Activities coordinator
Plan and lead creative, fun activities to support the wellbeing of care home residents.
Also known as: recreation coordinator, wellbeing activities coordinator
About the job
Career insights – Activities coordinator
What it's like
Are you compassionate and great at encouraging others? Do you have lots of ideas and energy for fun activities? Bring it all to a career in care where you can support people's physical and mental wellbeing.
You'll work in care homes and other healthcare facilities. In many roles, you’ll care for older residents but you can work with people of all ages.
Being a strong communicator who is good with people is a must as you'll need to build positive relationships. Your goal will be to understand what the residents need to stay fit, feel connected and have fun. You’ll then plan and lead activities for individuals and groups that allow them to have a good quality of life.
You might invite some furry friends along for a pet therapy session with residents. Or arrange a yoga programme to help people stay active, mobile and reduce stress. Other activities could include arts and crafts, group days out or board games and quizzes that help keep residents’ minds sharp.
Your tasks might include:
speaking to residents and getting feedback to understand their needs and the activities they enjoy
planning and leading activities to boost the wellbeing and fitness of residents
encouraging social interaction with residents, between themselves and with friends and family
booking external entertainment
organising trips out in the local community
making sure there are plenty of materials for crafts and other activities, such as board games, jigsaws and painting
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Careers in Care – learn more this role and use their careers tool to discover more social care roles
YouTube – a day in the life of an activities coordinator in Arbroath
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Other careers that you might like
Care support worker Care home practitioner Personal care assistant
Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
Healthcare
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- creative
- time management
- developing a plan
- motivating others
- positive attitude
- supporting
- verbal communication
- listening
- empathising
- building relationships
Things you should know
Meet Laura
an activities coordinator at Fife Council
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Health and Food Technology (Home economics)
English
Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services and Healthcare
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
You can become an activities coordinator through applying directly with an employer. Bringing the right skills, experience and attitude to the role is important.
Some roles don't need formal qualifications. For others, you'll need at least a Foundation Apprenticeship in Social Services and Healthcare – or another social care qualification at a similar level.
You can start working in some jobs on the basis that you'll get a relevant qualification while you're in the role.
Use the My World of Work job search to look for job vacancies.
Experience in a care environment will stand out to employers. Search for volunteering opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
You need to be able to plan and deliver fun activities and come up with creative ideas.
Before you start work, employers will carry out a background check. They'll do this through the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. You'll need complete part of the application and then be approved for work with vulnerable groups.
For some jobs, you may need to have a full UK driving licence to travel with residents.
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