VBS001 Advanced Cert in Applied Management - (Recreation)

Distance Education course -Train to be a Recreation Manager

Would you like a successful career in Recreation where you really do make a difference?!

This Advanced Certificate is designed to develop skills required to work in or manage recreation facilities or services, for example Community centres, youth services, sporting clubs, tourist parks, camp grounds, municipal recreation services, supervised children's playgrounds and social clubs.

This is a good starting point for a career which might lead to a position in management.

This course is internationally accredited through I.A.R.C

Revised structure introduced 2010: There are 5 core units common to all streams of this Advanced Certificate, VBS001. These involve 500 hours of study in total two additional elective units involve another 200 hours of study. A workplace project relevant to the recreation industry involves the final 200 hrs of study.
Modules
Core Modules These modules provide foundation knowledge for the Advanced Certificate In Applied Management (Recreation).
Business Operations VBS006
Machinery & Equipment (Engineering I) BSC105
Marketing Foundations VBS109
Office Practices VBS102
Recreation Leadership VRE100

Elective Modules In addition to the core modules, students study any 2 of the following 6 modules.
Play Leadership VRE101
Adolescent Psychology BPS211
Event Management BRE209
Leisure Facility Management 1 BRE205
Resistance & Gym Supervision BRE206
Life Coaching BPS305


Note that each module in the Advanced Certificate In Applied Management (Recreation) is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.

COMPULSORY UNITS Click on each module for more details

Recreation Leadership
There are 7 lessons in this course: Introduction to Leadership Leadership Characteristics/Qualities. Interpersonal Relationships. Communication Skills. Team Building. Systematic and Lateral Thinking. Applications
Office Practices
Develops basic office skills covering use of equipment, communication systems (telephone, fax, etc) and office procedures such as filing, security, workplace organisations, etc.


Business Operations
Develops knowledge of basic business operations and procedures (eg. types of businesses, financial management, business analysis, staffing, productivity, etc) and the skills to develop a 12 month business plan.
Management
Develops knowledge of management structures, terminology, supervision, recruitment and workplace health and safety.
Marketing Foundations
.Develops a broad understanding of marketing and specific skills in writing advertisements, undertaking market research, developing an appropriate marketing plan and selling.

INDUSTRY PROJECT OR WORK EXPERIENCE

This is the final requirement that you must satisfy before receiving your award. There are two options available to you to satisfy this requirement:

Alternative 1.
If you work in the industry that you have been studying; you may submit a reference from your employer, in an effort to satisfy this industry (ie. workplace project) requirement; on the basis of RPL (ie. recognition for prior learning), achieved through your current and past work experience. The reference must indicate that you have skills and an awareness of your industry, which is sufficient for you to work in a position of responsibility.

Alternative 2.
If you do not work in the relevant industry, you need to undertake a project as follows.

Procedure for a Workplace Project

This project is a major part of the course involving the number of hours relevant to the course (see above). Although the course does not contain mandatory work requirements, work experience is seen as highly desirable.


This project is based on applications in the work place and specifically aims to provide the student with the opportunity to apply and integrate skills and knowledge developed through various areas of formal study.


Students will design this project in consultation with a tutor to involve industry based activities in the area of specialized study which they select to follow in the course. The project outcomes may take the form of a written report, folio, visuals or a mixture of forms. Participants with relevant, current or past work experience will be given exemption from this project if they can provide suitable references from employers that show they have already fulfilled the requirements of this project. For courses that involve more than 100 hours, more than one workplace project topic may be selected. For example, 200 hours may be split into two projects each of 100 hours.


This will offer the student better scope to fulfill the needs of their course and to meet the number of hours required.


Alternatively, the student may wish to do one large project with a duration of 200 hours. Students will be assessed on how well they achieve the goals and outcomes they originally set as part of their negotiations with their tutor.


