Inclusion Specialist
Salary
$14.76 - $26.22 Hourly
Location
Community Activity Center (CAC), 5600 85th Avenue North, Brooklyn Park, MN
Job Type
Seasonal Temporary (0-39.99 Hrs/Wk; <6 Months)
Job Number
2026-00086-EB
Department
Recreation & Parks
Opening Date
06/11/2026
Vacancies
2
Address
Zanewood Recreation Center, 7200 Zanewood Avenue North Brooklyn Park, MN
Posting Type
Open to the public
- Description
- Benefits
- Questions
Position Summary
The Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks Department provides inclusion services to people with disability- related needs who are participating in recreation programs offered by our department. Inclusion Specialists are responsible for providing the support required to meet each participants individual needs. Examples of recreation programs that Inclusion Specialists provide support in include, but are not limited to, Summer Camp, Rec On The Go, Summer Fusion, Youth Sports, Ice Skating Lessons, and various Adaptive Recreation Programs.
Inclusion Specialists report to the Adaptive Recreation Specialist in charge of adaptive recreation and inclusion services.
Application Deadline: This job posting will be open until filled. If you have interest in this position, it is highly recommended that you apply as soon as possible upon seeing the announcement as the vacancy may close without notice.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide inclusion support for youth with disability- related needs, including support with social, emotional, cognitive, and physical needs when necessary.
- Provide activity adaptations and medical, emotional, and behavioral support when necessary.
- Communicate progress with participant families/guardians/caregivers on a regular basis.
- Communicate with program staff and Adaptive Recreation Specialist about participant progress and necessary accommodations.
- Maintain documentation related to participant progress in each program.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum and Desired Qualifications
Education
No education requirement
Experience
- 16 years of age or older
- One (1) to three (3) years of experience working with people with disabilities, especially youth and teens, as a staff or volunteer
Equivalency
An equivalent combination of education and experience closely related to the duties of the position MAY be considered.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Ability to work with multiple participants with disability- related needs during program time.
- Must possess a genuine interest in the needs of all participants and be able to work in a team atmosphere.
- Must possess the ability to assess participant progress and make decisions about accommodations during program time.
- Must possess the ability to interact with participants and parents/guardians/caregivers in a responsible and professional manner and respond to concerns with tact and courtesy.
- Ability to respond maturely to any emergency or incident that may arise.
- Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision during program time.
- Must possess basic problem-solving skills.
- Ability to relate and work effectively with people from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, racial and ethnic backgrounds.
- Ability to provide a level of customer service that meets/exceeds customer expectation and satisfaction.
- Embrace and engage in cultural shift toward Continuous Improvement.
Desired Qualifications
- Three (3)+ years of experience working with people with disability-related needs, especially youth, as a staff or volunteer.
- Be able to provide inclusion services within a variety of recreation programs.
- Current certification in CPR and First Aid.
- Current certification related to program leadership within related field.
- Current with Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist credential.
- Completion of additional training in Autism, social/emotional support, therapeutic recreation, special education, or related field.
- Previous experience working with people from various cultural, socioeconomic, racial and ethnic background.
- Fluency in Spanish, Hmong, Russian, Somali, Lao or Vietnamese.
Work Conditions
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully and safely perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to fully and safely perform the essential duties.
- Work up to 40 hours per week Monday-Friday during the summer in multiple locations depending on participant registration and staff availability. During the school year, Inclusion Specialists can work consistently up to 20 hours per week in various recreation programs, depending on participant registration.
- Work is performed in several types of environments that may involve extended periods of standing, and moving about, facilitating a variety of recreational activities during the day, evenings, or weekends in both indoor and outdoor facilities, and traveling to various locations in the Brooklyn Park area. Inclusion Specialists may need to be able to lift objects weighing up to 30lbs.
Brooklyn Park is a thriving northwestern suburb of Minneapolis and the sixth largest city in the state with over 86,000 residents and 30,000 jobs. As the 11th fastest growing city in Minnesota, the city has become even more vibrant because of our remarkable racial and cultural diversity. Fifty-four percent of residents are people of color, 22 percent are foreign-born, and more than a quarter speak a language other than English at home.
Our Vision, Values, Goals
Additional Information
Department/Division: Recreation and Parks Department
Anticipated Hiring Wage: $14.76 - $26.22, depending on qualifications
We welcome applications from all individuals, including (but not limited to): people of all abilities, persons of color, Veterans, LGBTQ+ and women. If you need these materials in an alternate format or if you have a disability- related need and need assistance with the application process, please contact Human Resources at either 763-493-8016 or via e-mail at Human.Resources@brooklynpark.org.
