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Activity Leader
(Activities Coordinator, Recreational Activities Leader, Youth Activities Coordinator, Youth Coordinator)
Sport & Fitness
Salary
€24,000 - €38,000/yr
Level
Operational
Outlook
Stable
Sector
Sport & Fitness
What does an Activity Leader do?
As an Activity Leader you plan and run recreational, outdoor and adventure activities for groups of young people or adults in settings such as summer camps, outdoor education centres, youth clubs and community organisations. Your day-to-day work involves organising games, sports sessions, team-building challenges, nature walks, cycling tours and arts or cultural workshops, adapting each session to suit the age and ability of your group. You are responsible for the safety of participants at all times, which means carrying out risk assessments before activities and responding calmly to changing circumstances in the outdoors. You work closely with colleagues, parents and community groups, and you regularly gather and give feedback to improve the programme on offer. Record-keeping, budgeting for events and promoting upcoming activities are also part of the role.
A Day in the Life
Listen: a day as an Activity Leader
You arrive at the outdoor education centre at half eight, pulling on your fleece before the morning briefing starts. Your line manager runs through the day's schedule on a whiteboard: your group of fourteen twelve-to-fifteen-year-olds from a GAA summer camp will do archery in the morning and a low-ropes course after lunch. You check the weather app — scattered showers expected around two — and make a mental note to keep a dry alternative ready. By nine o'clock you are out on site doing a risk assessment of the archery range. You walk the perimeter, check the bale targets for damage, count the arrows and inspect the bows for frayed strings. You fill in the centre's standard risk-assessment form on a clipboard, noting the wet grass as a slip hazard, and sign it before the group arrives. This paperwork feels routine, but your supervisor checks it every day without fail.
Videos about Activity Leader
Career Advice on becoming an Activity Instructor Group Leader by Dave B (Full Version)
icould career stories
Some videos were filmed in the UK. The work itself is the same, but the exams, qualifications and pay they mention are British — we include them so you get a feel for the job.
Required Education
There is no single mandatory qualification to become an Activity Leader in Ireland, but a QQI Level 5 award in Sport and Recreation, Outdoor Education or Youth Work is the most common starting point and is delivered by many Colleges of Further Education and ETBs across the country. Relevant Leaving Certificate subjects that strengthen your application include Physical Education, Biology, Geography and CSPE, though enthusiasm and hands-on experience with young people often carry equal weight at entry level. Some employers, particularly outdoor education centres, look for specific activity qualifications such as a kayaking or climbing instructor award from the relevant national governing body. First Aid certification, including Paediatric First Aid, is normally required before you begin working unsupervised with groups. A Level 6 or Level 7 degree in Outdoor Education, Youth and Community Work or Recreation and Leisure — available at institutes such as ATU, TUS and IT Carlow — can open doors to more senior programme-leader roles. There is no statutory registration body for Activity Leaders in Ireland, but continued professional development through organisations such as Mountaineering Ireland or Canoeing Ireland is valued by employers.
Required Skills
Career Perspective
Most Activity Leaders begin their careers in seasonal or part-time roles at summer camps, Gaeltacht programmes or community youth projects, building practical experience alongside their QQI Level 5 qualification. With a few years of experience and additional activity-specific qualifications, you can progress to a Senior Activity Leader or Programme Coordinator role, taking on responsibility for designing the full activity schedule and supervising junior staff. Further study at Level 7 or Level 8 in Outdoor Education, Youth Work or Recreation Management can lead to roles such as Centre Manager, Youth Development Officer or Education Officer with national bodies like Scouting Ireland or the YMCA. Some experienced Activity Leaders move into related fields such as physical education, sports development or community health promotion.
AI Impact on the job
Artificial intelligence has a limited direct impact on the core of this role, which depends on face-to-face interaction, physical presence and real-time judgement in the outdoors — qualities that cannot be replicated by software. AI scheduling and booking tools are increasingly used by camps and leisure centres to streamline timetabling and participant registration, reducing administrative workload for Activity Leaders. Digital platforms and apps can assist with activity design, risk-assessment templates and child-safeguarding record-keeping, helping leaders prepare more efficiently. Overall, AI is likely to handle administrative tasks rather than replace the human connection and outdoor expertise that define the role.
Career Ladder
→ Activity Leader (Current role)
Related Studies
Employers in Ireland
Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.
Killarney, Co. Kerry
Leads outdoor adventure and education sessions for young people
Dublin 24
Runs team-building, outdoor and adventure activity programmes for groups
Ballymore Eustace, Co. Kildare
Delivers therapeutic recreation and activity programmes for seriously ill children
Dunmore East, Co. Waterford
Facilitates outdoor adventure and water-based activities for school groups
Nationwide
Plans and leads youth recreational, sports and community activity programmes
Nationwide
Supports activity leaders delivering sport and recreation to communities
Dublin City
Places activity leaders at summer camps running sports and recreation sessions
Boyle, Co. Roscommon
Leads outdoor recreation, nature and adventure activities for visiting groups
Nationwide
Supports activity leaders delivering tourism-linked outdoor and cultural experiences
Ashford, Co. Wicklow
Delivers residential outdoor adventure and leadership activities for young people
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