Raising the Professionalism of Your Internship

1. Raising the Professionalism of Your Internship Amy Hurd, Ph.D., CPRP- Illinois State University Chris Nunes, Ph.D., CPRP- The Woodlands, Texas

2. Session Objectives • List what competencies are needed for entry level employees • Demonstrate how competencies and accreditation standards can be incorporated into the internship process • Describe a model internship program that uses academic foundations in preparing students.

3. Session Outline • Overview of internship programs • Competencies • Accreditation Standards • Exemplar Internship Programs • Merging it all together

4. Overview of Internship Program

5. Overview of Internship Program • Purposes of an Internship • Networking with professionals • Developing professionalism • Demonstrating, refining, and acquiring competencies • Working toward securing an entry level position • Bridging the gap between theory and practice

6. Overview of Internship Program • Why are internships critical to the profession? • Succession planning • Retirements/Graying of the Profession • Mentoring “The person who does not worry about the future will shortly have worries about the present” –Chinese proverb

7. Overview of Internship Program • Managers’ Retirement Eligibility • Phoenix 56% by 2008 • Roseville, CA 80% by 2008 • Virginia Beach PD 39% by 2008 • MN DOT 55% by 2008 • Maine 50% by 2008 • Plano, TX 50% by 2009 • Anaheim 83% by 2010 • NASA 38% by 2010 • Your Agency?? ____by 2___

8. Overview of Internship Program Increasing Reliance On Growing Own Leaders 2005 Decreased Stayed the Same 2001 Increased Note: Data reported by HR professionals

9. Overview of Internship Program • Before you start ask yourself……. • How committed can I be? • What resources are needed? • Who is involved in an internship program? • How do I have a professional program?

10. Overview of Internship Program Benefits of Internships • Student • Theory into practice • Agency • Fresh ideas and perspectives • University • Ensuring reliability of curriculum

11. Supervision Work Schedule Overtime Issue Pay/Not Pay Stipend/Hourly Pay Physical Location Housing Transportation Equipment Needed Desk/Chair Computer with Internet Phone with long distance E-mail account Cell Phone Access to City Vehicle/Mileage re-imbursement Overview of Internship Program Logistics

12. Overview of Internship Program • Where do I find the students? • Location • Advertising • Relationship building with academia

13. Competencies

14. Competencies • Skills, knowledge & characteristics essential to the success of a position • Skills - specific observable abilities required to perform the particular tasks of the position • Knowledge – information required for the position • Characteristics –attitudes, personality factors or mental traits needed • What does this mean….

15. Skills, Knowledge & Characteristics • Job skills - hard skills • Develop & stay within a budget • Establish priorities • Develop goals & objectives • Characteristics - soft skills • Be a self starter • Have patience • Ability to be creative & innovative Skills & Knowledge Characteristics

16. Competencies Characteristics CEO Job Skills Entry Level

17. The individual’s competencies The job’s demands The organizational environment Model for Effective Performance Effective specific actions or behaviors BALANCE Boyatzis (1982)

18. What Will Competencies Do? • Efficiency & effectiveness • Ensure employee’s are doing the right things • Clarifying what is required for effective performance • Align skills with strategic direction of company as a whole • Help organization become “lean & mean” • Hire right people • Predict success of employee

19. Entry Level Competency Framework 51 Specific Competencies 14 Primary Competency Areas 5 General Competency Categories Specificity

20. ELCF • Communications • Ability to clearly communicate with staff • Effective public speaking skills • Effective written & oral communication skills • Community Relations • Know how to meet the needs of the community • Possess an understanding of customer service • Have an ability to deal with the public

21. ELCF • Interpersonal Skills • Be flexible • Understand the concept of criticism & ability to accept constructive criticism • Ability to take initiative • Leadership & Management • Ability to resolve conflict and solve problems • Ability to develop and stay within a budget • Be able to work in a team • Ability to manage multiple tasks

22. ELCF • Professional Practice • How to be able to position yourself for career advancement • Ability to schedule programs, leagues, & staff • Ability to network within and outside the profession • Know how to act professionally

