General Activities Therapist 2

Ohio Department of Youth Services; Circleville (OH); On-site; USD 64,729,000 - 76,048,000; Full time

Job summary

Ohio Department of Youth Services is seeking a General Activities Therapist 2 to lead activity programs for youth at Circleville Juvenile Correctional Facility. The role focuses on planning, organizing, and delivering therapeutic activities, including sports, arts, and fitness, while supervising youth workers.

The ideal candidate will have experience in coaching or fitness instruction or in directing work with incarcerated youth, plus an education path in recreation or related field.

Qualifications

• 30 mos exp with coaching, personal training, or fitness instruction, or 30 mos exp directing staff and training incarcerated persons.
• Associate degree in recreation or completion of undergraduate core program in recreation with related experience.
• Minimum class qualifications or equivalent experience as noted in the job posting.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize and conduct activity programs for youth in residential treatment units.
• Organize and conduct individual or group recreational and activity therapy activities.
• Instruct youth in leisure and therapeutic activities to expand knowledge, skills and fitness.
• Prepare progress notes and reports for youth records; participate in treatment team meetings.
• Supervise youth workers; maintain equipment and safety; coordinate community service projects.

Skills

Coaching

Motivating Others

Teamwork

Education

Associate degree in recreation

Undergraduate core program in recreation

Job description

What You'll Do

DYS is seeking a General Activities Therapist 2 to join our diverse team! This person will plan, organize and conduct activity programs. The ideal candidate will be a strong leader with a solid background and a passion to help youth.

Specifically, The General Activities Therapist 2 Will

• Work under direction from the Activity Therapy Supervisor for the Ohio Department of Youth Services Circleville Juvenile Correctional Facility to plan, organize, conduct & ensure implementation of clinical adjunctive therapy program/services for youth assigned to residential treatment units.
• Organize & conduct individual &/or group recreational & activity therapy activity (e.g., individual &/or teams sports, arts & crafts, music, drama, physical fitness &/or community service functions, etc.).
• Plan & instruct youth in a variety of leisure & therapeutic activities designed to expand youth knowledge, skills & fitness level; participates in weekly treatment team meetings to provide update on youth recreational participation & progress; prepare reports &/or progress notes for inclusion in youth record; review youth physical fitness assessment to prepare individualized activity therapy program; develop & coordinate community service projects; maintain community contact via church groups, volunteer opportunities &/or civic organizations to augment & support community service projects; supervise youth workers assigned to work area.
• Maintain recreations equipment &/or areas: neatness, orderly & accurate inventory of supplies &/or equipment; ensures safety measures are applied to all activities &/or use & storage of equipment. Serves as official for all group activities performed by the youth.
• Transport youth to off grounds activities; coordinates activities for youth with other agencies &/or DYS departments.
• Perform other duties as assigned (e.g., participate in organized functions within facility & DYS, attend meetings, seminars &/or trainings related to area of expertise, etc.).

30 mos. exp. with coaching, personal training, &/or fitness instruction or 30 mos. exp. providing work direction to incarcerated persons & training &/or development.

• Or completion of associate degree in recreation; 12 mos. exp. in activity therapy or recreation.
• Or completion of undergraduate core program in recreation; 6 mos. exp. in activity therapy or recreation.
• Or 6 mos. exp. as General Activities Therapist 1, 44211.
• Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.

Job Skills

Therapy/Therapeutical Services

Organization

Youth Services - Circleville Juvenile Correctional Facility

Agency Contact Name and Information

Cally Gilliland, [e-mail]

Unposting Date

Oct 16, 2026, 11:59:00 PM

Work Location

Circleville Juvenile Correctn

Primary Location

United States of America-OHIO-Pickaway County-Circleville

Compensation

$22.59 - $26.54

Schedule

Full-time

Classified Indicator

Classified

Union

OCSEA

Technical Skills

Juvenile Corrections

Professional Skills

Coaching, Motivating Others, Teamwork

Agency Overview

JOIN OUR TEAM! CHANGE LIVES WHILE BUILDING YOUR CAREER!

We are transforming and saving lives at DYS!

A safer Ohio: one youth, one family and one community at a time.

About Us… Our mission at the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) is to improve Ohio's future by habilitating youth and empowering families and communities. We believe that all youth will be given an opportunity to live up to their greatest potential and staff are our greatest resource.

DYS is the juvenile corrections system for the state of Ohio. DYS is statutorily mandated to confine felony offenders, ages 10-21, who have been adjudicated and committed by one of Ohio's 88 county juvenile courts. During their stay with DYS, youth are engaged in programming that is designed to address their criminological and behavioral needs. DYS reaches thousands of youth in facilities and those on parole.

Our Guiding Principles…

• Demonstrate staff are our greatest resource
• Treat everyone with respect
• Cultivate a trauma responsive environment for staff and youth to thrive
• Provide the best support and services for youth and families
• Advance our culture of inclusion through understanding and appreciating staff and youth differences
• Commit to and encourage collaboration and continuous improvement to produce better outcomes for those we serve
• Celebrate collective successes and support one another through opportunities to improve

To learn more about DYS, please visit our website by clicking here.