The Recreation Assistant position is located in the Homeless Services, Housing and Urban Development VA-Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) within the Social Work Service Line at the Tomah, Wisconsin VA Medical Center and provides a variety of free choice leisure activities based on Veteran's leisure needs, capabilities and available facilities. Primary focus of assisting Veterans with learning about and accessing community resources for integration and leisure.

Duties

Duties include: Develops and conducts free choice programming for program-wide leisure activities for Homeless Program HUD-VASH enrolled Veterans. Facilitates groups, as well as individual participants regarding basic techniques and maneuvers, dependent upon observation of Veterans participating in diversional/leisure activities. Includes driving government vehicle to take Veterans out in the community. Observes recreational activities to identify any adverse impact upon the participants. Schedules various indoor and outdoor games, hobbies, and craft activities. Plans outdoor leisure activities and events, and orients participants on requirements for protective equipment and the rules and regulations appropriate to the leisure activities. Implements schedules of demonstrations and other special events, such as community-based outreach activities. Develops publicity for scheduled special events through the use of flyers, bulletins, and newspapers. Prepares recreational activity articles for circulation throughout the program catchment area. Assists in carrying out the treatment plan developed by the program case management staff for the Veteran regarding free choice and community-based activities. Collaborates with volunteer groups, program staff, community stakeholder staff, and Voluntary Services to assist with the annual panning and execution of recreation and special events. Provides ongoing monitored group recreation programs. Maintains attendance records at recreation activities. Documents activities as required by VA regulations, policies and procedures. Initiates and maintains the monthly Homeless Program calendar of activities. Assures safe operation and maintenance of recreation areas on and off campus (i.e., Bowling Alley, Golf Shack, Center Courtyard, Gymnasium, etc.) ensuring compliance with community partner safety expectations. -Maintains up-to-date equipment accountability as applicable. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Recreation Assistant/PD21268O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Vaccination programs are requirements for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• State Driver's License required

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/27/2023. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Minimum Qualification Requirements : GS-6 Grade Level: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities. Teacher's aid in elementary school recreation or physical education program, with emphasis on development of general recreational skills and abilities. Aid or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service. Aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities. Summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, and boating and fishing areas (e.g., demonstrating camping techniques and park safely, conducting nature tours and overseeing farm animal areas provided for children). Sales or stock clerk in a recreation supplies and equipment shop. Aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance of inventory control and accountability for such property in a recreation facility. Aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities. As a general rule, there is no educational substitution at the GS-6 grade level in this occupation. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationsInterpersonal SkillsPersonnel Security and SafetyPublic Planning Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work requires moderately heavy physical exertion on an intermittent basis such as assisting a Veteran in transfer activities; i.e., wheelchair to transport vehicle. There are also regular periods of standing and walking throughout the medical center and at off-station sites. Additional, at times the work requires lifting, moving, and carrying of moderately heavy items and equipment for set-up or use by Veterans during recreational activities. Work Environment: Work is primarily performed in various medical center facilities; however, off-station resources within a reasonable radius are expected to be utilized. Incumbent must be alert to the potential for uncooperative, hostile and unpredictable behaviors of Veterans. The incumbent may be the only Medical Center staff in the assigned work area. Appropriate safety precautions are taken depending on activities provided. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Tomah VA Medical Center 500 East Veterans Street Tomah, WI 54660 US
• Name: Madeline James
• Phone: 504-812-1498
• Email: [email protected]