Recreation Therapy Assistant

Vancouver Coastal Health; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) invites applications for a Recreation Therapy Assistant at Margaret Fulton Centre in North Vancouver, BC. Working under supervision of the Recreation Therapist, you’ll plan and run individual or group recreation programs onsite and in the community, adapting activities to maximize client independence and participation.

Completion of a Therapeutic Recreation Diploma and the ability to transport clients by van may be required; you’ll report progress to the Recreation

Qualifications

• Completion of a recognized Therapeutic Recreation Diploma Program or equivalent.
• Ability to transport clients in a van or bus when required.
• Willingness to work with Indigenous Cultural Safety and diverse populations.

Responsibilities

• Carry out individual or group recreation programs onsite and in the community.
• Plan, demonstrate, and modify recreation activities to maximize client independence.
• Report client progress to the Recreation Therapist and interdisciplinary team.
• Provide functional direction to program volunteers; may operate a van for client transport.

Skills

Trauma-Informed

Harm Reduction

Strengths-based Care

Indigenous Safety

Cultural Safety

Communication

Time Management

Rapport Building

Observation Skills

Equipment Operation

Physical Fitness

Education

Therapeutic Recreation Diploma

Job description

Come work as a Recreation Therapy Assistant with Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) at Margaret Fulton Centre in North Vancouver, BC!

Within the context of a client and family-centered care model, and in accordance with established standards of professional practice and the vision and values of the organization, including Indigenous Cultural Safety, cultural humility and anti-racism principles, this position functions under the operational supervision of the Program Manager or Team Leader and the practice supervision and work direction of the Recreation Therapist, to carry out recreation therapy services. Duties include carrying out individual or group based programs based on client need both onsite and in the community. This includes program planning, demonstrating recreation activities, and carrying out modifications and adaptations to recreation programs to maximize client independence and participation. Reports relevant observations of client progress and participation to the Recreation Therapist and interdisciplinary team as appropriate. Provides functional direction to program volunteers. May operate a van or bus with a passenger seating to transport clients within the community as required by the site/ program.

The hours of work including days off and work area may be subject to change consistent with operational requirements and the provision of the Collective Agreement and applicable statutes. Successful applicants may be required to complete a Criminal Records Review Check.

As per Ministry of Health policy, all health care workers working in publicly-funded health care facilities are required to report their past receipt of certain vaccines or history of certain infections. Collecting these records will allow for offering of any missing vaccines, and for appropriate actions to be taken in the event of any future exposure to a communicable disease or during outbreaks. For all new hires and appointments to Vancouver Coastal Health, you will be asked to provide this information as part of the onboarding process.

WHY JOIN VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH?

VCH is a world class innovator in medical care, research and teaching, delivering service to more than one million BC residents. At VCH, we embrace thinking boldly, taking smart risks, and "going first" when we believe it will lead to the best possible outcomes for patients and their families. We invite you to join us in creating healthy lives in healthy communities by showcasing our passion for care, connection to the communities we serve and our culture of teamwork that makes VCH a great place to work.

• Comprehensive health benefits package, including MSP, extended health and dental and municipal pension plan


• Grow your career with employer-paid training and leadership development opportunities


• Wellness supports, including counselling, critical incident and innovative wellness services are available to employees and their immediate families


• Award-winning recognition programs to honour staff, medical staff and volunteers


• Access to exclusive discount offers and deals for VCH staff

At Vancouver Coastal Health, our vision of healthy lives in healthy communities inspires us and our values and pillars guide us. We support equitable practices, diverse teams and inclusive environments, which are vital to creating welcoming spaces where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and feel supported. We encourage applications from equity-deserving communities, including Indigenous Peoples and members of racialized groups, people with disabilities and people of all gender identities and expressions and sexual orientation.

Vancouver Coastal Health is proud to be recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers, BC’s Top Employers, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers and Canada’s Top Employers for Young People in 2026.

Employees of VCH must apply online via the Internal Career Portal on CareerHub, you are currently viewing the External Career Portal. Refer to the https://my.vch.ca/working-here/job-postings site for instructions on how to view internal job postings and how to apply as an employee. Current VCH employees who apply to this posting using this external site will be considered as an external candidate. Seniority will not apply.

Thank you for your interest in Vancouver Coastal Health.

Education & Experience

Completion of a recognized Therapeutic Recreation Diploma Program or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• General knowledge of Trauma Informed Practice, Harm Reduction approaches and Strengths-based care.


• Demonstrated ability to promote Indigenous Cultural Safety.


• Demonstrated ability to provide competent and culturally safety care with diverse populations.


• Ability to work independently and in cooperation with others.


• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.


• Ability to organize and prioritize work.


• Ability to observe and recognize changes in clients.


• Ability to establish and maintain rapport with clients.


• Ability to operate related equipment, including computer software programs.


• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the positon.