Example Career: Recreation Workers

Career Description

Conduct recreation activities with groups in public, private, or volunteer agencies or recreation facilities. Organize and promote activities, such as arts and crafts, sports, games, music, dramatics, social recreation, camping, and hobbies, taking into account the needs and interests of individual members.

What Job Titles Recreation Workers Might Have

• Activities Director
• Activity Aide
• Activity Director
• Recreation Supervisor

What Recreation Workers Do

• Enforce rules and regulations of recreational facilities to maintain discipline and ensure safety.
• Organize, lead, and promote interest in recreational activities, such as arts, crafts, sports, games, camping, and hobbies.
• Assess the needs and interests of individuals and groups and plan activities accordingly, given the available equipment or facilities.
• Manage the daily operations of recreational facilities.
• Administer first aid according to prescribed procedures and notify emergency medical personnel when necessary.
• Complete and maintain time and attendance forms and inventory lists.
• Explain principles, techniques, and safety procedures to participants in recreational activities and demonstrate use of materials and equipment.
• Direct special activities or events, such as aquatics, gymnastics, or performing arts.
• Supervise and coordinate the work activities of personnel, such as training staff members and assigning work duties.
• Evaluate recreation areas, facilities, and services to determine if they are producing desired results.
• Document individuals' progress toward meeting their treatment goals.
• Greet new arrivals to activities, introducing them to other participants, explaining facility rules, and encouraging participation.
• Confer with management to discuss and resolve participant complaints.
• Meet with staff to discuss rules, regulations, and work-related problems.
• Oversee the purchase, planning, design, construction, and upkeep of recreation facilities and areas.
• Encourage participants to develop their own activities and leadership skills through group discussions.
• Meet and collaborate with agency personnel, community organizations, and other professional personnel to plan balanced recreational programs for participants.
• Provide for entertainment and set up related decorations and equipment.
• Serve as liaison between park or recreation administrators and activity instructors.
• Schedule maintenance and use of facilities.
• Conduct individual in-room visits with residents.
• Develop treatment goals for individuals based on their assessments.
• Evaluate staff performance, recording evaluations on appropriate forms.
• Take residents on community outings.

What Recreation Workers Should Be Good At

• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

What Recreation Workers Should Be Interested In

• Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Artistic - Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

What Recreation Workers Need to Learn

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
• Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.