Networking with Professional Colleagues can be one of the most valuable long term benefits of membership. GRPA members are eager to share new ideas and professional experiences that can contribute to your own job performance. Many networking opportunities await a new GRPA member.

Opportunities for Personal Growth

Leadership Opportunities: GRPA focuses on developing members into tomorrow's leaders. Leadership GRPA is an annual program dedicated to promote personal growth and leadership skills in new members. Individuals are nominated to participate in the Leadership Development retreat. Members can also participate in their Districts, Interest Sections, or on a variety of Committees. Make the most of your GRPA participation by seeking the leadership positions that interest you. Leadership in GRPA can translate into personal leadership development that can help advance your career.

Awards and Honors: Professional leaders, outstanding members, and community volunteers are recognized by the GRPA membership for their performance at local, district, section, and state levels. Recognition for innovative recreation and park leadership brings visibility to Georgia and to the recreation and parks profession.

Personal Benefits are available to all GRPA members and include the opportunity for National Certification, GRPA Job Bulletin, Technical Assistance and referrals, Professional Mentoring, Periodicals, Conferences, Workshops, Vendor Referrals, and Purchasing Discounts.

Stay informed

GRPA Magazine, Newsletter, and the Member Directory bring the latest trends, issues, and relevant information right to your mailbox. Published quarterly, the Magazine and Newsletter highlight industry related news including technical, informative, political updates and agency profiles. The publications also provide all member related news from the Districts, Sections and Committees. The member directory is a resource tool to keep you in touch with the other members and vendors.

GRPA Web Site (www.grpa.org) is a professionally designed and constantly updated web site to provide information via the Internet for maximum accessibility. Apply for membership, register for Annual Conference, and check out upcoming events and meetings, all on line!

Career Support

Professional Staff at the GRPA administrative office is there to assist and serve the membership. Accessibility is ensured through a toll free phone number and an e-mail address. GRPA has a strong commitment to delivering value and service to each member.

Your Government Voice for Parks and Recreation is GRPA; The single most recognized voice on behalf of our industry within Georgia. With a strong Public Policy Committee spearheading the way, we continually strive to establish ourselves as the organization for policy makers to turn for information and advice regarding concerns and trends facing recreation and parks service delivery.

A place for everyone

Interest Sections, State Committees, and the Board of Trustees provide opportunities for GRPA involvement, career development, and professional networking. The Sections focus on professionals in their specialty areas meeting quarterly to provide resources and sponsor educational sessions. Refer to the Special Interest Sections for a complete listing of these sections. As a GRPA member you will value the benefits of participating in your section. GRPA State Committees provide an excellent vehicle to use in becoming active and supporting GRPA and your industry. Contact your District Commissioner, Section Chair, or the GRPA office to find out more about committee service.

Section Affiliations

Administrators Individuals responsible for administrative operation of private, public, or not- for- profit organizations.

Aquatics Individuals interested in aquatics facilities and programs provided through private, public, or not-for-profit organizations.

Athletics Individuals responsible for providing athletic activities and services to the youth and adults of their communities.

Cultural Affairs Individuals interested in educational training, development and to support the arts through public leisure services.

Facilities & Grounds Individuals who are involved in the design, development, construction, maintenance or oversight of facilities such as sport complexes, recreation centers, golf courses, etc.

Minority Individuals interested in promoting the benefits of culturally diverse programs and services.

Outdoor Individuals responsible for and interested in the management maintenance, and design of park lands and the natural resources contained therein.

Planning & Design Individuals who are involved with parks, recreation, leisure services, environmental and historic preservation, planning, and designing.

Programmers Individuals interested in creating, developing, and implementing leisure time activities, special events, and tours for all ages and a variety of interests.

Seniors Individuals interested in creating and implementing dynamic activities for older adults and reviewing senior trends and issues.

Students & Young Professionals Individuals preparing for a future career in recreation.

Therapeutics Individuals working to improve the clients quality of life for the specific purposes of intervening in and changing some physical, emotional or social behavior to promote growth and development of the individual through recreation and leisure.

Districts divide GRPA membership into seven areas for accessible regional level services. Districts meet quarterly and provide networking, educational, social and leadership opportunities.