What Does an Activity Assistant Do?

Activity assistants are the ones who organize and execute activities in different settings, including recreation centers, camps, cruise ships, and retirement or nursing homes. They design programs to encourage physical activity, increase socialization, deliver continuing education, and provide entertainment. They are also the ones who handle logistics, select and demonstrate activities, maintain proper equipment, and ensure the safety of participants. They can work full-time, part-time, or seasonally in different settings depending on the kind of clients that they cater to.

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Activity Assistant Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real activity assistant resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

Prevent or manage aggressive behavior among individuals and administer CPR in emergency intervention.
Coordinate and manage group sessions, including recreational activities for senior citizens and occupational therapy with stroke patients.
Assist children with homework assignments, peer mediation, social skills and daily program activities.
Plan and execute a variety of enjoyable activities for residents and rehabilitation patients in a safe environment.
Post daily to Facebook page and also all waitress duties.
Conduct dog walks and in home pet sits with precision.
Provide specialized training and use of adaptive equipment (i.e.
Attend weekly treatment team meetings and discuss progression and regression with milieu.
Help maintain positive relationships with speakers and program coordinators throughout the academic year.
Hire, train and supervise all servers and dishwashers in the dietary department.
Communicate with parents via text, Facebook page, emails, and phone calls.
Implement IP outcomes, teach skills, providing supports, building on people's strengths/capabilities.
Used prior knowledge of Microsoft word, Microsoft excel, PowerPoint, printers, and computer/Internet.
Have a clean driving record and be able to obtain CDL to drive community passenger van.
Prepare and submit reports and charts to treatment team to reflect client reactions and evidence of progress or regression.

Activity Assistant Job Description

When it comes to understanding what an activity assistant does, you may be wondering, "should I become an activity assistant?" The data included in this section may help you decide. Compared to other jobs, activity assistants have a growth rate described as "much faster than average" at 13% between the years 2018 - 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, the number of activity assistant opportunities that are predicted to open up by 2028 is 52,200.

Activity assistants average about $14.24 an hour, which makes the activity assistant annual salary $29,611. Additionally, activity assistants are known to earn anywhere from $23,000 to $37,000 a year. This means that the top-earning activity assistants make $10,000 more than the lowest earning ones.

As is the case with most jobs, it takes work to become an activity assistant. Sometimes people change their minds about their career after working in the profession. That's why we looked into some other professions that might help you find your next opportunity. These professions include an assistant program coordinator, child and youth program assistant, human services assistant, and program assistant.

Learn More About Activity Assistant Job Descriptions

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12 Activity Assistant Resume Examples

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Noah Marshall Activity Assistant Contact Information Irvine, CA (260) 555-2699 nmarshall@example.com Skills Powerpoint Staff Members Dementia CPR Recreational Activities CNA Facility Customer Accounts Resident Activities Patient Care Employment History Activity Assistant 2017 - Present St. Christopher's Hospital for Children Irvine, CA Maintained department records, documentation, and worked closely with residents, nurses, and patient care staff. Maintained knowledge of HIPPA regulations and abided by them*Gathered information to complete activity assessment, MDS and care plan for newadmissions. Transport residents to and from scheduled activities. Compile confidential information to provide to the resident's family members through meetings, special events and quarterly meetings. Party's, socials, special events, tours and trips for the elderly. Plan, organize and implement multi-faceted recreation activities, trips, and special events for seniors and memory care residents. Activity Assistant 2014 - 2017 St. Elizabeth Healthcare Irvine, CA Provide social and recreational activities. Coordinated and implemented special events, including live entertainment and parties. Introduced and collaborated on staff communication book and volunteer orientation manual and training module. Activity Coordinator 2013 - 2014 Verizon Irvine, CA Performed Federal Communication Commission audits as required. Provide on-going communication to alert management and peer of findings. Created and managed Learning and Development SharePoint Site. Planned and organized recreational activities for up to 80 clients in a residential treatment facility. Education Bachelor's Degree Liberal Arts 2010 - 2013 Santa Monica College Santa Monica, CA


