residential counselor

counselor

registered practical nurse

support worker

youth worker

Ongwanada

It has one of the best wages in the area doing what we do. Ongwanada has incorporated the $3 wage increase to all frontline and opseu/cupe members so the wage which is a bonus. Ongwanda offers a good benefits package (prescriptions are covered 100% if ordered from ongwanada pharmacy) and pays into HOOP for its pension. Fulltime are enrolled in the pension but Part time employees have the option to join (which is highly recommended) the added bonus to part time is that due to not having benefits you gain a 25% in lieu of added to your paycheck. 

BUT the pandemic hit the organization hard. There is little empathy or compassion for front line staff at this moment and there is a strong “shoot first ask questions later” mentality so make sure you have your bases covered and your paperwork are in order. There is a strong union presence and will back you. Only front-line and some clerical staffing postions/day program/pool staff are unionized. Management staffing, scheduling and HR are not unionized. 

What makes this place are the staff and the clients as well as some clerical and support staff who really work hard to make things better. 

People who have only read clients name on a piece of paper are responsible for making serious decision on clients so be prepared to have to have your supporting evidence if you wish to make serious changes. 

You will have to do personal care at allll levels of front line (treatment counsellor/residential/community support worker) this is something often overlooked at interviews and in job descriptions.

You WILL be kicked, punched, yelled at, and possibly bit. But you just roll with it, it happens - such is working in health care. Again if your working with the right team, these will be a minimal.

There is the possibility of being stuck at the home if no relief is available - if you are community support worker, unlikely but residential counsellor, yes it will happen. Positive side, lots of overtime but just be prepared. 

Would I suggest this to a friend … yes but I want them to know what they are getting into. I love my job and I love my clients - they make it worth it. I try and not let management (which is the problem) ruin it for me. But let’s drop this  show that management backs the staff and cares about the struggles and supports them. They don’t. Half the time they are on vacation.

A health care company that hasn’t adjusted to the new conceptual concept of work-life balance. They offer many full time positions vs the everyone is part time and needing to pick up hours to pay their bills… so that is nice. But unfortunately paid vacation is always denied so that is a false advertisement. The company is very management top heavy and they have actually no clue what the front line is dealing with. The training is awful… often brand new staff training brand new staff… and then they will fault you down the line for not being aware of their policies that should have been covered during your training. Staff can get stuck for days on end because they have no emplyees to fill shifts if someone calls in sick.  It’s also a very toxic work culture… the veteran staff are beyond burnt out, rude to new employees and it has a very clique work culture like high-school. I have over a decade and a half of experience in this field with a company in another city… and Ongwanada management and senior staff has me feeling to such a point of  degradation that Im ready to quit. I would not suggest anyone come work here… they want a soldier so you may as well join the military. They are breaking down the few people left that have compassion to care for the most vulnerable humans by not caring for their employees basic wellness. 

The workplace culture at Ongwanada can vary greatly depending on the department. In many areas, colleagues seem more focused on popularity and personal dynamics than on the needs of the individuals being supported. In most residences, if you do not meet the “popularity demands” of certain staff, they may actively target you, which can put your job at risk. Favoritism is a recurring issue, which impacts fairness and morale.

Recently, there has been a noticeable trend of positions being eliminated, with staff being walked out of the office, creating an environment of uncertainty. While some supervisors are supportive and effective, management as a whole would benefit from reevaluation.

Safety is also a concern. There are limited measures in place, and raising safety issues is strongly discouraged, as management may respond negatively toward staff who speak up. In addition, Ongwanada’s financial stability appears to be strained, adding further challenges to the workplace.

OPSEU representation is strong and supportive; however, due to the organization’s financial issues, management has been unwilling to bargain properly, and negotiations have stalled with little progress. The Human Resources department could also benefit from significant changes in both personnel and overall attitude, as current practices are not fostering trust or support for employees.

When starting with the agency, it was a great environment if you worked in the right homes. Since the pandemic the sheer number of staff and quality of staff have declined. Being an RC you are constantly stuck on shift upwards for 24hours, sometimes longer if it's bad weather. Upper management is a joke, supervisors play favourites, managers don't know what's going on and don't care about their employees. 
The absent awareness program being reinstated since the pandemic is forcing employees to return to work when they're still ill. 
RC's rarely get paid time off approved unless you are at the top of the seniority list, and even then you'll get called to work your own shift as overtime. 
The only positives are you work with great clients, the HOOPP pension, and good benefits.

The organization’s focus is exclusively budget and recuperating costs due to mismanagement. What management lack in qualifications and expertise they make up for in egos often ignoring feedback from professionals with experience and expertise. This has caused the loss of skilled, knowledgeable and compassionate experts resulting in a disservice to patient care. The loss of the long time Pharmacist being replaced by someone whose ego is more important than the patients. The loss of OTs, Psychologist and Nurses experienced and specializing in the population hindering access to expert resources and education for the staff. At a frontline level staff are burnt out and unable to recover. Vacations are denied, education and support is lacking and model of care has declined considerably. Not a place to be when you genuinely care about the people you support

The absolute disregard for the people being supported in the homes by upper management is sickening. Staff are treated like garbage and fired. No vacation granted, no support from management. No directions in crisis situations. No guarantee you are leaving after your shift as they do not have enough staff to cover the homes they have open but are firing staff at a rapid rate. I worked for this company for years and watched it decline from the gold standard to an embarrassment. If I could give zero stars i would. 
Front line staff do not deserve the abuse and uncertainty they are receiving from Lak and his new management team.

Worked here for almost 20 years. Seen alot of changes and not for the good.  Management does not care about about staff!!  New staff are training new staff. Supervisors constantly being switched to different homes making it hard on staff and clients. Job has became harder with new management as they take away resources staff utilized to provide care to clients.  Lack of staffing has made it harder for clients to go out on outings! Staff getting stuck for long hours cause no staff available. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
Pay scale , the team we work with 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Dealing with treatment duel diagnosis clients who get angry and have outbursts

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Not bad could be better, support not always available

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Meds and insulin, cooking and cleaning, going out on outing, crafts

What is the best part of working at the company?
The community that exists between the staff that supports the very special people that Ongwanada serves everyday. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
I don't find there to be any stress in my position 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Wonderful caring environment.
People often return after retirement

Consistent examples of organizational leadership not having a consistent approach to supervision.  

I have had a change in supervision recently and the difference between supervisors is like night and day.   My first supervisor was great; my current supervisor is one of the worst examples of organizational leadership that I have ever experienced.  

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Residential counselor 25 salaries reported	$31.12 per hour
Counselor 21 salaries reported	$32.59 per hour
Registered practical nurse 6 salaries reported	$33.22 per hour
Support worker 5 salaries reported	$27.28 per hour
Youth worker 1 salary reported	$31.30 per hour

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