Leisure Practitioners Research Articles

The mobile spatialization of agriculture in Hong Kong

This paper examines the multi-actor making of the ruralscape in Hong Kong. I critically adopt the theoretical framework of Ingold's concepts of walking to understand how different “wayfarers”, including but not limited to farmers, residents, land activists, agriculture learners, researchers, journalists, leisure practitioners and government officials, walk to make a multi-sensorial landscape. This paper encapsulates the observation outcomes of multiple times of walking by different individuals and groups recorded during my ethnographic fieldwork between 2008 and 2021. I shed light on the local practices and perspectives of hang cyun (walking in villages) and hang tin (walking in fields) to illustrate my observations. By analyzing the wayfarers' walking experiences and embodied movements, I consider the ruralscape as a vibrant space where people configure its meanings and materialize their lifestyle. The wayfarers' embodied experiences reflect the continuity and changes of a rural Hong Kong. Their making of ruralscape helps alleviate people's anxiety and enhance people's hope concerning the current Hong Kong society that faces food safety issues, environmental degradation, social class disparity and spoon-feeding education. I consider that being an agent who exercises his/her subjectivity during the walking in the ruralscape, a wayfarer makes the ruralscape meaningful in various aspects. My explanation contributes to the theoretical discussion of embodied movement and space making particular to the construction of a politicized nature telling us stories of (in)equality, (in)justice, and hope (lessness).

The cue is in the queue, smart! Assessing the ritualised leisure experiences of long queuing for a bubble tea brand in China

ABSTRACT Drawing on the perspective of ritualised leisure experiences underscored by the theory of interaction ritual chain, this study attempts to demystify the seemingly irrational and ineffable long queues of Chinese customers for a bubble tea brand which is only priced modestly. A four-factor scale of ritualised leisure experiences was conceptually proposed and empirically assessed with survey-derived data. Meanwhile, the research variables of subjective vitality and customer loyalty were incorporated to account for the cognitive and affective processes activated and engaged in the ritualised queuing experiences. Modelling results report that the confirmed scale of ritualised leisure experiences exerts positive effects upon customer loyalty, as mediated by subjective vitality. Meanwhile, young Chinese females have been profiled as the outstanding force shaping and reinforcing the queuing culture, claiming and asserting their own sway of leisure discourses in contemporary China. This study expands knowledge on rituality in leisure contexts, and offers references for leisure practitioners in better embedding ritualised components into the brand equity of leisure products and services.

Exclusionary Mechanisms of Community Leisure for Low-Income Families: Programs, Policies and Procedures

With the rise of neoliberalism, community leisure practitioners have access to fewer resources, which requires adopting the business-like practices of private sector organizations. To ensure access for low-income families, practitioners incorporate economic-based access policies. Despite these efforts, many low-income families are still unable to access community-based leisure provisions. Drawing on data from a case study of a nonprofit organization that supports low-income families’ access to leisure activities, we found that community leisure provisions had rigid program structures, subsidy programs, registration processes, and volunteer obligations that hindered rather than helped parents’ ability to enroll, facilitate, and maintain their children’s leisure participation. Our findings indicate that top-down programming resulted in not meeting families’ needs due to program options, despite being designed for low-income families, the leisure access provisions prevented rather than cultivated participation in leisure activities.

Insights from recreation and leisure practitioners regarding disparities of advancing long-term care culture change

ABSTRACT Culture change in long-term care (LTC) signals a shift from a medical model of care to a social, relational model of caring to support the creation of strong compassionate communities and promote quality of life. Since leisure is a strong contributor to quality of life in LTC, researchers have argued that recreation and leisure practitioners have an important role to play in the culture change movement. In this paper, we describe Canadian recreation and leisure practitioners’ perceptions of their role and experiences in the LTC culture change process. Findings highlight how recreation and leisure practitioners see their role as drivers of culture change but question the role of formal education in advancing culture change initiatives. In light of the findings, we discuss the opportunities and challenges that exist for recreation and leisure practitioners as they realize their potential to advance culture change in LTC.