Brenda Nichols Activity Assistant Contact Info Rockford, IL (260) 555-0624 bnichols@example.com Skills FacilityCommunity OutingsEmergencyDisaster ReliefDementiaCommunicationTreatment PlansHabitatProgram ParticipantsTherapeutic Recreation Programs Employment History Activity Assistant 2019 - Present YWCA USA Rockford, IL Assist students and teachers in the classroom with homework and daily activities. Assisted children in all daily activities including, but not limited to: toileting, personal hygiene, dressing and eating. Enforced safety procedures in accordance with facility policies. Transport residents Hand out trays and feed residents Do activities with Alzheimer/Dementia residents Assisted Department of Patient Care Services and Community Relations with annual golf benefit event. Facilitated daily activities to enrich the lives of residents with severe to mild dementia per corporate standards. Activity Assistant 2017 - 2019 Brookdale Senior Living Milwaukee, WI Carried out all activities and special events. Assist in daily activities such as exercise, word games, arts & crafts, cooking club, and entertainment. Worked with Alzheimer's and Dementia Patients Designed and developed daily activities for the residents Assist with media correspondence, mailings, newsletters, bulletin boards and displays. Corps Member 2016 - 2017 City Year New York, NY Create initiatives to promote positive and culture changing viewpoints to students in Duval County Public Schools. Worked 60+ hours weekly for non-profit AmeriCorps Program as a tutor, mentor, and role model. Tutored small groups of third grade students in math and reading. Preformed many community service projects such as neighborhood clean ups, renovating recreational centers, etc. Mentored small groups of students in English/Language Arts and classroom behavior. Education Bachelor's Degree English 2013 - 2016 New York University New York, NY


Sean Peterson Activity Assistant South Bend, IN (790) 555-4940 speterson@example.com Experience Activity Assistant2018 - Present YWCA USA•South Bend, IN Assisted children in all daily activities including, but not limited to: toileting, personal hygiene, dressing and eating. Assist students and teachers in the classroom with homework and daily activities. Enforced safety procedures in accordance with facility policies. Assist with transporting and/or escorting residents to and from programs, activities and facility events. Create monthly activity calendars Book entertainers Implement activities Create special events- parties, dinners, holidays Brainstorm marketing ideas for activity department Activity Assistant2017 - 2018 Battle Creek•Kalamazoo, MI Work with activities director and staff to plan new activities for residents. Plan individualized programs/projects to meet the specific needs of patients. Helped supervise twelve part-time staff members, giving direction when needed and ensuring safety and care of our consumers. Planned, organized and coordinated special events, field trips and community service activities for residents. Summer Camp Counselor2011 - 2017 Battle Creek•Kalamazoo, MI Assisted lead staff in a variety of educational and recreational activities. Planned daily activities for children including reading and writing activities, as well as physical activities. Developed theme days and activities for campers Led daily activities with campers Assisted with daily operations of the camp Skills Role ModelDaily ActivitiesSpecific NeedsState RegulationsIncident ReportsResident ActivitiesCommunicationDementiaProgram AreasRecreational Activities Education Bachelor's Degree Elementary Education2008 - 2011 Western Michigan University•Kalamazoo, MI

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Activity Assistant Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 16% of Activity Assistants are proficient in Patients, Home Health, and Rehabilitation. They’re also known for soft skills such as Interpersonal skills, Organizational skills, and Time-management skills.

We break down the percentage of Activity Assistants that have these skills listed on their resume here:

Patients, 16%
Completed appropriate records indicating the patients' attendance and participation in individual and group activities in an accurate and timely manner.
Home Health, 9%
Home health aid for several clients; starting 2009-2012.
Rehabilitation, 8%
Collaborated with Rehabilitation Specialist, Psychiatrists, Social Workers and Nursing staff on the counseling of inpatients with acute psychiatric disabilities.
Senior Care, 8%
Plan and implement daily afternoon activities that are held within the Learning Center of D Youville Senior Care Center.
Customer Service, 7%
Provide excellent customer service to residents and created an environment of open communication and group participation in planning events and activities.
Good Judgment, 7%
Demonstrate good judgment, decision making, and communication skills.