Regular, full-time City of Brooklyn Park employees (40 or more hours per week) are eligible for a benefits package including:
Vacation
- New employees generally earn 10 days of vacation per year
- Vacation accruals increase with longevity up to a maximum of 20 days per year
Sick Leave
- Sick leave is accrued at the rate of 12 days per year with unlimited accumulation
Holidays
- 12 paid holidays per year
- 1 floating holiday to be used any day in the year with supervisor approval
Health Insurance:
- Employees may choose a health plan with an option to waive coverage if covered under another qualified plan
- The City contributes a portion to the cost of health insurance
- Available to City of Brooklyn Park employees working 30 or more hours per week
Dental Insurance
- Employees may choose between two dental plans with an option to waive coverage if covered under another qualified plan
Life Insurance
- The City provides term life insurance with an option for employees to purchase additional and dependent term life insurance at group rates
Disability Insurance
- Short-term disability insurance available at group rates
- Long-term disability insurance available at group rates
Retirement
- Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) pension plan (employer/employee contributions)
- Optional 457 pre-tax and post-tax (Roth) deferred compensation plans for tax-deferred retirement savings
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Reimbursement account for health care and daycare expenses using pre-tax contributions
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Employee Assistance Program provides confidential counseling and referral services
Fitness
- Free on-site fitness facilities; Wellness program and fitness classes offered
Direct Deposit (mandatory)
- Payroll checks are automatically deposited into designated account(s) on payday
Regular, part-time benefited City of Brooklyn Park employees (20-29 hours per week) are not eligible for Health Insurance, but are eligible for the following benefits:
- Sick and Vacation at a pro-rated rate
- Decreasing Life Insurance
- Flexible Spending Account(s)
- Deferred Compensation, if enrolled.
Seasonal/Temporary employees
- Temporary, Seasonal, and non-benefited part-time employees earn one hour of Sick Leave for every 30 hours worked by an employee, up to a maximum of 48 hours of Sick Leave per year.
Benefits may differ based on union contracts for employees represented by a collective bargaining unit. This summary is for information only and is subject to change or revocation without notice. This summary shall not constitute a contract or guarantee, express or implied.
01
Are you interested in working as an Inclusion Specialist during the summer months (June-August), during the school year (September-May), or both?
- Summer (June-August)
- School Year (September-May)
- Both
02
Are you a returning Inclusion Specialist with the Brooklyn Park Recreation Department? If YES, write NA in text field boxes 2-7. You do not need to answer the questions. If NO, please answer questions 2-7 thoroughly to communicate who you are.
- Yes, I have previously worked as an Inclusion Specialist member in the City of Brooklyn Park.
- No
03
What leadership qualities and traits do you possess?
04
What additional experience or training do you have working with youth with disability- related needs or behavioral/emotional support needs, medical needs, severe allergies, or other needs for inclusion services? Please include coursework, volunteering and employment.
05
What behavior/emotional support techniques are you familiar with?
06
What interests you about working with youth with disability- related needs?
07
Please provide any additional information that would help us get to know you as a perspective employee of the Recreation & Parks Department.
08
Which age groups are you most interested in working with?
- 3-5 years old
- 6-9 years old
- 10-12 years old
- Teens 13-18 years old
- Adults 18+
09
Emphasis areas you are interested in:
- Ice skating (evenings)
- Ice skating lessons (Saturday mornings)
- Youth sports (evenings)
- Elementary age afterschool program
- Teen afterschool program
- Summer Camp/Summer recreation programs (June-August)
- Golf
- Adults 55+
- Adaptive Recreation Programs - designed specifically for people with disability- related needs
10
What is your connection with the City of Brooklyn Park?
- Current Brooklyn Park Resident
- Active Member of Community Group in Brooklyn Park
- Currently enrolled in school in Brooklyn Park
- BrookLynk alumni
- None apply
- Other
11
If you listed other, please explain your connection to Brooklyn Park.
12
Are you able to fluently speak, write, and understand any of the following languages? (Check all that apply)
- Spanish
- Hmong
- Russian
- Somali
- Vietnamese
- Lao
- American Sign Language
- None of the Above
Required Question
Employer City of Brooklyn Park
Address 5200 85th Avenue N
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, 55443
Phone 763-493-8016
Website http://www.brooklynpark.org