State of Maryland

A DJS Coordinator of Recreation is specialized advanced level work supervising, developing and implementing recreational programs for multiple juvenile facilities or sites.  Employees in this classification serve as resources in designing, coordinating and evaluating recreation programs for at-risk youth.  Employees in this classification do not supervise but may provide guidance and advice to DJS Recreation Specialists or other facility personnel.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a DJS Assistant Superintendent Juvenile Facility or other designated administrator.  Employees may be required to work evenings, weekends and holidays.  Employees may be subject to call-in.  Work is performed primarily in or around juvenile facilities and in the field.  Employees will be expected to work both indoors and outdoors and may be exposed to inclement weather conditions.  Employees may be exposed to youth who may be abusive or hostile.  Employees may be required to physically subdue violent youth and intervene to prevent situations from escalating.

Positions in this classification are evaluated using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work Sections of the class specification.  

Designs, plans and implements large-scale therapeutic recreational, leisure and adventure sport programs and activities for youth at multiple juvenile facilities or sites;

Oversees the recreational programs that are implemented at juvenile facilities;

Collaborates with DJS juvenile facility staff, recreation professionals or experts, individuals from community or environmental groups, volunteers and college faculty to develop and provide recreational and adventure sport programming;

Trains and certifies DJS juvenile facility staff to instruct youth in recreation programs;

Monitors and assumes responsibility for the security and safety of youth and DJS facility staff during programs such as rappelling, rock climbing, caving, skiing and whitewater rafting;

Applies group counseling techniques during and after recreational trips or events to instill values such as teamwork, self confidence and self esteem and promotes appropriate social interaction in order that youth may transfer these skills to the community upon release;

Manages the purchase and maintenance of the recreation equipment inventory by regularly inspecting equipment prior to and after each use, maintaining usage records and replacing equipment to guarantee safety of equipment users;

Repairs or schedules repairs for a wide variety of items such as ropes, mountain bicycles, skis, rafts and snowshoes; Intervenes to de-escalate potentially hostile or dangerous situations and documents incidents to appropriate facility staff;

Attends in-service training on topics, such as crisis prevention, suicide prevention, emergency medical treatments and behavioral modification models, in order to maintain knowledge of childcare needs, counseling methods and trends in the juvenile justice field and to maintain certification;

Assesses emergency and crisis situations, makes appropriate contacts and referrals, and provides interim emergency medical treatment and other assistance until specialized assistance is available;

Arranges for and supervises various teambuilding and recreational programs for non-facility groups;

Maintains logs or other documentation of daily recreational activities;

May prepare reports requested by management;

May participate in established meetings with DJS Resident Advisors, DJS Residential Group Life Managers, DJS Case Management Specialists or others by providing progress or assessments of youth behavior during recreational activities;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles of physical education and fitness;

Knowledge of the rules and regulations of games and sports;

Skill in designing, planning and scheduling large-scale recreational programs and activities to meet the needs of a diverse population of youths residing in DJS facilities;

Skill in leading youth in organized recreational and adventure sport activities;

Skill in demonstrating physical activities and the proper use of equipment and materials to groups of youth residents;

Skill in managing the purchasing and maintenance of recreational equipment and supplies for multiple-site recreational programs;

Ability to make necessary repairs to recreational equipment;

Ability to train and certify other DJS facility staff in supervising youth’s recreational activities;

Ability to assess emergency and crisis situations, to make appropriate contacts and referrals, and provide interim emergency medical treatment and other assistance;

Ability to communicate effectively with youth;

Ability to document incidents of aggressive, anti-social behavior or emergency incidents;

Ability to maintain logs and prepare reports as requested by management;

Ability to establish effective working relationships with DJS facility staff, individuals from various external groups, organizations and community volunteers.

Education:   A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Adventure Sports, Recreation or a related recreational field.

Experience: None.

Notes:

1.  Candidates may substitute possession of an Associate of Arts degree from an accredited college or university in a recreational program such as Recreation; Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies; Sports and Fitness Administration or Health and Physical Education and two years of experience supervising recreational programs for youth in a juvenile facility or juvenile services community program for at-risk youth for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service  experience as a non-commissioned officer in Recreation Aid and Assistant classifications or Recreation Aid and Assistant specialty codes in the Social Science, Psychology and Welfare field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

1. Candidates appointed to positions in this classification must obtain and maintain certification by the Maryland Correctional Training Commission prior to appointment .

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

3. Employees in this classification must obtain and maintain adventure sports certification through a nationally recognized program such as The Ropes Course through Rescue 3 International or Interquest or an Association for Challenge Course Technology approved vendor.

1. In accordance with the Correctional Services Article, Section 8-209 of the Annotated Code of Maryland, the Maryland Correctional Training Commission shall establish the minimum qualifications for probationary or permanent appointment of a Department of Juvenile Services employee. These requirements are listed in detail in the Code of Maryland Regulations 12.10.01.04, general regulations of the Maryland Correctional Training Commission, and include:

    U.S. Citizenship or Resident Alien status

    Must be at least 21 years of age

    A thorough background check, including fingerprinting and drug testing

    An oral interview, and

    Physical and psychological examinations.

2. Employees in this classification may be subject to call-in and, therefore, may be required to provide the employing agency with a telephone number at which they employee can be reached.

3. Employees in this classification are subject to substance abuse testing in accordance with Code of Maryland Regulation 17.04.09 – Testing for Illegal Use of Drugs.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit H, Public Safety and Security classes.  As provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.