Factors positively and significantly linked to interest in an outdoor recreation career include connectedness to nature and youth participation in unorganized outdoor recreation A concern of many existing organized recreation programs is that they serve predominantly white, wealthy participants. It’s possible that more diverse employees could attract more diverse participants. The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of how certain factors -- specifically race, class, and youth experiences in outdoor recreation -- influence people’s interest in future outdoor recreation careers.
Data for the study was based on responses to an online questionnaire completed by 483 young adults (age 18-25) in the US. Recruitment of participants was open to the general public, thus not limited to people already engaged in outdoor recreation or outdoor recreation careers. Selection of participants, however, was based on criterion sampling, which means the selection of the sample was based on some pre-established criteria. In this case, the criterion was approximately equal representation across racial identity and socio-economic status (SES) categories. The completed surveys provided information about the participant’s (1) level of interest in a job associated with outdoor recreation (from “not at all interested” to “very interested”), (2) frequency of engagement in different types of organized and unorganized outdoor recreation activities as youth, and (3) connectedness to nature (CTN) as measured by the CTN Scale (Mayer & Frantz, 2004).
An analysis of the data showed that higher CTN and participation in unorganized outdoor recreation (walking outside, visiting a beach, hanging out in a park, etc.) during youth were positively and significantly linked to interest in an outdoor recreation career. Participation in organized recreation (summer day camp, overnight summer camp, organized sports, etc.) as a youth was also positively related, but not significantly so. SES was a significant predictor for interest in an outdoor recreation career, with higher SES linked to lower interest and lower SES linked to higher interest. Racial identity was not a significant predictor of interest but had a significant effect on CTN scores. Participants identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native and Latino or Hispanic were significantly more likely to have higher CTN scores than participants with other racial identities. SES was not a significant predictor of CTN.
“Taken together, the results suggest that there are a number of steps individuals in the outdoor recreation industry can take to encourage and recruit the next generation of professionals.” One suggestion offered by the researchers is for the industry to identify ways to support people with lower SES in entering and persisting in the field. An example of how the industry might do this is making adjustments to job requirements (certifications, college degree, etc.). Results also provided insight into how childhood participation in outdoor recreation is associated with CTN. Of special interest was the fact that higher rates of participation in unorganized outdoor recreation predicted higher CTN as adults, while higher rates of participation in organized outdoor recreation predicted significantly lower CTN on average. Based on this finding, the industry might do well to look for youth who are excited to participate in outdoor recreation beyond organized programs.
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