FSRI - Recreational Therapist, South County Academy in Exeter

FSRI is always looking for candidates that want to make a positive impact on the community!

Position Summary: South County Academy is an educational and therapeutic community dedicated to helping adolescents learn, grow, heal, and thrive. At South County Academy, you will be part of a team that focuses on promoting and recognizing positive behaviours, while building self-worth. As a member of the dedicated South County Academy team, you will provide guidance, support, and supervision to adolescents aged 13-18 in a school and residential setting.

Provide a trauma informed approach implementing and maintaining Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) and other evidence-based practices. You will assist each student to make decisions about daily life and conduct within the boundaries of the agency, program policies, and the requirements of the contractual agreement with the Department of Children, Youth and Families. Whether in the classroom, the residential dorm, or during recreational activities, you will promote safety, well-being, self-expression, learning, and positive decision making.

The recreational therapist plays a central role in using leisure-based activities to improve social, emotional, cognitive, and physical functioning. The recreational therapist will develop, implement, and facilitate goal-directed, purposeful activities that promote engagement and skill development. The recreational therapist will work collaboratively with team members, teachers, outside providers, families, etc. The recreational therapist will have the ability to adapt activities to meet the needs of a diverse population with differing needs and capabilities while promoting accessibility and inclusion. The recreation therapist will have the ability to think outside the box and meet each student where they are at.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in recreational therapy or significant therapeutic recreation experience in a residential setting required.
• Willingness and capability to work flexible hours including evenings, weekends, and holidays as scheduled.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, racial and socioeconomic issues.
• Excellent communication skills and team-oriented mindset.
• Capabilities to implement appropriate child management techniques, which may include use of passive physical restraint.
• The position requires reliable transportation, valid driver’s license, proof of automobile insurance, registration, inspection and driving record.

Employees may be scheduled to work shifts less than three hours in any workday, to attend required staff meetings, which are agreed to in advance by the parties. Bilingual/ASL skills are compensated by an additional 6%, above base pay. Multilingual skills are compensated by an additional 8%, above base pay.

Physical Requirements:

• This position requires community visits, employees in this position must have the ability to travel to and from community locations, FSRI main sites, and the school/residential location which could include using walkways, stairs and/or elevators.
• Ability to lift up to 20 lbs.
• Ability to push or pull 10 lbs. or more.
• Ability to perform restraint techniques if needed and work with physically aggressive students.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Here at FSRI, we’re dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you’re excited about one of our career opportunities, but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the perfect fit for this or another opportunity!

We offer our employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, dental and work life benefits. Only together can we continue to grow and make a difference in our communities. Join our FAMILY today!

Family Service of RI (FSRI) is a statewide organization with a 130 year track record of improving the health and well-being of children and families. We are passionate about our mission to advance opportunity and hope. FSRI’s diverse and inclusive teams – working across the Health, Healing, Home and Hope divisions, are experts in their fields, delivering strategies to positively impact lives. We provide services statewide, and currently operate in three locations in Providence; and four locations in East Providence, Smithfield and North Smithfield.

Family Service of Rhode Island provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

FSRI determines pay based on a candidate's relevant and transferable experience, certifications, licenses, degree and language ability.