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Some of the skills we found on activity assistant resumes included "patients," "home health," and "rehabilitation." We have detailed the most important activity assistant responsibilities below.

Interpersonal skills can be considered to be the most important personality trait for an activity assistant to have. According to a activity assistant resume, "social and human service assistants must make their clients feel comfortable discussing sensitive issues" activity assistants are able to use interpersonal skills in the following example we gathered from a resume: "demonstrated outstanding customer service abilities, excellent listening abilities, diplomatic communication and interpersonal skills in a fast-paced environment. "

Another trait important for fulfilling activity assistant duties is organizational skills. According to a activity assistant resume, "social and human service assistants must often complete lots of paperwork and work with many different clients." Here's an example of how activity assistants are able to utilize organizational skills: "applied organizational and leadership skills in planning, coordinating and supervising trips and activities for over twenty manor residents"

Another skill that is quite popular among activity assistants is time-management skills. This skill is very critical to fulfilling every day responsibilities as is shown in this example from a activity assistant resume: "social and human service assistants often work with many clients" This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "prepared mds 2.0 assessments on time for state regulated documentation. "

An activity assistant responsibilities sometimes require "communication skills." The responsibilities that rely on this skills are shown by this resume excerpt: "social and human service assistants talk with clients about the challenges in their lives and assist them in getting help" This resume example shows how this skill is used by activity assistants: "demonstrated excellent interpersonal communication skills by engaging 20-30 residents in daily activities such as bingo, dancing, and craft. "

Another common skill for an activity assistant to be able to utilize is "problem-solving skills." Social and human service assistants help clients find solutions to their problems an activity assistant demonstrated the need for this skill by putting this on their resume: "resolved incoming customer service calls. "

While "compassion" is listed last on this skills list, don't underestimate its importance to activity assistant responsibilities. The skill is described by this resume snippet, "social and human service assistants often work with people who are in stressful and difficult situations" Here is an example of how this skill is used, "provide caring and compassionate surrounding for our alzheimer patients. "

See the full list of activity assistant skills.

Before becoming an activity assistant, 41.4% earned their bachelor's degree. When it comes down to graduating with a master's degree, 4.5% activity assistants went for the extra education. If you're wanting to pursue this career, it may be possible to be successful with a high school degree. In fact, some activity assistants have a college degree. But about one out of every five activity assistants didn't attend college at all.

Those activity assistants who do attend college, typically earn either business degrees or psychology degrees. Less commonly earned degrees for activity assistants include nursing degrees or general studies degrees.

Once you've obtained the level of education you're comfortable with, you might start applying to companies to become an activity assistant. We've found that most activity assistant resumes include experience from Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc, American Senior Benefits, and Trilogy Health Services. Of recent, Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc had 257 positions open for activity assistants. Meanwhile, there are 95 job openings at American Senior Benefits and 94 at Trilogy Health Services.

Since salary is important to some activity assistants, it's good to note that they are figured to earn the highest salaries at Smithsonian Institution, Cadence Design Systems, and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. If you were to take a closer look at Smithsonian Institution, you'd find that the average activity assistant salary is $58,814. Then at Cadence Design Systems, activity assistants receive an average salary of $46,025, while the salary at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital is $43,206.

View more details on activity assistant salaries across the United States.

Some other companies you might be interested in as a activity assistant include HCR ManorCare, Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc, and Brookdale Senior Living. These three companies were found to hire the most activity assistants from the top 100 U.S. educational institutions.

The three companies that hire the most prestigious activity assistants are:

Sunrise Senior Living Management Inc257 Activity Assistants Jobs
American Senior Benefits95 Activity Assistants Jobs
Trilogy Health Services94 Activity Assistants Jobs

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What Assistant Program Coordinators Do

An assistant program coordinator performs administrative support tasks and assists in organizing programs and activities under a program coordinator's supervision. Their responsibilities typically include monitoring the expenditures and schedules, preparing and processing documents, handling calls and correspondence, creating requests and proposals, communicating with vendors and suppliers, and updating records. They must also assist staff in various tasks and resolve issues promptly and efficiently. When it comes to employment opportunities, an assistant program coordinator may work at learning institutions, government agencies, and private companies.

