Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Visitor Experience Intern

Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse is seeking several Visitor Experience Interns (VEI) to assist with daily programming. The VEI candidates should be interested in accumulating community service hours and/or those interested in working with children. The VEI works with staff on a wide range of responsibilities that include, but are not limited to:
 

Front Kiosk Duties
-setting up and closing Kiosk
-intermittent cleaning of Kiosk, pens and desk
-welcoming visitors and providing information about Playground
-taking temperatures of visitors before entering
-overseeing visitors mandatory signing of Sign In Sheet and Waiver Form
-inform visitors about safety guidelines such as social distancing and wearing a mask
-thanking visitors for donations
 

Giant Wooden Slide Duties
-opening and closing of Slide
-intermittent cleaning of high touch surfaces
-providing information about Slide and upcoming Slide-A-Thon
-helping visitors maintain social distancing while waiting for their turn

Playground Maintenance
-helping keep the Playground clean and safe for all visitors
 

Play Breaks
-assist with Staff lead Play Breaks for children ages 5-10 (2-hour sessions for kids that include arts/crafts, a nature hike and supervised time on Playground)

About Smith:

Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse (Smith) provides and promotes opportunities for unstructured free play for children.

 

Smith opened in 1899, and stood at the forefront of a national playground movement, serving as a model for the importance of play in children’s lives. Today, Smith remains a vital resource to the community, promoting and providing access to play for an annual audience of over 160,000 children and adults drawn from throughout the region. Smith offers children from diverse backgrounds free, accessible, and one-of-a-kind play experiences that support their physical, emotional, and cognitive growth.

 

On visits to Smith, children and caregivers enjoy quality time together, indoors and out. The 16,000 square foot Playhouse offers multiple rooms and levels for unstructured play to develop cognitive and motor skills.  The 6 ½ acre Playground features open fields, wooden terrain, and sloped hills, and is home to the Nature Explore zone that encourages active exploration and free play in nature. Smith offers an array of both scheduled and spontaneous activities six days a week to inspire imagination, creativity, and social interaction, as well as unlimited opportunities to engage in healthy outdoor play. These activities range from building forts and creating mud sculptures to crafting art projects with natural materials.

Education / years & type of experience:  Actively working towards a High School or Bachelor’s degree

Abilities (baseline requirements for someone to come into the job and succeed):

  • Excellent organizational, written, verbal and interpersonal skills
  • Creativity, enthusiasm, high-energy and self-starter work ethic
  • Sense of humor, patience, and wish to work collaboratively in fun, unconventional, collaborative, fast-paced environment
  • Excitement for Smith’s mission and the importance of play for children
  • Ability to lift 25 pounds            
  • Availability during Smith’s operating hours (Tuesday-Sunday between 10am-4pm)                                 

If interested in applying for the VEI position, please email Neil Thompson, Manager of Visitor Services at neil@smithplayground.org. Please send a cover letter showing your interest and a brief introduction of yourself.

*Candidate must supply and or complete all three clearances prior to starting:
-PA Child Abuse History Clearance
-PA  Criminal Record Check
-FBI Criminal History Record