RECREATION AIDE (State)
There is no civil service exam for Recreation Aide. As a non-competitive state title, it is filled on the strength of meeting the listed qualifications.
It asks for 1 year of relevant experience. Pay on the FY 2027 schedule runs $38,928 to $55,860, and state payroll currently lists 6 people in the title, most of them at Veterans Affairs.
How to apply
This title is not filled by examination — agencies appoint directly.
See every real route in, and where to apply. One agency employs it. We don't track live vacancies.
See where to apply for this title →Who employs this title
Recreation Aide appears on the State payroll at 2 departments, most of them at Veterans Affairs.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Veterans Affairs | 5 |
| Department of Health | 1 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 6 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $42,519. The agencies employing the most are:
- Veterans Affairs (5)
- Health and Senior Services (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Assists a Supervisor of Recreation and/or Assistant in a Psychiatric hospital, training school, or state institution by performing assigned non-professional duties in the recreation and education program; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Assists as assigned, the Recreation Assistant in the supervision of patients in the wards, in the recreation areas, and in other areas of the institution during physical education classes, groups games, dances, ward parties, movies, shows, picnics, and related recreational activities.
- Actively participates in outdoor games and other recreation activities including those held off institutional grounds.
- Escorts patients from the wards to the recreation areas.
- Assists in the measures taken for the care, custody, and safety of patients during group activities such as baseball games, plays, picnics, pageants, field days and entertainments.
- Makes factual reports.
- Participates in group meetings of a therapeutic nature and takes an active part in the patients' treatment program as assigned.
- Assists in the wards when motion pictures are shown.
- Assembles, erects, dismantles, and stores the equipment and supplies used in the recreation program and leaves areas in good condition.
- Complies and maintains patients' progress chart.
- Keeps simple records and files.
- May be required to transport patients in facility vehicles to therapy, recreation and other areas.
- May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
Experience
Six (6) months of experience in recreation therapy work or one year of experience as an attendant in an institution for the physically and/or mentally ill or the developmentally disabled.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of and familiarity with the rules of the popular group games and sports.
- Knowledge of the problems of persons who are confined in an institution.
- Training in life saving and water safety.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.