Recreation Specialist

Schedule: Tuesday–Saturday, 12:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Pay Rate: $21.00 per hour
Location: Parc Center for Disabilities – St. Petersburg, FL
Position Type: Full-Time
Employee Supervision: None
On-Call Duties: None 

Make a Meaningful Difference Every Day

At Parc Center for Disabilities, our mission is to provide opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities to exercise their independence and experience life to the fullest. Our vision is a community where all individuals live with dignity and are treated with respect. 

As a Recreation Specialist with our Bert Muller Home (BMH), you will help create meaningful experiences, encourage community involvement, and support residents in developing recreational and leisure skills that enhance their quality of life.

Working on-site at Parc Center for Disabilities’ campus, you’ll join a dedicated team committed to creating an engaged, people-centered environment.

Together We RISE

Our values guide everything we do: 

Respect – We treat everyone as a person first. Dignity guides our interactions as we work together to advance Parc’s mission and vision. 

Integrity – We practice honesty, transparency, and the highest standards of ethical behavior. We believe in doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. 

Service – We make a difference for the person in front of us, serving every individual and family with compassion, empowerment, kindness, and purpose.

Empathy – We strive to understand the experiences of those we serve and those who serve our organization, allowing compassion to guide our actions.

Position Summary

Under the direct supervision of BMH Program Services Manager, the Recreation Specialist is an integral member of the Bert Muller Home team within a 24/7/365 Intermediate Care Facility for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID).

The Recreation Specialist develops, implements, documents, and evaluates recreation and leisure programs based on resident needs and recommendations from Physical and Occupational Therapists.

This position coordinates meaningful on-campus and community-based activities, including transportation, funding, staffing ratios, and required documentation. The Recreation Specialist also completes recreational assessments, participates in interdisciplinary planning, and provides direct support and supervision to residents as needed.

The regular schedule is Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Flexibility may occasionally be needed to participate in approved special events that fall outside the normal schedule.

This position does not supervise employees and does not include on-call responsibilities.

Essential Responsibilities

• Plan and implement meaningful recreation and leisure activities designed to meet the individual needs and interests of BMH residents.
• Develop activity plans and provide staff with information needed to support scheduled activities.
• Create and maintain a monthly activity calendar.
• Ensure residents have opportunities to participate in community outings, including quarterly outings as appropriate.
• Plan and coordinate on-campus and off-campus activities, including transportation, staffing ratios, funding, and necessary documentation.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings, recreation meetings, annual meetings, and other resident planning meetings.
• Prepare recreation and leisure progress reports, assessments, recommendations, and annual summaries.
• Conduct assigned annual recreational and safety assessments.
• Develop recommendations for annual habilitation plans, long-term goals, and service goals.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation related to lesson plans, resident goals, activities, and outcomes.
• Prepare and present quarterly recreation information and updates.
• Collaborate with Program Specialists, Shift Supervisors, Behavior staff, QDDPs, Nursing, Transportation, and other departments to coordinate recreational outings and special events.
• Coordinate additional vehicle usage with the Transportation Department as needed.
• Facilitate monthly Resident Council meetings.
• Plan and organize special events such as field days, bingo, arts and crafts, holiday celebrations, birthdays, seasonal activities, and other recreational opportunities.
• Research recreational and community opportunities available to individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Maintain knowledge of applicable Parc policies, procedures, and ICF/IID requirements.
• Maintain a professional and supportive approach when interacting with residents, families, guardians, coworkers, and community partners.
• Provide direct care and supervision of residents as needed.
• Attend required trainings and in-service sessions and demonstrate required competencies.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
   

 What We’re Looking For
Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• A genuine passion for supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Creativity and enthusiasm for developing meaningful recreational activities and experiences.
• A collaborative and flexible approach.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• The ability to independently plan, prioritize, and manage multiple responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Basic computer proficiency.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• The ability to maintain confidentiality regarding resident and employee information.
• A willingness to be present, engaged, and ready to support the direct care team when needed.
• The ability to work effectively with residents, families, guardians, coworkers, and community partners.

Education & Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Previous experience working with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities is strongly preferred.
• Experience developing or coordinating recreational, leisure, or community-based activities is preferred.
• Valid Florida Driver’s License with an acceptable driving record required.

Certification Requirements

Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain:

• Parc-approved Professional Crisis Management (PCM) certification.
• CPR and First Aid certification.
• Parc Center for Disabilities driver approval and applicable driving requirements.

Physical Requirements

Employees must be able to:

• Observe, communicate, and respond effectively to residents’ cognitive, social, behavioral, and physical needs.
• Provide physical support and behavioral intervention when required, including physical blocking or manual restraint in accordance with approved training.
• Lift a minimum of 50 pounds from floor level to approximately waist height when necessary.
• Maintain the visual, auditory, and physical awareness necessary to safely supervise residents.
• Successfully perform Professional Crisis Management techniques at the level required for the position.

 Compliance Requirements

• Drug-Free Workplace
• Level II background screening required
• Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse participation required
  • Learn  more: Florida  Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Join the Parc Team

If you are creative, compassionate, organized, and passionate about helping individuals experience meaningful activities and greater independence, we encourage you to apply.

At Parc Center for Disabilities, you’ll be part of a team working together every day to help the people we serve live with dignity, build independence, and experience life to the fullest. 

Parc Center for Disabilities is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We recruit, hire, train, compensate, and promote individuals based on qualifications, merit, and organizational needs, and make all other employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. 

In alignment with our mission, we are fully committed to an accessible recruitment process. If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview, please contact Human Resources at [email protected] or (727) 345-9111. All requests are handled confidentially.

Parc is a Drug-Free Workplace. Employment is contingent on successful completion of a pre-employment drug screening and a Level II background check, as required by Florida law for positions serving vulnerable individuals.