Recreation Therapist

Status : Permanent, Full-time

Salary Range : $42.27 - $52.81

Location : Launching Pad, Surrey, BC

Schedule : Sunday to Thursday, 8am to 4pm

Job Summary :

We are a provincial specialized substance use treatment program offering services to youth and young adults experiencing problematic substance use.

Join our team of dedicated health professionals to support female and non-binary individuals ages 17 to 24. Set in a peaceful quiet neighborhood, 3 blocks from the beach, in sunny White Rock, this setting is ideal for those who love the outdoors! You will have the opportunity to utilize your knowledge and skills to support individuals who may have experienced mental health, physical health, trauma, family / cultural disconnection and substance use.

The program utilizes a two-eyed seeing approach, weaving Indigenous cultural traditions of healing with western medicine to build a program that is holistic, healing and flexible for the unique individual needs of participants.

The program operates under a harm-reduction lens to support individuals in learning what healing, wellness and treatment mean for each participant.

Our focus will be community-driven, both within the program itself by establishing a sense of community between participants and employees (eating meals, participating in activities and healing practices such as yoga / meditation, going on walks together).

We will also be connecting individuals to resources within the community both in Surrey, and individuals home communities.

There will be a focus on land-based healing practices, adventure therapy and skill building.

The Recreation therapist is vital in the role of connecting clients to community, and engaging clients in meaningful ways of participation that fosters growth, development and fun! The Recreation therapist will work with team members and clients to gain an understanding of the needs of clients coming into the program, and will develop a program plan that is flexible and aligns with the needs of clients we serve.

The Recreation therapist works closely with Indigenous Elders to ensure programming is delivered in a culturally safe and therapeutic manner, and will work jointly to develop land-based programming and adventure therapy components into the program.

Job Description :

• Provides Recreation Therapy assessment, and plans and provides interventions in accordance with current evidence-based models and established standards of practice, and the client and family centred plan of treatment by reviewing records, identifying priority client goals / issues / needs / expectations, planning, implementing, evaluating and documenting clinical Recreation Therapy services to maintain clients’ optimal health and well-being.
• Participates in the design, delivery and coordination of Recreation Therapy services for clients by methods such as evaluating recreation and leisure needs and interests of clients, establishing recreation services to meet the varied interests of clients, working with recreation assistants, students and volunteers to carry out related programs and coordinate inter-floor and facility wide activities and schedules.

Establishes working relationships with other disciplines and interdisciplinary Determines appropriate adaptations for recreation activity.

Coordinates the work activities of designated staff and students, provides work direction, reviews workflow, and facilitates workplace solutions with supervisory personnel.

Provides feedback and participates in developing goals and objectives for the recreation service with the Practice Leader, designated management and other designated team members to ensure that accreditation and Recreation Therapy safety standards are maintained and services are performed in an effective, efficient, and cost effective manner.

Designs and develops a recreation program suitable to the varying needs and interests of clients. Collaborates with the team, recreation assistants, volunteer services and community based groups and organizations to enhance recreation and leisure involvement of all clients within the program / site and the broader community.

As applicable, makes connections with various groups to encourage regular use of facility space and involvement of clients in recreation / leisure activities.

Provides and promotes leadership, and maintains knowledge in Recreation Therapy and clinical practice related to nature and scope of human service delivery systems, program specific health management, and the diversity of client populations including cultural and diagnostic groups served within the therapeutic recreation process.

This includes etiology, symptomatology, prognosis, treatment of conditions and related secondary complications by methods such as facilitating continuous learning, reviewing literature in designated areas, consulting with clinical and community experts, evaluating clinical practice and referral systems, developing or revising practice guidelines, and developing / presenting education sessions based on knowledge of Recreation Therapy.

Skills and Abilities :

• Comprehensive knowledge of evidence-based Recreation Therapy practice related to applicable program health issues and treatment.
• Comprehensive knowledge of theories and concepts of therapeutic recreation, leisure, social psychology and current trends and practice in designated areas.
• Comprehensive knowledge of recreation therapy theory and practice within a client and family centred model of care.
• Comprehensive knowledge of organizing therapeutic recreation services including the development of a written plan or operation.
• Comprehensive knowledge of other health care disciplines and their role in client care.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and culturally safe care and its application to the defined population of clients.

Education, Training and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from a recognized post-secondary program.
• Two (2) years' recent, related experience working in a mental health setting, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Eligible for membership in the British Columbia Therapeutic Recreation Association (BCTRA).

About Coast

Coast Mental Health (Coast) is one of the largest mental health non-profit societies in Canada, and operates a large array of innovative housing and community based rehabilitation services for people with a mental illness living in and around Vancouver.

Coast operates in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia providing approximately 1000 people with supportive housing and 4000 clients living in the community with a wide variety of programs and services.

Coast fosters a client-driven, recovery-oriented environment that promotes restoring health, personal growth and a return to society for individuals with a mental illness through advocacy and providing direct programs and services.

Why Coast

• We believe in the person, not the disease
• We operate client-centered care under the principles of psychosocial rehabilitation
• There is a variety of work within a particular position and within the organization
• We strive to be the best that we can be
• We hold Exemplary Status accreditation through Accreditation Canada
• We have won numerous awards for our innovative programming
• We care about our employees, and believe in living our values and culture throughout the organization

Employees of Coast must apply within seven days of the posting date with their internal account (Coast email address registered) to be considered as an internal applicant.

Current Coast employees who apply to this posting using external accounts or after the 7 day deadline will be considered as external candidates.

Seniority will not apply.

Coast Mental Health is committed to creating a culture of diversity and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion or disability