Educational Programs
The Illinois Park & Recreation Association's continuing education offers something for all levels of experience within a broad range of roles in the field of parks and recreation. The platforms provided for continuing education range from webinars at your desk to multi-day schools throughout the state.
The IAPD/IPRA Soaring to New Heights Conference is the premier education and networking event for parks and recreation professionals in Illinois.
Professional Development School (PDS) is a three-day retreat committed to providing professionals with the skills, knowledge, and networking opportunities needed for personal development and career advancement.
This award-winning program is designed to create an innovative partnership between three people based on their commitment to the mentoring process, common goals/expectations, mutual trust, and respect.
The Skills Development Webinar Series provides agencies with access to monthly professional development webinars presented by nationally known speakers and leaders in the field.
Certifications are an excellent way to stand out from the competition. IPRA offers courses to aid you in obtaining AFO, CPRE, CPRP, CPSI certifications.
To learn more about these certifications from NRPA
To view upcoming IPRA test prep courses
A Safe Zone Conversations (SZC) is defined as dialogue among a group of people purposely engineered to discuss human topics that can be deemed sensitive, uncomfortable, or complex in nature. Topics include racism, LGBTQ+, Latinx, and Disability.
iLearn is a student-centered development program in which teams of undergraduate and graduate students work together to complete a project on a topic related to parks, recreation, and conservation.
iLearn is a student-centered development program in which teams of undergraduate and graduate students work together to complete a project on a topic related to parks, recreation, and conservation.