Great learning environment for new social workers. You get to work with youth from a wide array of backgrounds and with complex needs. Develop case-management skills. Management is usually good with supervision/ offering support during or after crisis situations.
Svantaggi
Fast paced work environment with little time for breaks. Often crisis-situations. Emotionally challenging due to having to discharge youth and lack of second stage housing options available. High turn-over rate due to burnout and lack of adequate staffing. Lots of cooking and cleaning. No increase in pay for awake overnights.
Pay much lower than other shelters in HRM.
Management doesn't acknowledge your emails. Staff have previously left as felt "invisible".
Some shifts are 12 hours.
Staff want to be buddies to youth so don't follow policies.
Regularly short staffed
Safety concerns
Don't have time for all required tasks given short staffed.
Youth play Staff against each other and many staff allow this.
Unsupported by team.
Supposed to make decisions as a team, often don't.
Constantly hiring as cannot retain Staff.