Recreation Therapy Associate, AIS

The Opportunity

The Adolescent Intensive Services (AIS) is a voluntary treatment program that treats adolescents who are harmfully involved with substances, have a mental health disorder(s) or who may present with concurrent mental health disorders. AIS provides 24/5 and 24/7 treatment services within the IWK Mental Health and Addictions Program to adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19 years of age. Reporting to the Manager of AIS, the Recreation Therapy Associate (RTA) works as a member of a collaborative interdisciplinary team to provide mental health and addiction services to adolescents and their families. The RTA supports adolescents to acquire skills, knowledge, and behaviour that allows them to enjoy their leisure and participate as independently as possible in their home and community. In collaboration with the Recreation Therapist, the Recreation Therapy Associate is responsible for providing therapeutic-based interventions and programming with the goal of enhancing the development of life-long leisure skills and attitudes, eliminating barriers to leisure, and optimizing the leisure involvement of youth with mental health and addiction issues in partnership with families, therapists, and community groups. Other key responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, planning and developing program content, ensuring group safety during on-site and community programming, volunteer management, and management of equipment resources. Under the direction of the Recreation Therapist, the Recreation Therapy Associate is responsible for implementing appropriate interventions and plans, including appropriate documentation/recording of the plan as well as reporting observations to the Recreation Therapist.

Hours of Work

Combination of 4, 8 or 12 hour shifts Days, Evenings and Weekends. 

Your Qualifications

• Completion of a two (2) year Diploma in Human Services Therapeutic Recreation or equivalent program required.
• Minimum two (2) years experience as a Recreation Therapy Associate required.
• Recent experience working with adolescents and families preferred.
• Successful completion of a CPR Level C Health Care Provider or Basic Life Support (BLS) course within the last 12 months required.
• NCI certification required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in leisure/recreation program planning required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of mental health and addictions disorders and the impact on health, well-being, and quality of life required.
• Working knowledge of harm reduction approaches and substance misuse and/or concurrent disorders best practices preferred.
• Working knowledge of Trauma Informed Care and the Connect Model preferred.
• Demonstrated effective interpersonal, communication (verbal and written), and presentation skills required.
• Demonstrated initiative, ability to set priorities and manage workload effectively required.
• Demonstrated conflict resolution skills required.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a member of an interprofessional care team, to working independently or with minimal supervision required.
• Demonstrated excellent time management, organization and problem-solving skills required.
• Demonstrated understanding and commitment to family-centred care required.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and promote interpersonal and community relationships required.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends required.
• Demonstrated knowledge and competency in meeting IWK clinical documentation standards preferred.
• Valid minimal Class 5 Nova Scotia driver's license and ability to drive program van required.
• Demonstrated experience implementing behaviour management strategies preferred.
• Competencies in other languages considered an asset.