Recreation Aide
Open to Upper-level Undergraduate Students

Location: Minnesota Correctional Facility – Willow River/Moose Lake

MCF Moose Lake is a medium security facility that houses 800 adult male offenders. Offenders are involved in either work or educational programming.  Industry programs offered include garment manufacturing, woodworking, and a print shop. There is a complete educational program for offenders ranging from literacy to GED preparation through vocational and college programs.

Challenge Incarceration Program (CIP) is a Minimum-security boot camp style program.  It is an early-release program for non-violent drug and property offenders in the state of Minnesota.  This specialized program incorporates a wide variety of components, which include cognitive skills classes, education, chemical dependency groups, transitional programming, squad meetings, physical training, and work crews.  The CIP program houses a total of 80 offenders, which include 72 males and 8 females.  The program has 3 separate phases, each lasting a minimum of 6 months; a boot camp phase and 2 intensive community supervision phases.

Internship Description: Gain skills and experience in organizing and implementing recreational activities to teach offenders the value of leisure time pursuits as an alternative to anti-social behavior.  Assist in implementing recreational and leisure time activities that include organized leagues, holiday tournaments, special events, exercise and fitness programs, hobby crafts and other areas as assigned. Provide instruction and assistance to offenders and staff so that appropriate recreational concepts and techniques are utilized. Assist in managing materials, supplies and recreation areas so that programming is safe and secure. Develop and implement an offender recreational and leisure time interest survey.

Supervision: Interns will be assigned to a Recreation Coordinator.

Requirements:  The intern must be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university in a program, which offers course credit for internships.  Applicants should have completed coursework in the one or more of the following areas:  Physical Education, Exercise Science, Parks and Recreation, Sports Management,  or closely related field.

Length of Internship: At least One Semester (Minimum 200 hours).

Application priority deadline date: 
April 1 for Summer session
August 1 for fall session
November 1 for winter session

Note:  This internship is unpaid

Applications will be accepted after these dates until positions are filled