Recreation Instructor II

Opportunity at a Glance

The Special Recreation Division offers positive and healthy recreation programming focused on leisure, social, educational, and vocational opportunities within the community for individuals with special needs with a team of talented, dedicated, knowledgable, and experienced staff.

Programming also includes the largest south suburban community of Special Olympics in the state of Illinois with over 300 participants.

Our special recreation staff are committed to meeting the unique individual leisure time needs and positively impact the lives of individuals with special needs every day by focusing on community outreach and reinitegration.

We are currently seeking education, therapeutic majors and those who love to work with individuals with special needs to join our Special Recreation programming as a Recreation Instructor II, to support our commitment of meeting unique individual leisure time needs.

Programming includes general weekly programs, inclusion programming, Special Olympic sports, special events, and overnight trips.

Key Responsibilities

This position is responsible for providing an optimal experience in recreation for individuals with disabilities. The ideal candidate will supervise, coach and provide assistance tailored to the individual needs of participants enrolled in our Special Recreation programs that are designed to provide vocational, leisure and social activities to participants ensuring a successful program experience.

This position is anticipated to oversee teams / projects, and work effectively under minimum supervision.

Responsibilities also include :

• Completion of all necessary documentation for the assigned programs, keeping department management aware of issues or problems that arise during a program and contacting participant's parent or guardian as needed regarding program updates, changes, transportation, weather conditions or other pertinent information.
• Implementing parallel, inclusive or adaptive activities to promote optimal experience for participants with special needs.
• Plan, implement, and evaluate special recreation programs.
• Communicate and report regularly with Senior Coordinators and Supervisor about programming needs.

In-service training on the village's standards and expectations of working with participants with special needs (i.e. parallel activities, behavior management skills, redirection techniques, etc) will be provided.

Must be able to bring energy, compassion and a positive team oriented attitude while building sound relationships and fostering new partnerships.

Preferential consideration will be given to male applicants as a bona fide job requirement to meet one on one activities of daily living (ADL) staffing needs.

Flexibility is required, this position will be scheduled up to 19 hours per week, mostly evenings from 5pm to 9pm; weekends between the hours of 9am to 9pm and occasional daytime hours from 9am to 12pm or 12pm to 3pm.

Please be sure to include your availability in your cover letter when applying

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

EXPERIENCE EDUCATION :

Ideal candidate will have a minimum of Two (2) years experience in either the education or recreation field - including prior therapeutic recreation or special education experience in working with individuals with special needs (physical, cognitive, emotional, psychological, etc).

The ability to deal appropriately with behavior management issues is required.

Additional qualifications include a minimum of 30 college credit hours in Therapeutic Recreation or other closely related field and / or prior life or work experiences with special needs individuals.

A genuine interest in enhancing the recreation experience for each program participant is required. Experience with behavioral management and adaptive equipment is preferred.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS ABILITIES :

• Required : Behavior management, redirection techniques, implementation of inclusion / adaptive activities, other therapeutic recreation fundamental constructs.
• Documentation, excellent verbal and written communication skills, group leadership, project leadership, planning, program evaluation
• Ability to manage behavior in special needs environment
• Ability to support safe inclusion of participants in event activities

While performing the duties of this job the employee is required to frequently walk, bend, stop, stand, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to lift, carry, push, and pull up to twenty-five pounds, and to lift a child with assistance up to 200 pounds.

The employee will also be required to occasionally drive, run, kneel, twist, and squat. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Please be sure to include your availability in your cover letter when applying

Compensation & Benefits

This job post will close on Monday, January 29, 2024 at end of day.