We looked at the average activity assistant annual salary and compared it with the average of an assistant program coordinator. Generally speaking, assistant program coordinators receive $11,833 higher pay than activity assistants per year.

There are some key differences in responsibilities as well. For example, an activity assistant responsibilities require skills like "patients," "home health," "rehabilitation," and "senior care." Meanwhile a typical assistant program coordinator has skills in areas such as "developmental disabilities," "mental health," "professional development," and "crisis intervention." This difference in skills reveals how truly different these two careers really are.

On average, assistant program coordinators reach higher levels of education than activity assistants. Assistant program coordinators are 10.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

What Are The Duties Of a Child And Youth Program Assistant?

Child And Youth Program Assistants help create recreational activities for children and youth ranging from 6 weeks to 18 years old. They provide parents with daily verbal or written feedback about their child, youth, or program activities.

Next up, we have the child and youth program assistant profession to look over. This career brings along a higher average salary when compared to an activity assistant annual salary. In fact, child and youth program assistants salary difference is $842 higher than the salary of activity assistants per year.

While the salary may be different for these job positions, there is one similarity and that's a few of the skills needed to perform certain duties. We used info from lots of resumes to find that both activity assistants and child and youth program assistants are known to have skills such as "cpr," "bulletin boards," and "first aid training. "

But both careers also use different skills, according to real activity assistant resumes. While activity assistant responsibilities can utilize skills like "patients," "home health," "rehabilitation," and "senior care," some child and youth program assistants use skills like "program environment," "child care," "program options," and "child guidance."

In general, child and youth program assistants study at similar levels of education than activity assistants. They're 2.6% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

How a Human Services Assistant Compares

Human service assistants function in a wide array of capacities. Basically, though, they provide services to clients in fields like rehabilitation, social work, or psychology. They provide support in the aforementioned fields for families and other workers. They are tasked with helping clients discover community services or benefits. Working with other professionals, they develop treatment plans, carry out research services to aid clients, and help clients with necessary paperwork.

The third profession we take a look at is human services assistant. On an average scale, these workers bring in higher salaries than activity assistants. In fact, they make a $310 higher salary per year.

While looking through the resumes of several activity assistants and human services assistants we discovered that both professions have similar skills. These similarities include skills such as "patients," "cpr," and "patient care," but they differ when it comes to other required skills.

There are many key differences between these two careers as shown by resumes from each profession. Some of those differences include the skills required to complete responsibilities within each role. As an example of this, an activity assistant is likely to be skilled in "home health," "rehabilitation," "senior care," and "customer service," while a typical human services assistant is skilled in "developmental disabilities," "social work," "direct supervision," and "direct care."

Human services assistants typically study at similar levels compared with activity assistants. For example, they're 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Description Of a Program Assistant

Program assistants are usually entry-level or junior employees assigned to a department that handles a specific program in the organization. They assist the team they are assigned to in the implementation of the programs. They usually take care of administrative or clerical activities while also getting exposure to actual program management. Program assistants get trained to handle agendas from inception, to sourcing, to implementation, to evaluation. They may also handle documentary support for business cases or other presentation materials that the team may need for a specific part of the program management cycle.

Program assistants tend to earn a higher pay than activity assistants by about $5,582 per year.

While their salaries may vary, activity assistants and program assistants both use similar skills to perform their jobs. Resumes from both professions include skills like "patients," "senior care," and "customer service. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an activity assistant might have more use for skills like "home health," "rehabilitation," "good judgment," and "compassion." Meanwhile, some program assistants might include skills like "data entry," "hr," "excellent interpersonal," and "data collection" on their resume.

In general, program assistants reach higher levels of education when compared to activity assistants resumes. Program assistants are 5.1% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

What an Activity Assistant Does FAQs

How Much Do Activity Directors Make?

Activity directors make an average salary of around $47,000 a year. Activity directors earned a mean salary of $45,000 per year or about $22 per hour.

The highest-paid 10% made over $85,000 yearly, or over $43 hourly, while the lowest-earning 10% received under $27,000 yearly, or about $13 per hour.

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

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Updated October 2, 2020