November 6, 2024

Clarksville Parks + Recreation

Clarksville

FULL TIME

Therapeutic Recreation Specialist

*You must apply at www.cityofclarksville.com to be considered for this positon*
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB
Under general supervision, performs responsible work planning, coordinating, and facilitation therapeutic recreation programs or activities for children, teens, and adults with disabilities which include various levels of intellectual, learning, and physical disabilities, emotional/behavioral disorders, and various levels of autism in both indoor and outdoor environments.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Plans, coordinates, and facilitates recreation activities suited to the needs of participants with disabilities. Develops lesson plans for and supervises day-to-day inclusive or adaptive programming operations. Solicits business sponsors, vendors, and donations as needed.
Participates in teaching arts and crafts, personal health, physical and social therapy, indoor and outdoor games, and other therapeutic and/or recreational activities. Personally, gives instruction and/or supervises specialized instructors.
Maintains current and accurate records relative to all aspects of the program, evaluates program content, and relays pertinent information to the supervisor. Prepares required reports and paperwork.
Promotes the involvement of individuals with disabilities in general recreation programs/classes.
Tracks and evaluates programs though performance measures, statistics, and evaluations.
Prepares, monitors, and tracks programming operating budget.
Schedules and works with facility staff to supervise use of facilities by participant groups, enforces safety and other rules and regulations, and maintains order, discipline, and facility cleanliness.
May provide direct supervision to part-time, seasonal, and temporary staff, interns, volunteers, and contracted instructors, including scheduling and evaluation.
Maintains contact with various community groups or organizations. Works with marketing to conduct public relations for therapeutic programs.
Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.
Performs other related work as required.

Typical Qualifications
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree, with a major in Recreation Therapy, Recreation, or Leisure.
Six months of experience working with individuals with disabilities in a recreational, educational, or related setting.
An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to perform the job's essential duties.

License and Certification

Possession of a valid driver’s license.
Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credential.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS REQUIRED
Knowledge of:

Wide range of adaptive sports, programs, activities, and equipment.
Physical, emotional, and intellectual problems which result from various types of disabilities.
Recommended processes and best practices to utilize when creating adaptive programming or modifying existing programming to serve individuals with varying types of disabilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and accessibility issues.
Behavior modification techniques.
Supervisory principles.
Customer service principles.
Basic budgeting principles.
Record-keeping practices and principles.

Skill in:

Planning, developing, supervising, and managing programs or events.
Overseeing recreation program sites, facilities, and equipment.
Discerning and anticipating participant needs.
Modifying programs and activities quickly to allow for greater participation by the target audience.
Providing customer service.
Dealing tactfully with coworkers, supervisors, participants, and the general public.
Prioritizing and assigning work.
Effectively supervising subordinates.
Monitoring and evaluating employees.
Critical thinking.
Patience.
Monitoring budgets.
Preparing and maintaining records and reports.
Leading and instructing groups in games, sports, and other recreation activities.
Using a computer and related software applications.
Communicating with program/activity participants with varying communication barriers inaw ay that allows them to understand directions, rules, guidelines, and general information.
Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with subordinates, coworkers, supervisors, the public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to give and receive work direction.

Physical Requirements
The work is medium work which requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.
Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
Crawling: Moving about on hands, knees, hands, and feet.
Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination sound.
Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. It occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
Mental Acuity: Making rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something steady to thrust forward, downward, or outward.
Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. It occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
Visual ability 1: sufficient to perform an activity like preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading.
Visual ability 3: sufficient to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned or to make general observations of facilities or structures.
Visual ability 4: sufficient to operate motor vehicles and/or heavy equipment, both day and night.
Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or move from one work site to another.