Recreation Officer
What the work is
Plans, organises and coordinates recreation facilities and programs through various organisations, such as local governments, schools, religious bodies and youth organisations, to promote physical, social and emotional wellbeing within communities.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Assists to establish and administer neighbourhood houses, community groups, employment training programs and other services
- Organises and promotes local sporting, social, recreational, cultural and educational activities and programs in local community groups
- Assists and supports individuals to participate in community activities
- Researches and identifies issues of local need, concerns and aspirations through community consultation
- Delivers integrated projects, plans and policies that guide the management and use of open spaces, sportsgrounds and recreational facilities
- Organises point of sale and hire agreements, and provides information to staff, sporting teams, and community and corporate groups on matters relating to community sport, grounds and reserves
- Provides training and support to staff including voluntary workers running groups in halls, schools and places of worship
- May evaluate the effectiveness of programs and activities, and use this information to provide feedback for the improvement and development of programs
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a local council recreation team running sport, events and volunteer programs. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A kid who never played anything runs out for their first game, grinning
- The park is full on event day and every volunteer has a job and a smile
- A volunteer who nearly quit tells you they have found a place where they belong
Hard days
- Half the volunteers cancel on the morning of the biggest event of the year
- A club that does not want to share the oval with a new group
- Rain, again, and a program that depends on a dry Saturday
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 411931, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.