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Summary This position is located in the Nursing Service Community Living Center (CLC) Unit at the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, WA. The primary purpose of this position is to assist in the provision of recreational activities for the residents under the direction of the CLC Nurse Manager and in collaboration with the Recreation Therapists. Responsibilities ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Duties include, but are not limited to: Conduct outings with residents weekly (i.e., lunches, dinners, sports activities, etc.) Supervise residents during off-station activities and provide transportation using facility-provided vehicles or other modes of transportation Coordinate with volunteers for services that augment Veteran interaction with activities Individually bake/cook and garden once per week Conduct an individual birthday party for each resident on their birthday Conduct resident hand massages Develop regularly scheduled intergenerational programs in which children interact with residents Develop learning circles held twice per month for resident meetings to give each person an opportunity to share opinions Perform job duties as directed by the Nurse Manager to facilitate opportunities for CLC residents to engage actively in normal pursuits Additional Activities May Include: Exercise programs Healing touch and hand massages Music programs Baking, cooking, and serving food Gardening Games Coordinating out-of-facility outings (i.e., lunches, dinners, sports, fishing, bowling, picnics, etc.) Coordinating with volunteers for services (i.e., field trips) Arts and crafts programs Conducting individual resident birthday parties Arranging community meetings and developing regularly scheduled intergenerational programs General Resident Care Duties: Assist residents with activities of daily living (oral care, grooming, bathing, dressing, hygiene, etc.) Set up, serve, and assist residents with dining and maintain a home-like environment Turn, move, and transfer residents safely using proper techniques and lifting devices Prepare and transport residents as needed for tests or discharge Transportation: The Activities Program Assistant is required to drive a GSA vehicle to transport residents to activities throughout the local community. Work Schedule: Irregular, Varied days, 8-hour day shift Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. In addition to meeting the English Language Proficiency requirement, you must also possess one of the following: Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Qualifying specialized experience includes serving as a group leader in community or residential recreation or training programs; serving as a counselor in a youth summer camp; serving as an instructor in a training program for the development of job skills; performing work that demonstrated the ability to be responsible for and to lead and train members of a job crew; serving as a group activities leader in the Armed Services; serving as a unit leader-monitor-proctor for a dormitory group in a boarding school or other residential facility; serving as an aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff in such fields as personnel (private or government), employment guidance in a vocational or academic institution, social service, or manpower development; serving as an aid or assistant to professional or associate staff engaged in work of a social services nature in private, public welfare, government program, or community organizations, or in voluntary activities; serving as an aid or assistant to professional or specialist staff working with individuals who are addicted to or abuse alcohol and/or drugs. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. -OR- Education (Transcripts required): Successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to this occupation. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must show date degree conferred and must be submitted by the closing date. Education cannot be credited without documentation. -OR- Combination of Experience and Education (Transcripts required): An equivalent combination of successfully completed education and specialized experience as described above which meets the total requirements for this grade level. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. (e.g., One full academic year of study, or 30 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.) This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted by the closing date. Education cannot be credited without documentation. DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIRED: A current, valid state-issued Driver's License is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Accountability Creative Thinking Customer Service Decision Making Interpersonal Skills IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: Work requires the Activities Program Assistant to spend most of the tour (up to 10 hours per day) on his/her feet with intermittent walking, bending, pushing, and pulling. The work requires the Activity Program Assistant to be in good health and physically strong. The assistant may need to physically exert themselves in organizing the physical environment for various recreation activities and in handling the tools and materials of such activities, lifting up to 45 pounds (an effort is made to find assistance when the lifting of heavier objects is required). The employee is required to safely use mechanical devices and proper body mechanics for lifting. The use of a mechanical device is required for all lifting of residents. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.