People for Parks’ CSP Incubator is a community-driven empowerment strategy that equips parents, school staff and neighbors with the resources needed to oversee existing CSPs and form new ones. PFP provides communities with funding, materials and trainings on park maintenance, programming, shared use policy, CSP wellness council coordination and an interactive website developed by PFP.  We also offer communities the option to join our current service agreement with LAUSD, which provides programming, supervision and shared use access. The work is undertaken by the People for Parks CSP Incubator committee, community organizers, parents, former LAUSD facilities staff, and parkland use experts.

Community School Parks Incubator trainings and toolkit also include:

• Joint/Shared Use: Education on what joint use is and how it positively impacts schools and neighborhoods.
• Parent Involvement: Following the lead of and supporting parents in leadership roles in park activities such as gardening, park maintenance, activities club formation, and canvassing for local support. In the case of Berendo, for example, we will provide greening assistance for a group of parents eager to enhance gardens in the schools’ grassy play spaces.  Doing so will increase park vibrancy, attracting additional community involvement and support.
• Civic Engagement: Engaging parents, teachers and stakeholders to elevate community voice in Community School Parks’ formation/maintenance. Organizing participation in key neighborhood, city and district policy meetings.
• Fundraising:Training and assistance for community members seeking funds for ongoing park activity. Includes support on how to request funds from the county, city and neighborhood councils.

The Los Angeles Department of Public Health released the following documents on what joint/shared use is and how to open school playgrounds in your communities:

More information coming soon. To find out how to get involved with the LA County wide People for parks Incubator Committee please leave us a note on our contact page. Thank you!