Casual Activity Assistant - Educational Play and Support Service

Reading Borough Council; Reading; On-site; GBP 12,000 - 18,000; Part time

Job summary

Reading Borough Council’s Prospect Park seeks a Casual Activity Assistant to support outdoor activities and visitor experiences. You will help prepare facilities and equipment, assist with bookings, and ensure safe, enjoyable sessions for all ages.

This casual role offers flexible hours including evenings and weekends, with opportunities to engage children and families in play activities, group visits and events while maintaining safety and high standards.

Qualifications

• Enjoys working with members of the public and delivering excellent customer service.
• Experience in a customer-focused environment.
• Experience within leisure, recreation or outdoor activities is preferred.
• Understands health and safety and can follow procedures.
• Strong team player with a flexible approach.
• Good communication skills and ability to guide customers.
• Physically fit and able to work outdoors in all weather conditions.

Responsibilities

• Assist with setting up and maintaining outdoor facilities and equipment.
• Welcome visitors and help with bookings and activity sessions.
• Ensure activities are delivered safely and efficiently.
• Conduct routine inspections and safety checks.
• Support group visits, educational sessions and events.
• Provide engaging activities with limited supervision.

Skills

Customer service

Public interaction

Outdoor activities

Health & safety

Team player

Communication

Adaptable

Job description

Do you enjoy working outdoors, helping people and supporting fun, safe activities?

We are looking for an enthusiastic and reliable Ranger Station - Casual Activity Assistant to join our team at Prospect Park. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a varied role where no two days are the same, supporting the smooth operation of our outdoor facilities and activities while providing excellent customer service.

As part of the team, you will help prepare and maintain facilities and equipment, support activity sessions and group bookings, welcome visitors and customers, and ensure our sites remain safe, clean and ready for use.

As a casual member of the team, this is an opportunity to work flexibly and support our programmes when you are available.

There may be opportunities to work term time, during school holidays, after-school sessions, evenings and some weekends subject to your preference and availability, depending on service requirements. Flexible casual hours to fit around your studies, work or other commitments.

This role is mainly supporting evening and weekend shift and cover. The Ranger Station operates family activities and facilitates tennis and football bookings. The site is open weekends until 4.00pm and evenings up to 10.00pm.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About The Role:

As a Casual Activity Assistant, you will play a key role in supporting the delivery of outdoor activities, events and visitor experiences at Prospect Park. Working as part of a friendly team, you will help prepare facilities and equipment, welcome customers, assist with bookings and ensure activities are delivered safely and efficiently.

You’ll be one of the first points of contact for visitors, providing excellent customer service and helping create a positive experience for everyone using the site.

This varied and hands-on role also involves carrying out routine inspections, basic maintenance and safety checks, maintaining high standards across the facility, and supporting group visits, educational sessions and special events.

No two days are the same, and you’ll enjoy a mix of practical outdoor work and customer interaction while helping to provide an enjoyable, safe and well-maintained environment for visitors of all ages.

You will have experience or be passionate to be working with children and young people, including children with special educational needs, ideally within community, playwork or similar settings.

You will understand child development, the principles of play and the importance of listening to and consulting with children and families.

You will be a confident communicator who can build positive relationships with children, young people and adults. You will also be creative, adaptable and able to use your initiative to deliver engaging activities with limited supervision.

We are looking for someone who:

• Enjoys working with members of the public and delivering excellent customer service.
• Has experience working in a customer-focused environment.
• Ideally has experience within leisure, recreation or outdoor activities.
• Understands the importance of health and safety and can follow procedures effectively.
• Is a strong team player with a positive and flexible approach.
• Has good communication skills and can confidently provide information and guidance to customers.
• Is physically fit and able to undertake manual tasks and work outdoors in all weather conditions.