Newton Parks, Recreation and Culture Intern

Newton Parks, Recreation & Culture is offering paid college internship programs for students looking to gain experience in a municipal recreation setting.  Interns will be given the opportunity to gain a wide range of experiences and understanding of daily operations in the Newton Parks, Recreation & Culture Department. Interns will have the opportunity to work in a variety of areas including programs for youth, teens, adults, seniors and individuals with disabilities; recreational events and sports leagues; facility management; office administration and budgets; issuing permits for park facilities; recruitment, selection and/or training of seasonal and part-time staff; maintenance and more. 

Dates and Work Schedule

Internships will be performed over a 10 - 14 week period (based on school requirements) with interns completing an average of 40 hours per week.  The daily schedule will vary based on programs, events and projects and could include weekdays, weeknights, holidays, and weekends.  Work may be completed in an office setting between the hours or 8:30 am and 5:00 pm, at program sites during the day, or during night and weekends at various programs and facilities run by the department. 

Interns are paid weekly with possible opportunities to work additional hours as a seasonal employee post internship or during non-scheduled internship hours in various programs or roles throughout the department.

• Winter/Spring – early January to mid-April 
• Summer – mid May to late August 
• Fall – late September to late December 

Working Conditions

Working conditions for this internship may require working inside or outside in a variety of elements, driving to different locations, lifting or moving equipment, interacting with the public and more.   Working conditions depend on the location of various tasks and may be in an office with moderate noise and some additional people, to an outdoor special event with loud noises and hundreds to thousands of people.  The intern will occasionally lift and/or move program materials up to forty (40) pounds and sit or stand for periods of time at a computer workstation to complete assigned tasks. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.  More information about the Department can be found on our website at www.newtonma.gov/parks 

Intern Responsibilities and Expectations

1. Complete the minimum required hours (approximately 40 hours per week, including some evenings and weekends) at Newton Parks, Recreation & Culture Department.
2. Demonstrate a high-level of professionalism and represent the City of Newton Parks, Recreation & Culture Department appropriately both on the job and off.
3. Maintain a high level of dependability, responsibility and customer service being punctual and appropriately dressed throughout the internship.
4. Communicate regularly and effectively, bringing any concerns or challenges up in a timely manner.
5. Be friendly, courteous, and treat everyone with dignity and respect regardless of personal preferences or beliefs. 
6. Maintain confidentiality of private and sensitive information.
7. Gain an understanding of the various functions that are required to be successful in a municipal recreation setting including marketing, using computer registration systems, program planning and implementation, issuing permits, customer service, and more.
8. Apply in practice the knowledge and skills acquired in the academic setting
9. Utilize and refine problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and analytic skills.
10. Interview various staff in the department (maintenance, forestry, aquatics, over ’55 seniors, director of special needs, etc) to better understand their role and how the department functions.
11. Attend a Recreation Commission meeting to better understand the role the Commission plays in shaping policies within the department.
12. Attend a MetroWest MRPA meeting (if offered during the internship months) to see how departments work together regionally to support each other, or interview 2 community recreation professionals from another town/city.
13. Complete a special project based on intern’s interests.
14. Complete a weekly journal of experiences.
15. Complete weekly timecards.
16. Complete all assignments and evaluations on time.
17. Additional responsibilities based on time of year or intern interest can be discussed prior to the internship.

Requirements to Become an Intern

The ideal intern will be customer service oriented, possess good judgment and problem-solving skills, be creative, have good computer skills, be effective at multi-tasking, work well in a team environment, possess strong interpersonal skills, and be able to work with people from various cultures, backgrounds, and abilities. 

1. Ability to complete the required number of hours and weeks set forth in the internship dates and college program requirements.
2. Be a minimum of 18 years of age and be enrolled in a degree program (associates, bachelors or masters) related to the field of Recreation, Education, Child Development, or other applicable field with a GPA of 2.7 or higher.
3. Previous experience of at least 25 hours working/volunteering for organizations serving youth and/or adults in a recreational setting.
4. Personal computer skills: examples Outlook, Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Canva, etc.
5. Ability to learn and use recreational software used by the department.
6. Ability to properly handle monetary transactions and keep records of monies taken into the department.
7. Ability to maintain confidentiality, use appropriate judgement and discretion with privileged and sensitive information that may be disclosed. 
8. Occasionally lift and/or move program materials up to forty (40) pounds and be able to sit or stand for periods of time at a computer workstation to complete assigned tasks. 
9. CPR and First Aid Certification.  Additional certifications may be required.
10. Current health insurance
11. Current physical and up to date immunizations
12. Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to get to and from the office and recreation sites in a timely manner.
13. Authorization to work in the United States, pass a CORI/SORI and completion of necessary paperwork to become a Seasonal City employee.   Seasonal City employees are “at will” employees and there is no guarantee for future employment.
14. Review the internship manual and attend an internship orientation prior to starting.