23. Accreditation

24. NRPA- Council on Accreditation • Two primary goals • Assure program quality Assist in program improvement • Undergraduate Core & Options • Therapeutic Recreation, Natural Resources, Program Delivery, Leisure Services Management • 5 year review process

25. NRPA- Council on Accreditation • Why are they important? • Standards in the field • Academic & practitioner based • Basis of curriculum • Connection between academic preparation & internship • Benchmarks for preparation for an entry level position

26. NRPA- Council on Accreditation • 45 Core Standards • Conceptual Foundations • Profession • Leisure Services Delivery Systems • Program and Event Planning • Administration/ Management • Legal Aspects • Field Experiences

27. NRPA- Council on Accreditation • Sample Standards • 8.14.04 Marketing of programs/events • Content to consider: advertising, publicity, sales promotion, pricing, positioning, product, place, personal selling, and public relations • 8.19 Understanding of the principles and procedures of human resource management • Content to consider: Human resource planning and staffing, compensation, staff development, labor relations and collective bargaining, conflict resolution and negotiation, decision making models, employment law, grievance management and workplace diversity • 8.25 Knowledge of the following principles and procedures of developing areas and facilities • Sub-standards-Assessment, planning, functional design, evaluation, operation and maintenance

28. Accreditation Competencies & Accreditation Competencies Determined by current entry level professionals Focuses on hard & soft skills Heavy emphasis on management and leadership Determined by academics & practitioners Includes foundations to the field Well rounded education

29. Exemplar Internship Program

30. Exemplar Internship Programs • Commonalities of Exemplar Programs • Prepared supervisor • Student motivation • Role of intern in organization • Competencies • Knowledge of academic program • Logistics • Cooperative relationship

31. Merging it all Together

32. Merging it all Together IRPA Guide to Internship Manuals

33. Merging it all Together • Letter from the Director • Sets expectations • “We view our role as an extension of the University and are prepared to spend time teaching and mentoring student students.” • Background Information • Mission, Vision • Where we are, who we are

34. Merging it all Together • Internship Guidelines • Outlines learning outcomes • Budget preparation (8.21) • Facility Planning (8.25) • Programming (8.14) • Brochure preparation (8.14.04) • Publicity/Marketing (8.22) • Program supervision (8.14.06) • Revenue/participation reports (8.21) • Purchasing (8.21) • Hiring process (8.19) • Scheduling of Staff (8.19) • Program evaluations(8.14.07) • Facility operations (8.25.05)

35. Example Internship Schedule • Provides outline to student, advisor and department staff • Shows internship has been thought through

36. Merging it all Together • University Supervisor Responsibilities • The Woodlands encourages the University supervisor to be actively involved. • Intern Benefits • Stipend of $4500 for the duration of their employment (12-16 weeks).

37. Merging it all Together • Application • Human Resources • Supplemental Application

38. Merging it all Together • Application-Essay Questions • Explain Csikszentmihalyi’s flow theory and its application to community recreation. (8.04) • Explain Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and its relationship to individual’s participation in recreation. (8.02) • What is the Benefits Movement? (8.12) • Explain the various program formats and the benefits and drawbacks of the format that one could use when dealing with a basketball program. (8.13) • Who is Frederick Law Olmsted and why is he important? (8.06.01)

39. Merging it all Together • Other Components • Council on Accreditation (NRPA) Standards with Outcomes • Recreation Management Competency Assessment • Contract • Goals and Objectives • Internship Evaluation of Site

40. Assess competencies Find a good match Understand what your agency has to offer and the role of the intern Set high standards for the agency, university and the intern Outcomes based internships At the end of the internship, student can………… Profession is depending on an increased level of professionalism in the internship Closing Comments

41. Thank you!!!! Chris Nunes, Ph.D., CPRP Director of Parks and Recreation Community Associations of the Woodlands 8203 Millennium Forest The Woodlands, TX 77381 281.210.3900 cmnunes@catw-tx.org Amy R. Hurd, Ph.D., CPRPAssociate Professor Illinois State University McCormick Hall 212 Normal, IL 61761 309-438-5557 arhurd@ilstu.edu www.castonline.ilstu.edu/hurd