Recreation Therapy Assistant Pathway

Recreation Therapy Assistants are part of a people-centred profession for those who want to support meaningful participation and well-being for others. Working under the supervision of a qualified Recreation Therapist, Recreation Therapy Assistants (RecTAs) use practical and technical skills to help deliver structured, goal-directed interventions in safe and supportive environments.

Through meaningful leisure experiences, RecTAs support improvements in functional abilities, skill development, confidence, and social connection across a wide range of settings, including hospitals, long-term care and assisted living environments, rehabilitation centres, community mental health and substance use teams, and community recreation settings.

What Recreation Therapy Assistants Do

Recreation Therapy Assistants (RecTAs) support the delivery of recreation therapy services by helping implement interventions that have been planned and directed by a Recreation Therapist. Their role focuses on hands-on support, activity adaptation, and safe implementation within clearly defined responsibilities.

RecTAs do not conduct assessments, establish therapeutic goals, develop treatment plans, or evaluate clinical outcomes. These responsibilities fall within the Recreation Therapist role.

In practice, Recreation Therapy Assistants:

  • Support individual and group recreation therapy interventions designed by a Recreation Therapist
  • Adapt activities to match individual abilities, energy levels, and interests
  • Follow established care plans, safety procedures, and therapeutic goals
  • Monitor participation and engagement during activities
  • Observe and report changes in behaviour, mood, or participation to the supervising Recreation Therapist
  • Assist with set-up, facilitation, and follow-up of therapeutic recreation sessions
  • Help create welcoming, inclusive, and respectful therapeutic environments

Recreation Therapy Assistants work as part of recreation therapy and interdisciplinary teams, providing essential day-to-day support that helps individuals safely engage in meaningful activities.

  • If you are interested in conducting assessments, setting therapeutic goals, developing treatment plans, and evaluating outcomes, visit:
    Recreation Therapist Pathway

Where Recreation Therapy Assistants Work

Recreation Therapy Assistants support recreation therapy service delivery across health, rehabilitation, community, and social service settings under the direction and supervision of a Recreation Therapist. Their responsibilities vary based on population needs and service complexity, and typically include implementing therapeutic programs and activities, supporting individual and group interventions, and promoting safe, person-centred participation within established plans of care. Recreation Therapy Assistants do not independently conduct assessments, develop intervention plans, or evaluate outcomes, as these professional responsibilities remain with the supervising Recreation Therapist.

Because Recreation Therapy Assistants work with diverse populations and levels of complexity, entry-to-practice education is expected to provide comprehensive foundational preparation and applied learning across multiple practice areas within a two-year, 60-credit college- or university-level diploma framework. Programs focused on a single population or service context, or delivered in short-term formats, do not meet entry-to-practice expectations, as they do not provide sufficient depth, breadth, or core competencies needed to safely and effectively support recreation therapy services across settings with increasingly complex care needs.

Entry-to-Practice Qualifications for Recreation Therapy Assistants

In British Columbia, entry-to-practice expectations for Recreation Therapy Assistants (RecTAs) include completion of a two-year, 60-credit university- or college-level diploma in Therapeutic Recreation. This expectation aligns with the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association (CTRA) Position Statement on Entry-to-Practice Qualifications and is further clarified through the BCTRA Position Statement on Entry-to-Practice Qualifications for Recreation Therapists & Recreation Therapy Assistants.

This level of preparation reflects the increasing complexity of client populations across practice settings, including higher acuity, multiple comorbidities, and greater cognitive and behavioural health needs. A two-year, 60-credit university- or college-level diploma in Therapeutic Recreation provides Recreation Therapy Assistants with the foundational knowledge, applied skills, and professional judgment required to safely and effectively support Recreation Therapists.

Consistent with national and provincial expectations, Recreation Therapy Assistants are expected to hold professional membership, in good standing, with a Therapeutic Recreation association or, where applicable, a therapy assistant association.

Education Pathway for Recreation Therapy Assistants in BC

In British Columbia, the Therapeutic Recreation diploma at Douglas College is currently the only program in the province that provides the two-year, 60-credit university- or college-level diploma in Therapeutic Recreation expected for entry-to-practice as a Recreation Therapy Assistant (RecTA).

BCTRA recognizes that other two-year Therapeutic Recreation diploma programs across Canada may meet the competencies and preparation expected for Recreation Therapy Assistant practice in BC.