July 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 54

Justifying Your Trip to the
2017 Annual Conference

he 2017 NRPA Annual Conference is your best opportunity to network
with thousands of your peers, learn from some of the top thought leaders in the field and get insight into innovative practices and programs
from other agencies.

But, travel budgets can be tight, and
even though 97 percent of past attendees would recommend the conference
to their colleagues, it can still be difficult
to convince your employer that your attendance is worthwhile to you and your
agency. We want to see all of you in New
Orleans this year, so we have put together some tips on how you can talk with
your employer about the value of attending as well as some best practices when
traveling to the conference.
Outline your trip. Let your employer
know you're not going to be spending
your days eating beignets at Café du
Monde or making friends with the locals

Parks & Recreation

on Bourbon Street. Create an outline
of the sessions you want to attend and
how they'll support your work. Select
sessions that are most beneficial to you,
your team, community and your agency.
Present this to your supervisors or those
who are approving your travel. Maybe
even promise to bring your supervisor a
souvenir for good measure.
Prove the worth. You'll earn continuing
education units (CEUs) at a majority of
the sessions and pre-conference workshops
you attend during the annual conference.
Tally up the number of CEUs you'll receive, and show the value of attending and
earning credits at a one-stop shop.

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See and be seen. Face time with exhibitors can pay off. As you discuss your
attendance, review the list of NRPA Annual Conference exhibitors with your
employer and pinpoint any business
opportunities that could develop from
establishing connections with park and
recreation professionals and partners.
Share the wealth. You are guaranteed to leave the 2017 NRPA Annual
Conference inspired and filled with
great ideas, so, when discussing your
attendance at the event, commit to a
post-conference presentation for your
team, town council, board, etc. Plan
to highlight what you learned and tie
your training to your organization's
challenges, goals and strategic plans.
And, if you promise beignets, attendance is guaranteed to be high.
To further show your commitment to
success, we've put together a justification letter template you can complete
and submit to your employer. The letter
outlines the sessions you plan to attend,
the connections you'll make through networking, and a breakdown of the costs
expected during your travels. Visit www.
nrpa.org/conference2017/about/justification-tips to download a copy.
Our field depends on enthusiastic people
like you to continue to learn, innovate and
lead us into a bright future. Don't miss this
opportunity to attend the largest park and
recreation conference in the world.
For more information about the 2017
NRPA Annual Conference, visit www.
nrpa.org/conference2017. See you in
New Orleans!

July 2017 - Parks & Recreation

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