An examination of pickleball participation, social connections, and psychological well-being among seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT This study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the physical activity, social connections, and psychological well-being of seniors who participate in the sport of pickleball. A total of 36 pickleball players who were over the age of 65 completed an online survey that assessed pickleball participation, social connections, physical/mental health, loneliness, and life satisfaction measures in February/March 2020 (pre-COVID) and again in November 2020 (during COVID). Findings indicated that a majority of the participants are still playing pickleball outdoors, but less frequently. They reported lower social connections through pickleball and in their daily life. While perceived physical health scores were stable, participants reported significantly lower mental health, higher loneliness, and lower life satisfaction during the pandemic. Those playing less pickleball were significantly more likely to report lower life satisfaction during the pandemic. The findings from this study have implications for both leisure practitioners and public health professionals as they strategize ways to continue to offer recreation experiences safely.

COVID-19 and its Impact on Volunteering: Moving Towards Virtual Volunteering

These unprecedented times due to the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted the everyday lives of individuals. A particular activity impacted by this pandemic is leisure. Within leisure, an important activity to enhance social outcomes (e.g., civic participation) and the survival of organizations and events is volunteering. However, and given social distancing measures and the combination of postponements or cancelations of organizational or event operations, the traditional form of in-person volunteering is threatened. The purpose of this essay is to discuss opportunities and challenges for organizations and events to apply virtual volunteering as a strategy during the pandemic and beyond. Both opportunities (i.e., creating accessibility) and challenges (i.e., management process) are discussed according to pertinent literature. From this, an understanding of virtual volunteering’s value to create leisure opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond is presented to advance its implementation in organization and events by leisure practitioners.

Smartphone-free summer camp: adolescent perspectives of a leisure context for social and emotional learning

ABSTRACTIn today’s society, nearly all adolescents have access to a smartphone with internet and social media connectivity, and almost half report “almost constant” online use. Studies on smartphone usage have observed associations with increased levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. In recent years, adolescents shifted from spending leisure time with peers in-person to online interactions and communication, which has been linked with feelings of loneliness. As young people now spend much of their leisure time online, there is increasing importance placed on experiences in which they are able to interact face-to-face with peers and develop social awareness, relationship skills, and interpersonal relationships offline. One such leisure context is summer camp, where technology is often not permitted. The purpose of this study was to explore adolescent perspectives of a smartphone-free residential camp experience. Results indicated that youth felt positively about the smartphone-free camp experience, they were presented with opportunities to interact socially and form deeper connections with peers offline. Findings from this study have implications for recreation and leisure practitioners, parents, and adolescents themselves.

Nature-based recreation associated with connectedness to nature and leisure satisfaction among students in Brazil

ABSTRACTThere is growing evidence that nature-based recreation (NBR) during childhood promotes connectedness to nature, which in turn fuels NBR during adulthood. In addition to providing a number of health benefits, NBR participation may enhance leisure satisfaction, an important predictor of happiness and life satisfaction. In this exploratory study, we tested these hypothesised links using a path model with a cross-sectional sample of 224 Brazilian college students, where NBR participation during childhood increases connectedness to nature and NBR participation during adulthood, which in turn promotes leisure satisfaction. The model fit the data well χ2 (2) = 1.924, χ2/df = 0.962 (N = 220, p = .38), CFI = 1.00, AGFI = .978, GFI = .996, and RMSEA = .00, with results showing an indirect positive link between NBR during childhood and leisure satisfaction, and a direct link between NBR during adulthood and leisure satisfaction. The indirect effect of connectedness to nature on leisure satisfaction was also significant: NBR during childhood fostered connectedness to nature, which motivated NBR during adulthood and higher levels of leisure satisfaction. Leisure practitioners can improve people’s leisure satisfaction by promoting engagement in NBR activities across life stages and emphasising connection to nature.

