Mentorship Program

Participants (mentees):

• Must be willing to commit time to the Mentorship Program, which includes meeting with their assigned mentor at least once per month during the six-month program.
• Must be employed (or actively seeking employment), or be a current student in the parks and recreation field.
• Should be members and active participants of NRPA and/or their state park and recreation association.

AAPRA is looking for mentors interested in giving back to the industry and volunteering their time to a younger professional who meets the following requirements:

• Must be willing to commit time to the Mentorship Program, which includes meeting with their assigned mentee at least once per month during the six-month program.
• Must have significant experience in the parks and recreation field.
• Should be members of AAPRA and/or NRPA, and actively engaged in one or more professional associations at the state and/or national level.

The Mentorship Program begins each year in the spring and concludes in the fall, coinciding with the NRPA Conference. Mentee/Mentor pairs are encourage to work together to set aside at least one hour per month to meet either virtually or over the phone at dates and times that work well for all involved. Although the NRPA Conference presents a unique opportunity for mentee/mentor partnerships to meet in person, attendance at the conference is not a requirement for either partner.

AAPRA's Mentorship Program Committee reviews application details from both mentees and mentors to do their best to create successful matches. Professionals may be paired together based on such factors as mutual areas of professional interest, schedules, geographic location, etc. If needed, committee members may reach out to applications to clarify areas of interest and committment levels.

Just like in life, sometimes those that you work with will take a little time to get to know and better understand each other. And sometimes those with experiences different that yours can actually make a great partner and provide new perspectives that you wouldn't have received otherwise. Although infrequent, we know that some Mentee/Mentor pairs may struggle to "click." In this case, or if there is any cause for concern regarding the person you have been paired with, participants should contact the Chair of the Mentoring Committee to attempt to resolve the challenges, or if unsuccessful, work to find a new partner for the participant.