Activity Assistant

If you are positive, compassionate, and resourceful and enjoy the rewards of spending time with people, a career as an activity assistant may be the perfect fit for you. Not only are there many activity aides openings available, but it is also a fulfilling career with good income potential.

According to WorkBC, as B.C.’s population continues to age, the health care and social assistance field will see the largest increase in job openings in the next 10 years. Fifty-four percent of these will come from the need to replace retiring workers, while an additional 46 percent will arise as a result of expansion in the health care system in response to the growing medical needs of an aging population.

Most activity assistants are employed by health care agencies and work in long term care homes. However, some activity assistants also find employment in residential homes, community mental health centres, adult day care programs, hospice care, community centres, private homes, and even cruise ships. Common titles for Activity Assistant grads include:

• Activity assistant
• Activity aide
• Activity worker
• Care/activity aide
• Activity coordinator
• Therapy recreation wellness assistant
• Recreation assistant
• Recreation aide
• Recreation worker
• Recreation programmer
• Life enrichment assistant

Entrance requirements

You must complete the entrance requirements listed below before you apply.

• B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent or minimum of 19 years of age before the first day of classes.
• Proficient use of the English language. This level may be met by one or more of the following:
  • Communications 11 or 12 with a C+ or better.
  • English 10 or equivalent with a C+ or better.
  • Canadian Language Benchmark placement test (CLBPT) – 8 overall, with no skill less than 7.
  • EAP 084 with a C+ or better.
• Letter from employer(s) confirming 20 volunteer or work hours in an adult care setting with satisfactory reference/recommendation. Need volunteer hours? Contact the following care homes. Maplewood Seniors Care Society, Menno Place, Tabor Village. *(Email continuingeducation@ufv.ca if you are unable to meet this requirement)*
• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening. *Instructions will be given online at the start of the program to complete this form.*
• Submission of a signed Health Assessment Record indicating physical fitness and emotional stability.

*All documents must be scanned, pictures of documents will not be accepted*

All students entering this program are expected to be computer literate. This means knowing how to run programs from a Windows environment, and having basic Internet, word processing, and spreadsheet skills. Students must have reliable transportation to all clinical practicum sites.

Practicum requirements

Please email the following documents to continuingeducation@ufv.ca. If you fail to email your documentation, you cannot be placed in a practicum and are not eligible to graduate.

• Health Practicum Student Immunization Record (due two weeks after program start)‌
• Current Standard First Aid, Emergency First Aid or current WorkSafe BC Occupational First Aid Level 1 (due before first practicum).
• BC Foodsafe Level 1 online: http://www.foodsafe.ca/courses.html or Level 1 Refresher for recertification (due before first practicum).

Courses

The program is divided into courses as listed below.

1. ACTA 10: Fundamental Concepts for Activity Assistants 
   Online — 30 hours
2. ACTA 20: Wellness and Well-Being in Activity
   Online — 30 hours 
3. ACTA 30: Interpersonal and Communication Skills in Dementia Care 
   Online – 30 Hours
4. ACTA 40: Understanding the Population of Older Adults
   Online — 30 hours
5. ACTA 50: Practicum Orientation: Introduction to Care Settings 
   In-class — 10 hours pre-practicum
6. ACTA PRAC 1: Practicum #1 
   30 hours — observational
7. ACTA 60: Activity Design and Implementation Techniques
   In class — 30 hours
8. ACTA 70: Activity Adaptation and Modification for Physical and Cognitive Changes in Older Adults
   In class — 30 hours
9. ACTA 80: Responding and Managing Responsive Behaviours
   In class — 30 hours
10. Employment Preparation
    In Class — 10 hours
11. ACTA PRAC 2: Practicum #2
    90 hours — Hands-on, practical

See the Fall 2023 Activity Assistant schedule.

Practicum

Your practicum placements will reflect the business practices of your practicum host. Many Activity Assistants work part-time hours and varying shift schedules, so your practicum shifts will reflect the schedule of the host you are paired with.

Continuing Education (CE) will pair you with a practicum host from the Lower Mainland. While we try to place students near their city of residence, we cannot guarantee a practicum placement in a specific city. For example, students who live in Chilliwack, may need to travel to Abbotsford to complete their practicum. Transportation to the practicum site is your responsibility.

If you live outside of the Lower Mainland but would like to attend practicum in your city of residence, please notify CE, prior to the start of your program, that you would like to find your own practicum host in your city of residence. All hosts will require departmental approval.

You will receive one practicum site placement. If you refuse your assigned practicum site, you will need to find your own site and obtain departmental approval prior to the start of your practicum.

Please discuss any barriers that may affect your practicum assignment with Continuing Education immediately after registration.