Activities Specialist - 129th Street
West Side Federation For Senior and Supportive Housing, Inc.
129th Street Residence
Job Description: Activities Specialist
Under the supervision of the Administrator/Director, maintain an organized and diversified program of individual and group activities to the residents of 129th Street Residence. This program is designed to enable each resident to engage in cultural, spiritual, diversional, physical, political, social, and intellectual activities within the facility and the community in order to sustain and promote an individual’s potential and sense of usefulness to self and others. All services are provided with the goal of enabling residents to live permanently at 129th Street Residence as safely and independently as possible.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Directly provide within the facility programs and activities for group and individual participation.
- Arrange for the provision of programs and activities within the facility by community groups, service providers and volunteers.
- Arrange for participation of residents in community-based and community sponsored activities including arranging for transportation to enable the residents to participate in events.
- Involve residents in decision-making process about the types of activities to be offered.
- Maintain a monthly schedule of activities, conspicuously posted for residents and visitors, prepared at least one week in advance of its proposed implementation and amended to reflect changes as they occur. Schedule must identify the event, location, time, and person responsible for each activity.
- Reach out into the facility to assure that all residents are notified of activities in advance and on the day of their occurrence and that activities are accessible to each resident.
- Assure that activities are accessible to all residents by considering and reflecting the age, sex, physical and mental capabilities, interest and cultural and social backgrounds of residents.
- Maintain a record of all activities which have taken place and a log regarding the process by which activities were determined (eg: minutes of any resident committees organized to plan activities) keep the monthly schedule for at least 6 months.
- Assure that each monthly schedule of activities includes the following
- Individual, small group, and large group activities
- Facility based and community activities
- Physical exercise or other physical activities
- Intellectual activities
- Social interaction
- Opportunities for both active and passive resident involvement.
OTHER
- Work as a member of a team to establish and maintain high level of care and respect for and communication with residents
- Work cooperatively with other staff members
- Share information about resident progress, needs, and problems with other staff in accordance with WSFSSH Confidentiality Policy.
- Attend training sessions and conferences as required for enhancement of job skills
- Implement emergency procedures as necessary
- Submit all required reports in a complete and timely manner
- Assist with other duties as directed
QUALIFICATIONS EXPECTED:
- An Associate’s Degree from an accredited college or university or satisfactory completion of two years of college, in either case with major work in recreation or a related field, or sufficient work experience in the field. OR: Two years full-time experience in the recreation field with a dependent, adult population.
- Minimum of one year experience working with dependent persons. Experience working with homeless persons, persons challenged by mental illness, and/or elderly persons is preferred.
- At least 21 years of age.
- Able to work in a multicultural and diverse environment
- Able to perform job responsibilities.
- Able to speak, read, and write English (as required by DSS regulation 487.9.13)
EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principal at WSFSSH, where employment is based upon employees’ qualifications without discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, citizenship status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.