Investigation of factors that facilitate the participation of Youth and Sports Provincial Directorate employees in recreational activities and workplace recreation awareness

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the factors that facilitate the participation of the employees of the Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports in recreational activities according to some variables and to determine the relationship between them. Material and method: The research group of the study, which used the screening method, consisted of 170 personnel, 79 of whom were female and 91 of whom were male, working in Trabzon, Rize and Giresun youth and Sports provincial directorates. The research uses 'free time facilitators scale (FTFS)' adapted to Turkish by Gürbüz, Öncü and Emir (2015) and 'workplace Recreation awareness perception scale (WRAPS)' developed by Özkan and Biçer (2018) as data collection tools. Descriptive statistics (frequency, arithmetic mean, standard deviation); t-test, unidirectional variance analysis (Anova), and correlation were used. Findings: When the findings of the study were examined, it was observed that the personnel involved in the study had a moderate level of workplace recreation awareness perceptions and a moderate level of free time facilitator perceptions. As a result of the study, it was determined that the total scale scores and personal well-being and social harmony lower dimension scores of the personnel involved in the study differed significantly according to the gender variable, while the total scale and lower dimension scores of the free time facilitators did not differ significantly. Youth and Sports Provincial Directorate employees' workplace recreation awareness and free time facilitators total scale scores and lower dimension scores do not differ significantly according to marital status, education status and participation status in domestic activities. It was observed that the total scale and lower dimension scores of WRAPS were not significantly different, the total scale and personal facilitators lower dimension scores were significantly different, and the interpersonal facilitators and structural facilitators lower dimension scores were not significantly different. It was also seen that the total scale and lower dimension scores of WRAPS were not significantly different, the total scale and personal facilitators lower dimension scores were significantly different, and the interpersonal facilitators and structural facilitators lower dimension scores were not significantly different. When the FTFS and WRAPS scores of the participants were analyzed according to the state of participation in cultural/artistic/social activities, it was determined that all the lower dimension and total scale scores except the institutional consciousness and development and structural facilitators lower dimension scores differ significantly. The scores of YSPD personnel from the overall scale and sub-dimensions do not differ significantly according to the state of participation in activities in the open area. When the scores of employees according to the state of participation in tourist activities were examined, it was determined that only personal facilitators lower dimension scores differed. Only FTFS total scale and lower dimension scores of employees were significantly different according to the state of participation in recreational activities. On the other hand, a positive and low level significant relationship was found between WRAPS and FTFS total scale scores. Conclusion: At the end of the study, gender change was determined to be effective on workplace recreation awareness perception. Changes in marital status, learning status and participation status in domestic activities are not effective on workplace recreation awareness perception and free time facilitator perception. The free time assessment format is generally effective on workplace recreation awareness perception and free time facilitator perception. Frequent participants in recreational activities have high perceptions of facilitating free time. Participants' perceptions of free time facilitators increasing their awareness of workplace recreation are also on the rise. Keywords: Recreation, Youth and Sports, Facilitators, Awareness