Literature-informed conceptual framework for meaning-focused leisure practice

ABSTRACTHumans naturally seek the pursuit of a meaningful, enriching life. Based on the literature on the role of leisure in meaning-making, this paper provides a conceptual framework for using a meaning-focused leisure practice. This framework suggests that leisure can promote a meaningful engagement with one’s life through maintaining: (a) a joyful life, (b) a composed life, (c) a connected life, (d) a discovered life, and (e) a hopeful and empowered life. It has been documented that meanings or a meaning system represent a broader, more holistic concept to one’s core values and inspiration for life than personal behaviours and experiences per se. Accordingly, a meaning-focused leisure practice focuses on the meanings that leisure activities can promote, which are appealing and important to people. Considering the multidimensionality of leisure-induced meaningful engagement with life is important so that leisure practitioners can purposefully engineer to derive multiple meanings from a single leisure engagement experience, while recognizing interconnectedness of the five themes identified.

The role of leisure in integrated community sustainability plans within Canada

ABSTRACTGiven the preoccupation that all levels of government have been giving to sustainability, those advocating for the role of leisure must be able to clearly articulate how leisure intersects with and supports sustainability. Within Canada, federal and provincial governments have encouraged the development of Integrated Community Sustainability Plans (ICSP) at the municipal level to advance sustainability initiatives. The aim of this study was to determine to what extent ICSPs indicate a role for leisure in achieving sustainability. Using a sample of 18 ICSPs, the analysis revealed that leisure plays a strong and integrated role in sustainability planning suggesting that communities view leisure as a valuable contributor to sustainable communities. Leisure emerged as a potential solution to a broad range of social, environmental and economic issues and strategies transcended sectoral boundaries. The findings highlight the importance of collaborative planning and encourage leisure practitioners to actively engage in sustainability initiatives.

What can leisure offer those with a mental illness; diversion, experience or something much richer?

ABSTRACTLeisure, risk and safety are for most leisure practitioners across the globe, thoughts that arise in quick succession to determine the viability of a leisure intervention. However, in a risk aware world so focused on safety, is Leisure too safely structured to be truly beneficial to the individual?, Rarely are leisure seekers given the opportunity to fail and to learn from that experience. Lack of opportunity to face adversity in a supported way hinders the individual’s ability to learn and grow, and to develop personal resilience as a result. This paper will discuss Recovery Camp, a Therapeutic Recreation initiative developed in Australia which utilizes experiential leisure to facilitate resilience in individuals with a mental illness. This paper aims to discuss Leisure Boredom data obtained from volunteer consumers attending recovery camp in 2014 and its relationship to an individual’s personal resilience in the context of living in recovery from mental illness. Importantly Theraputic Recreation interventions such as Recovery Camp should be seen as a valuable experiential alternative to assist in the personal growth and development of those from a vulnerable population.

‘Real Ale’ Enthusiasts, Serious Leisure and the Costs of Getting ‘Too Serious’ About Beer

The article uses the concept of serious leisure to explain the leisure commitments made by members of the British consumer campaign group the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and that of Real Ale enthusiasts in general. Drawing on in-depth qualitative research including interviews with CAMRA branch members and staff, the article demonstrates that beer appreciation can be understood as a serious rather than a casual leisure activity. While many of the benefits to participation typical of serious leisure activities are identified, so are the numerous “costs” involved. Beyond costs relating to money, time, obligation, and organizational conflicts, the article suggests that Real Ale enthusiasts are at times marginalized by wider cultural stereotypes positioning them as obsessive and snobbish. The article concludes with discussion of how the concept of the cultural omnivore might explain how serious leisure practitioners are often marginalized because of their specialism in a single field rather than many.

Ocio experiencial: antecedentes y características

At the turn of the century, the article analyzes the changes suffered by the conceptual understanding of leisure, whose meaning is nowadays defined as an experience. The writers review the main streams and authors that drove the mentioned evolution and also pay attention to the people that currently experience leisure in this way. After a first chapter committed to literature review, a sample of leisure practitioners devoted to any leisure practice at least during the last three years is studied. The sample is asked about its experiences and perceptions. The article is written within the framework of an emic perspective and the methodology used is based on the grounded theory principles. The article focus its attention into five main characteristics of leisure experience: persona centered, emotion, satisfaction, involvement and procesual nature of leisure experience. The aim of the work is to draw up a general picture about the meaning and practice of the leisure experience in the 21st Century.

