BC Recreation and Parks Association (BCRPA) is seeking proposals to present an educational session at our 2025 Symposium – a three-day professional development conference scheduled for May 6-8, 2025 in Whistler at the Fairmont Château Whistler
BCRPA's Symposium is attended by over 400 recreation and parks professionals ranging from directors to programmers to supervisors, planners, volunteers, and elected officials who are interested in exploring best practices, innovative solutions and trends in the sector. The event features keynote presentations, plenary discussions, in-depth sessions and snapshot presentations along with networking opportunities and social events. Every year, Symposium attracts both repeat and new attendees as it delivers valuable information that enhances delegates’ knowledge and increases their value and contributions to the organizations they represent.
We are seeking dynamic speakers and leaders who share knowledge, experience, and best practice techniques related to the work of recreation and parks. Presenters are required to incorporate active delegate engagement into their presentations (i.e: engage their participants in hands-on activities; break-out and group discussions; Q&As; etc.) and leave participants with practical solutions and take-home tips for use the next day.
This year's conference theme is Building our Future: Inspiring Belonging and Connection. Symposium's education streams are inspired by the Framework for Recreation in Canada and include:
- Active living
- Inclusion and access
- Connecting with nature
- Supportive environments
- Recreation capacity
As well as BCRPA’s 2022-2024 Strategic Plan’s Champion Pillars:
- Reconciliation
- Physical Activity
- Climate Change
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Friday November 8, 2024
APPLICANT NOTIFICATION: December 2024
All submissions will be reviewed using the following criteria:
- Overall quality of the proposal
- Focused and well-defined topic that aligns with one or more of education streams
- Articulation of how the presenter will engage participants through interactive delegate activities and leave participants with practical solutions and tools to take back to their workplaces
- Presentation history of the proposed speaker(s)
- Applicability of topic to a provincial audience of recreation and parks professionals
Please complete the following application – all information must be included.