 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
|
  |
Increasing Intercultural Understanding between Park Managers and African American and Latino Users of Urban Parks In 2005 and 2006, Drs. Stodolska, Shinew, and Santos conducted a research project whose purpose was to: 1) to examine the preferences, needs, and expectations of minority users with respect to urban parks, 2) to improve interactions and communication between minority visitors and park managers, and 3) to provide information to park practitioners on how to optimally provide leisure and recreation services to members of minority groups. The first part of the study focused on Latino(a) and African American users of two Chicago parks - Marquette and Piotrowski. On-site questionnaire surveys were distributed to 400 minority visitors in these two parks. The survey was designed to (a) Assess current use of the parks -- frequency of visits, use of programs and facilities, activities engaged in during visits, modes of transportation to and from the park, social patterns of use, distance to park from the place of residence; (b) Identify the preferences, needs and expectations of minority users--likes and dislikes of natural environmental characteristics, facilities, safety issues, provision of recreational opportunities, and management issues; (c) Assess types and levels of interaction minority users have with park managers – frequency of interactions, perceptions of discrimination, perceived fairness of treatment; and (d) Investigate cultural dimensions of conflict -- cultural identity tendencies, power value tendencies, preferred interaction styles; and personal dimensions of conflict -- personal respect preferences and face needs preferences. Report from this stage of the study is available at: In the second phase of the study, questionnaire surveys were distributed to the staff of 12 park districts in the state of Illinois. The surveys were designed to (a) Examine park staff’s perceptions and understanding of minority users’ preference, needs, and expectations regarding their use of parks and recreational opportunities; (b) Gain insight into park staff's perspective on the types and levels of interactions they have with minority users; and (c) Examine park staff's perceptions and understanding of minority users’ cultural identity tendencies, power value tendencies, preferred interaction styles, personal respect preferences, and face need preferences. Report from this stage of the study is available at: The study was funded by a grant from the National Recreation and Park Association and Kraft Foundation.
|
 |
 |
|
|
©Diversity Research Laboratory |