GENTLE EXERCISE FACILITATOR - SUMMER STUDENT
Canada Summer Jobs Temporary Contract, June 1, 2026, to July 31, 2026 (9 weeks)
30 hours per week, Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM
$17.81 per hour + mileage between classes

At Community Support Connections, we wake up each morning energized about the difference we make in the lives of our clients; people who could be your parents, grandparents, friends, or neighbours. Working with hundreds of amazing volunteers, donors, and community partners, we provide a wide range of community supports for older adults and people with different abilities to help them live at home with independence and dignity – something we all deserve. We are truly caring and client-centered and are constantly innovating; looking for new and better ways to provide the best care and supports possible.

Passion and commitment permeate everything we do. Driven by our values, we treat our clients, volunteers, donors, and each other with dignity and respect. We are committed to cultivating a diverse workforce and welcoming candidates from different backgrounds and all life experiences. We believe the best way to serve our clients and volunteers is to create an environment and culture that empowers our staff to be as productive and happy as possible.

The Role: Working closely with the Fall Prevention and Exercise Team, this summer student will lead older adults and people with diverse abilities in safe, engaging, and gentle exercise classes, delivered both virtually and in-person throughout the community. This role involves collaborating with community host locations and adapting classes to meet participants’ individual needs, to ensure they enjoy a fun social and recreational activity that supports mobility, wellness and fall prevention.

If you are passionate about senior fitness and looking for a meaningful summer opportunity where you can develop your skills and professional portfolio, we’d love to hear from you.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Set up, lead and administer gentle exercise classes in a variety of settings (group and 1:1, retirement and community settings, in-person and/or virtually)
• Provide back-up coverage for open classes as required

• Set up chairs and exercise equipment as needed
• Ensure all equipment and supplies are sanitized prior to and following use
• Distribute and collect all necessary paperwork from participants, including PARQ’s and waivers
• Record participant attendance at each class and reports information to the Manager, Exercise and Fall Prevention on a monthly basis
• Lead either 45-minute or one-hour gentle exercise programs, following the SMART™ program guidelines, providing modifications and adaptations for participants as trained, progressing in intensity, repetitions and resistance as appropriate
• Monitor all participants continuously throughout class, providing cues for breathing, posture and hydration
• Instruct participants on class components, including warm-up, endurance, cool-down, strength and stretching exercises, proper body mechanics and pacing and energy conservation techniques.
• Ensure the safe delivery of SMART™ program and respond to emergency situations with participants as they arise
• Promote senior fitness in the community, distribute marketing materials as required
• May provide one-on-one instruction in client’s homes
• Assist with data entry and keep client files up to date
• Support other organization-wide supports as required
• Deliver Meals on Wheels
• Attend monthly team meetings

• This job is funded through Canada Summer Jobs 2026, and to be eligible applicants must:
  • be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of employment
  • be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment; and
  • be legal entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant Ontario legislation and regulations, including having a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment

• Successful candidate must be available to work for the entire 9-week contract
• Valid G or G2 Driver’s License, and daily access to a safe, licensed and reliable vehicle for business-related travel
• Current Emergency First Aid/CPR A Certificate (or be willing to acquire by time of employment)
• Must complete internal SMART^TM training
• Satisfactory police records check for the vulnerable sector
• Excellent time management and organization skills
• Ability to work independently, but seek advice when needed
• Capable of regular and considerable physical effort including lifting up to 50 pounds and carrying for short distances
• Excellent communication and active listening skills
• Experience teaching group fitness classes preferred
• Education in kinesiology, applied health sciences, recreational therapy or related field
• Experience with older adults, volunteers and/or persons with diverse abilities is an asset
• Ability to communicate in language other than English an asset

Application Information
Please submit resume and cover letter highlighting the unique attributes you bring to the position by noon on May 12, 2026.

Individuals from equity-seeking groups are encouraged to apply.

We are committed to providing accommodations for qualified applicants in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you are contacted for an interview and require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know in advance so we can best support your needs.

Check out communitysupportconnections.org to learn more about our programs and services! You can also find us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn!