A Cross-Functional and Sustainable Management Training Program

THE CLIENT

The City Parks Foundation in New York City transforms parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community building, and education programs for all New Yorkers.

Their programs are located in more than 350 parks, recreation centers, and public schools across New York City and reach 285,000 people each year.

PROJECT SCOPE

The team at City Parks Foundation, the organization that provides recreational activities across New York City’s parks, discovered through an employee survey that their people wanted management training. The Group Forward worked with People Team members to design a management training program that was cross-functional, sustainable, and designed specifically for their team and organizational context.  

We led a series of workshops, each focused on a different element of management, and have continued to partner with the organization to develop their dedicated, amazing team.

How we moved City Parks Forward

  • 1. Developed Customized, Responsive Trainings

    We developed the training content, including manager scenarios, with input from the People Team and prior employee surveys to ensure the content was directly relevant to participants.

  • 2. Created Cohort Learning Kits

    City Parks was determined to ensure that participating managers continued learning and working through the new tools, as a cross-functional cohort. We designed and provided them with Cohort Learning Kits, resources, agendas, and facilitator guides for Manager Meet-Ups that were internally led.

  • 3. Built Sustainable Learning

    In addition to the Cohort Learning Kits, we offered Office Hours so that participants would workshop challenges related to the training material with a trainer from The Group Forward, in real time.

The Result

One-hundred percent of participants stated they learned at least one thing they could use in their role.

“Ashley was one of the best trainers we’ve ever had.”

— Heather Lubov, Executive Director of City Parks Foundation