What’s the Big Idea? A Critical Exploration of the Concept of Social Capital and its Incorporation into Leisure Policy Discourse

Starting from the overwhelming welcome that Putnam’s (2000) treatise on social capital has received in government circles, we consider its relative merits for examining and understanding the role for leisure in policy strategies. To perform this critique we identify some of the key points from Putnam’s work and also illustrate how it has been incorporated into a body of leisure studies literature. This is then extended to a discussion of the methodological and theoretical underpinnings of his approach and its link to civic communitarianism. We suggest that the seduction of the ‘niceness’ of Putnam’s formulation of social capital not only misses the point of the grimness of some people’s lives but it also pays little attention to Bourdieu’s point that poorer community groups tend to be at the mercy of forces over which they have little control. We argue that if the poor have become a silent emblem of the ways in which the state has more and more individualised its relationship with its citizens, it is they who also tend to be blamed for their own poverty because it is presumed that they lack social capital. This in turn encourages ‘us’ to determine what is appropriate for ‘them’. As a critical response to this situation, we propose that Bourdieu’s take on different forms of ‘capital’ offers more productive lines for analysis. From there we go on to suggest that it might be profitable to combine Bourdieu’s sociology with Sennett’s recent interpretation of ‘respect’ to formulate a central interpretive role for community leisure practitioners – recast as cultural intermediaries – if poorer community groups are to be better included.

What is Leisure? The Perceptions of Recreation Practitioners and Others

The purposes of this research were to determine if agreement exists among leisure services practitioners regarding the meaning of leisure and to examine how they describe themselves and the body of knowledge related to leisure services. In addition, these responses were compared with a group of individuals outside the field to determine if these practitioners possess a unique understanding of leisure, leisure practitioners, and the body of knowledge. Members of the Recreation Branch of the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association (n = 108) and a purposive sample of employees of two local adoption agencies (n = 30) completed questionnaires, including a True/False section, a three-part free-list component, and demographic information. Data were analyzed according to consensus modeling theory using Anthropac™ data analysis software and SPSS™. The True/False data indicated high agreement, and thus, “culturally correct” definitions of leisure for each group that support traditional and multidimensional definitions of leisure. When analyzed along with the free-list data, the most frequently reported dimensions of leisure paralleled traditional definitions (i.e., free time, activities). The responses of both groups indicate that professionals need to know about management and activities. Implications of these findings are discussed in relation to models of service provision.

Theory and practice in community leisure planning: A focus on public participation

The relationship between theory and practice in community leisure planning is examined in this paper. The question is asked, “does the recreation practice employ the results of, and consequently, resemble the scholarly research on public participation in the planning process?” Three community leisure plans were analysed to achieve the purpose noted above. Additionally, the research method also included interviews with the consultants who undertook the plans as well as the clients or recreation directors in each of the research communities. While a variety of public participation techniques were employed in the planning processes investigated, they were mostly technical and practical rather than critical‐emancipatory in nature. Given the shrinkage in resources being experienced by local governments and the changing relationships between senior levels of government and the local community, leisure practitioners and planners may need to become more conversant with, and engage a wider variety of public participation objectives in their leisure practice in the future.

The professionalization of leisure management in Western Europe

This paper considers British ('Anglo') approaches to the terms 'profession' and 'professional' and indicates how 'professionalization' has been viewed in a British context in the past. It goes on to examine new approaches to professionalism, particularly in the context of leisure and recreation, and to draw distinctions between the Anglo and Continental European ideas of professions. The process of professionalization is revisited in the light of these differences and a study of European leisure practitioners and their views on professions, associations and change in their working lives, is discussed.