During each 100 hours of the project, the students will present three short progress reports. These progress reports will be taken into account when evaluating the final submission. The tutor must be satisfied that the work submitted is original. If the student wishes to do one large 200 hour report, then only three progressive reports will be needed (however the length of each report will be longer).

WHAT IS A RECREATION LEADER?

Recreation activities can also be referred to as fun activities. In the simplest explanation, recreation is the term given to time spent in a manner which is intended to offer refreshment and overall be an enjoyable, fulfilling experience.
Recreation generally requires active participation, but is emotionally uplifting. The concept of active vacations exemplifies this.


In order for a successful recreation vacation, or full-time recreation, or part-time hobby or class (e.g. dance class) to run effectively, those people leading the group, session, trip etc – need to be skilled in their area of recreation and have skills in leadership.


For example a martial arts instructor, not only performs and teaches martial arts techniques to others, but will also have leadership qualities which enable him/her to organise the group and other staff to ensure the lessons are effective and safe.


Recreation and Leisure is important for a variety of reasons, in addition to those outlined already:

Recreation is important in promoting quality of life. It increases self esteem and confidence.
Gives people the opportunity to make their own choices
It gives satisfaction, enjoyment and pleasure.
It enables us to become involved and feel part of the community.
It increases the opportunity to gain and develop new friendships. It allows us to be challenged, take risks and experience new things.
It bridges the gap between attending and participating in the community.
It allows people to contribute their skills and feel a sense of belonging and accomplishment.
It promotes friendships through shared experiences.

LEADERSHIP IN RECREATION


Leadership is important in society generally. Leaders are needed, and found in all aspects of our daily life, from the workplace to the school ground; and from the social club to government. When leadership is good, there is an increased probability of things being achieved with greater efficiency, and a higher level of satisfaction amongst all concerned. Good leadership is however not something a person is born with. Certain personal traits, such as self confidence, may give some an advantage over others; but effective leadership requires more than simply a forceful personality that is capable of dominating everyone else. A leader is not the same as a manager or supervisor.


This is a key point to remember. Managers and supervisors are able to cause things to happen because they have legal authority to enforce orders. Leaders do not cause things to happen because of any legal authority. People follow leaders of their own free will; and leadership skills are those skills that allow a leader to effectively communicate with, and influence the actions of their followers. Leaders are people who are in a position of power, and who use that position to influence the environment in which they abide, and the others who share that environment.


Leadership contributes to order, motivates productivity, and influences the way in which resources (human and material) are used. Positive leadership enables things to happen. The leader in effect influences the environment in a way that encourages certain actions. Negative leadership disables things from happening. Leaders have an effect upon the environment through different types of actions:

By setting goals (e.g. time limits, production standards, budgets, etc)
By determining values (e.g. levels of quality, ethical behaviour, reliability, etc)
By establishing concepts (e.g. different ways of doing things, Project reviews, new management approaches)In a recreational context good leadership encourages and inspires both staff and participants to extend their recreational experience whilst at the same time ensuring safety practices that limit personal risk.


Below is an organisational chart showing the ‘hierarchal system’ of staffing which may be found in a recreation centre which has both and gymnasium and child-care facility. If you consider each the roles detailed on the chart, you may consider that each individual as a leadership role to play.

Obviously, the centre manager, being at the top of the chart is the leader, manager and supervisor of all areas and carries out a variety of tasks utilising a wide array of skills. That said, the play leaders who work with children in an informal, play focussed environment will also require and should display leadership skills as they too are leaders within their own area, alternatively, the gym instructors are seen a fitness leaders by the members of the public who use the gym facilities and instructors too will adopt a leadership role within their own working environment. So from here we can take that some people are leaders in terms of staff and some people of leaders in terms of arranging and caring for the people participating in their area. Most often, people who have a leadership role carry out leadership of staff and leadership of those people enjoying the recreation activity taking place. As a result, quite often, leadership can be stressful, due to the responsibility for others.