Developing Recreation Professionals

Developing Recreation Professionals

Ocala Recreation and Parks
Overview

The primary goal of this program is to engage talented and driven young people within our community to enable them to learn and develop the technical and “soft” skills which are vital to the success of a recreation and parks professional. Participants will learn the inner workings of the department including, but not limited to, program development and implementation, project planning, cultural and historic resource stewardship, marketing, and fiscal administration. Successful completion of the program will better prepare participants for seasonal employment with the City of Ocala.
Process

Candidates will apply for admittance and submit their applications to Recreation Division Staff, Recreation Administration, or the City of Ocala Community Engagement Coordinator. These applications will be evaluated, and interviewees selected. Top candidates will be admitted into the program(s). Candidates may choose to participate in the Recreation Academy, Aquatics/Lifeguard Certification Camp or both programs.

Requirements
- Candidates must be between the ages of 14 and 19.
- Participants must maintain satisfactory attendance at school as well as in the program.
- A completed application must be submitted by the deadline.
- A letter of recommendation from an educator or community leader is required as part of the application process.
Potential Timeline
- December 6th – January 14th – Applications Distributed & Processed
- January 18th – 21st – First Round Applicants Selected
- January 24th – January 28th – Interviews
- January 31st – February 11th – Selection Process
- February 15th – April 3rd – Aquatics Training
- April 5th – May 5th – Recreation Academy
Performance Task

At the core of any organization’s talent pool are certain “soft” skills, which are not necessarily taught, but can be sharpened with practice and training. As a department dedicated to public service, three abilities we look for in any potential employee candidate are outstanding customer service skills, effective teamwork abilities and professional communication efforts. To help participants to develop these skills, and to provide us with opportunities to evaluate same, we require every program participant to assist with two department events during the program.

Learning Objectives

Aquatics/Lifeguard Learning Objectives and Schedule

February 15 – April 3 | Tuesdays & Thursdays | 5:30 – 7:30

(There will be no class the week of March 14th – 20th)
- 2/15 – 2/17 – Introduction to Aquatics
  - Discuss Expectations
  - Review Facilities and Safety Concern
- 2/22 - 2/24 – Technique
  - Demonstrate Breaststroke
  - Stroke Development
- 3/01 - 3/03 – Technique Cont.
  - Demonstrate Freestyle
  - Treading Water
- 3/8 – 3/10 – First-Aid CPR & Rescue
  - First Responders First-Aid/CPR
  - Rescue Scenarios
- 3/22– 3/24 – Lifeguard Prep/Pool Management
  - Pool Management
  - Certification Review
- TBD – Testing and Certification – Friday - Sunday
  - Lifeguard Certification Course
Successful completion of the certification portion of the aquatics program will earn participants a lifeguard certification and qualify them for potential seasonal employment with the City of Ocala (pending a successful interview, drug screening, and background check; and subject to funding).

Recreation Academy Learning Objectives and Schedule

April 5 – May 5 | Tuesdays & Thursdays | 5:30 – 7:30
- 4/5-4/7 – Understanding Parks & Recreation
  - Tour of Facilities and Staff Introduction
  - Active Customer Service – T-Ball
- 4/14 - 4/16 – (Thursday & Saturday) Recreation – Athletics
  - Introduction to Recreational Sports – Assist with T-Ball
  - Therapeutic Sports – Tag Tea mBaseball
- 4/19-4/21 - Recreation – Programming
  - Programming Background – Understanding resources, needs and competition.
  - 2050 Program Project
- 4/23 – Performance Task – Youth Fishing Derby
  - Tuscawilla Park @ 8:30
- 4/26 – 4/28 - Recreation – Fitness
  - Understanding the role of Fitness in Recreation
  - Circuit Training Project
- 5/3 – 5/5 Parks & Resource Stewardship
  - Ranger Presentation
  - Program Wrap Up
Developing Recreation Professional Program Application
Name

First NameLast Name
Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Email
example@example.com
Birthday

MonthDayYear
Date
Emergency Contact

First NameLast Name
Emergency Contact Phone
Please enter a valid phone number.
School Name
Expected Graduation Date
Please tell us about yourself and why you would be the best candidate for this program
Please tell us what you hope to learn or gain from this experience
Please list any skills, talents, interests, or hobbies and explain their relevance
Personal References

Please provide contact information for 2 person references
Name

First NameLast Name
Relationship
Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
Name

First NameLast Name
Relationship
Address

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
Phone Number
Please enter a valid phone number.
I understand that I will not be compensated for services provided. I understand that I am not an employee of the City of Ocala although I will abide by the rules outlined in the City of Ocala Employee Handbook. I understand that as a condition of the volunteer assignment, my signature authorizes the City of Ocala to conduct a review of my criminal history and obtain verification of my driver’s license and social security number. I certify that the information provided is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Signature

Clear
Date
Parent Signature (if under age 18)

Clear
Date
Should be Empty:

Developing Recreation Professionals

Overview

Developing Recreation Professional Program Application

Personal References