Internship - Operational Support

Internship - Operational Support

Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve. A nationally accredited team of passionate professionals devoted to building better lives and a better community through the power of parks and recreation. Our talented team at Durham Parks and Recreation is devoted to community service and provides a diverse range of programs, services, opportunities, and experiences while being united through our core pillars of creating equitable economic impacts; advancing conservation; rejuvenating health and wellness; enhancing quality of life and sustaining social equity.

Hourly Rate: $17.00

This internship is available to currently enrolled college students in any area of study. Assignment begins after January 1st, 2026, and ends by May 31st, 2026. Location: Multiple Locations

This is an opportunity for a directed, paid internship that can accommodate a variety of focus areas chosen from the services provided by DPR recreation units (general recreation programming, fitness and wellness, recreation administrative support, school age care, culture and community, etc.) Under the guidance of a recreation professional, the intern will practice skills and gain experience working directly with patrons. An emphasis will be placed on a focused, specialized project or study, accompanied by broad exposure to recreation work and education about key practices and procedures essential to recreation operations. Applicants will be asked to provide a summary of a main project idea that they are interested in pursuing. This will aid in selecting suitable candidates for specific units.

The Recreation Intern engages in a wide variety of recreation work to provide exposure and hands-on practice across different roles and specialties. This will include assisting with leading participants in indoor and outdoor recreational activities, assisting with administrative tasks and customer service, and completing assignments in areas such as program development and community outreach with guidance from recreation professionals. Responsibilities include following a schedule assigned by the supervisor that may include reporting to other units and tracking completed work.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Assists in organizing youth and adult sports, games and activities, arts and crafts, music and drama, and other recreational activities.
• Maintains order and discipline, issues and collects equipment.
• Acts as a role model for participants, fellow staff and volunteers.
• Assists in planning and conducting special events and projects and encourages volunteer participation.
• Assists with program set up and housekeeping tasks as needed.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings, in-service training programs, orientations, and evaluation sessions.
• Provides customer service.
• Completes simple reports and data entry.
• Completes assignments to practice advanced skills with guidance.

Knowledge Of

• Fundamental concepts of recreation services.
• Basic math and writing.

Skilled In

• Communicating and interacting with the public.
• Assisting with facilitating activities.
• Using basic word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and data entry software.
• Adhering to program standards and objectives.
• Following directions and completing assigned tasks.
• Exhibiting character, integrity, and adaptability.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• Must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at an accredited university or college.
• Must have a valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license "or" if you currently have another state driver's license, are you willing to obtain a valid NC driver's license within 60 days of hire.

Additional Preferred Skills

• Enjoys being involved in recreation programs and working with the community.
• Experience working with the public in customer service, recreation, or community programs.
• Interest in working directly with recreation programs and activities.