Therapeutic Recreation

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Therapeutic Recreation
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Supervisor Carolyn Stark Recreation Specialist
1 www.vbgov.com
Therapeutic Recreation, as a profession, uses
treatment, education and recreation services to
help people with illness, disabilities and other
conditions to develop and use their leisure in
ways to enhance their health, independence and
well being. Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation
Therapeutic Recreation Program's mission is to
enrich the quality of life by promoting and
providing access to opportunities that offer
skill development, leisure education and
facilitate participation in recreation activities
for individuals with disabilities or who are
experiencing life challenges.
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R e f l e c t I o n s
Meetings and Community Involvement
Program Planning
Office Dynamics Deciding what traits really
matter
Program Leading
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Skills

• Planning
• Learned while planning activities and seeing the
  other job responsibilities
• Prioritizing
• Learned while seeing what goals to work on with
  participants as well as seeing what is worth
  getting upset about in the office and with the
  participants
• Patience
• Learned every day working with the participants
  and helping to
• understand what their abilities are and how they
  need you to be in order to make progress.
• Creativity
• Learned while making lesson plans and trying to
  think of good ideas to do with the participants
  and what their interests are. Also- seen in
  trying to accommodate an entire class of
  different interests, abilities and personalities
• Leadership
• Learned by watching as well as leading
  relatively by myself, also seeing how
  participants respond to different styles of
  leadership

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Location
Salary
Hours
Flexibility
Type of Work
Values
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Informational Interviews
Kathy Head of department Direct dealings with
other departments more admin. Tasks less
interaction with families and participants
Carolyn Rec Spec 1 Hands on leadership with
participant deals with part time staff direct
programing more creative need bachelor degree
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Social Artistic Enterprising Helping Social
Perceptiveness Teaching Creativity Helping
Others Tangible Results Social Educational
Artistic Practical Leading Organizing
Not surprising
Careers Of interest Athlethic Coach Teacher Speci
al Education Teacher Rec Therapist Chaplin Summer
Camp Planner/Leader Social Work
Focus
Combination results fits strengths only not
interests or goals
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Whats next?
2. Make sure major is right one
4.Do well in part time- Learn more ins and outs
and learn more about co-workers
6. Work Full Time- Save up for Grad School
7.Eventually practice Occupational Therapy
3. Get Experience After winter session?
Working part time with 2 swim programs, and
afterschool
5. Intern with Parks and Recreation Finish Degree
1. Picked major
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