Recreation is part of many careers in ways you may not have realized! And always with the common goal of designing and leading activities to help people stay active, learn new skills, and have fun! You’ll find recreation professionals working at summer camps, recreational centres, nursing care facilities, parks and protected areas, and in a variety of other settings.
In the NWT you’ll find many different recreation careers and leaders within your community. This ‘June is Recreation and Parks Month’, we thought we’d reach out to ask about the joys and memorable moments in some careers and the importance of recreation.
Kimberly Doyle – Executive Director of the Yellowknife Seniors’ Society
What gives you the most joy in your career?
The most joy I get from my job is knowing that I am helping the seniors every day. From doing exercise classes online, to helping prep and deliver food hampers once a month to seniors that are in need. I have an open-door policy that anyone can come and talk, just to talk, or ask for help. The joy I get out of this is making sure people are taken care of and have a safe place to come.
What do you enjoy planning most for the group you work with?
The event that I have joy in planning is our ‘Lunch with a Bunch’ program. It brings 85 or so seniors to the Baker Community Centre every Friday to enjoy lunch with their friends. The planning involves getting organizations from around town to either come in and prep, serve and clean up, or sponsor the lunch. But seeing all the people come together each week is amazing.
What has been the most memorable moment so far in your career?
Memorable moments are all in what you think of them. They have come from things like watching someone come to exercise class that is recovering from hip or knee surgery and rock the class, to helping family members get programs for their family members, to helping have a surprise 100th birthday party at the centre during our lunch program. Truly there is not just one moment that stands out, because every day there is something new that makes things memorable.
Why do you think recreation is important?
Recreation in my world is important. I have come from raising two kids that were very active and well, I personally was not. I have learned that over time you need to make sure you move so things will continue to work. Over the last 10 years in doing the job I have been doing you need to stay active. I have seen the results of seniors staying active, with a better quality of life, more mobility, and more energy. Just to keep moving forward is the best advice I can give people.
Zain Ali – Camp Director for Camp Connections with the Foster Family Coalition of the NWT
What do you do at your organization?
My primary directives are to Create, Fund, Coordinate, Facilitate, and Manage programming and camp staff. Our camp programming is designed to support children and youth who are involved with social services and give them an opportunity to heal and grow out on the land.
What gives you the most joy in your career?
When the campers and staff enjoy, appreciate, and grow from the programming. Planning is lots of fun and when things go as designed, there is a sense of joy that permeates it all for me.
What do you enjoy planning most for the group you work with?
The workshops and guests. I love doing workshops myself, so I try to book a diverse range of workshops so the campers can get their feet wet with all sorts of fun learning opportunities.
What has been the most memorable moment so far in your career?
A flood of memories comes to mind and almost all have a common theme. It really sticks with me when a child or youth who is being supported builds self-confidence and pushes themselves to try new and challenging things that they previously would not have.
Why do you think recreation is important?
I believe that recreation is an awesome way to learn about yourself and the world around you. By immersing ourselves in nature we can develop strong self-care methods and ideologies while also developing an appreciation for the beauty of existence and all the life that surrounds us.