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Salary Range **$22.96 - $22.96 Hourly**

Education Level **High School**

Job Description

Make an Impact.

At WellLife Network, every role plays a vital part in empowering people to live their best lives. As part of one of New York’s largest nonprofit health and human services organizations, you’ll join a team dedicated to compassion, inclusion, and excellence — helping individuals and families thrive every day.

Position Summary

The Recreation Counselor provides opportunities for the youth of WellLife Network’s Community Residence Program to engage in structured, pro-social, and skill-building activities that promote emotional growth, creativity, and independence. This role focuses on helping youth develop healthy coping strategies for life’s stressors through recreational experiences that are therapeutic, purposeful, and replicable within the family setting. The Recreation Counselor encourages youth to challenge themselves emotionally, mentally, physically, socially, and creatively to enhance their self-confidence and overall well-being. This position reports directly to the Program Director.

Essential Accountabilities

Operational

1. Activity Planning: Plan, organize, and document a monthly calendar of recreational activities in collaboration with youth; submit proposed and actual calendars in accordance with program deadlines.

2. Skill Development: Design and implement community-based skill-building outings; develop activity sheets that outline objectives, learning outcomes, and follow-up discussions.

3. Budget Management: Manage the recreational activity budget responsibly, ensuring activities remain cost-effective and aligned with program priorities.

4. Supply Management: Purchase and maintain recreational supplies with appropriate approval; ensure materials are organized and accessible.

5. Communication: Communicate activity schedules and updates to staff, maintain positive community partnerships, and build local resource connections to enhance programming.

6. Individualized Resident Care: Provide attentive supervision and individualized support to ensure the safety and well-being of each youth during activities and daily routines.

7. Behavioral Modeling: Demonstrate positive behavior, teamwork, and respect, serving as a consistent role model for youth in line with program values.

8. Strength-Based Practices: Apply strength-based approaches that highlight each youth’s abilities, promote resilience, and encourage personal accountability.

9. Skill Development: Coach and assist youth in daily living and interpersonal skills, observing and documenting growth and areas for improvement.

10. Therapeutic Environment: Contribute to maintaining a structured, nurturing, and trauma-informed environment that supports emotional and social development.

11. Crisis Intervention and Behavioral Support: Provide behavioral support and employ crisis-intervention strategies in a calm, professional, and therapeutic manner.

12. Household Management: Participate in maintaining a home-like atmosphere by engaging youth in household responsibilities such as cleaning, meal planning, and organization.

13. Service Planning: Collaborate with the treatment team in the development and review of service plans, ensuring recreational goals align with individual objectives.

14. Trauma-Informed Care: Integrate trauma-informed principles into all interactions, maintaining awareness of triggers and emotional safety needs.

15. Transport and Supervision: Transport and supervise youth during community outings, appointments, and recreational activities, ensuring safety and positive engagement.

16. Family Engagement: Encourage family participation by sharing activity outcomes and identifying ways for families to continue skill-building at home.

17. Counseling Support: Provide informal counseling, guidance, and encouragement to youth, supporting their emotional and social development.

18. Medication Support: Assist in monitoring medication compliance as directed by supervisory or clinical staff, ensuring consistency with treatment plans.

19. Behavioral Support: Promote appropriate behavior through consistent structure, redirection, and positive reinforcement; provide crisis intervention as needed.

20. Reporting: Promptly report all incidents or unusual occurrences to the Program Director or designee and complete documentation per policy.

21. Documentation: Complete all assigned logs, activity reports, and progress notes accurately and in a timely manner.

22. Residential Upkeep: Support the maintenance of a clean, organized living space; model and teach youth household tasks such as laundry, shopping, and cooking.

23. Training Participation: Attend and actively participate in all required staff meetings, in-service trainings, and OMH-mandated sessions.

24. Program Participation: Participate in agency and program events such as the annual Family Bonds Retreat, demonstrating flexibility, teamwork, and commitment to the mission of fostering youth growth and resilience.

25. Other Duties: Perform additional tasks assigned to support program operations and uphold the values of the organization.

Job Qualifications

The Recreation Counselor is required to have a minimum of a high school diploma with relevant experience working with children and adolescents who have emotional and behavioral disorders. An associate’s degree in human services, psychology, recreation, or a related field is preferred. Candidates must demonstrate creativity, patience, and the ability to engage youth in therapeutic and skill-building activities that promote social, emotional, and physical development. A valid New York State driver’s license is required.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY SPECIFICATIONS

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

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 functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work environment characteristics 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 functions.

What You’ll Gain

+ Compensation: Competitive hourly rate based on experience.

+ Robust Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, and 401k retirement plan (with matching).

+ Work-Life Balance: Paid time off, holidays, and personal days.

+ Wellness Program: Free and low-cost gym and wellness access and support.

+ Training & Growth: Ongoing professional development and career advancement opportunities.

+ Meaningful Work: Direct impact on the lives of youth and their families.

+ Supportive Environment: A collaborative team that values your contributions