residential aide

residential supervisor

disability support worker

engineering team leader

proprietor

Parkland Community Living and Supports Society

The challenging time of Covid has shown all of us there in the agency the darker side of the agency, the lack of support from the office/higher ups for the residential care workers and supervisors is horrible. It seems to be an "us" vs "them" scenario in the past few years.

There is no room for advancement if you already have Foundations as you will never, ever earn a higher wage unless minimum wage increases. When I started there the wage was $17/h and minimum wage was just raised to $12/h. Now we earn $17.94/hr (after Foundations + 2000 worked hours post Foundations, the lowest grouphome agency wages in Red Deer) with minimum wage having risen to 15/h, this was the first wage increases in approximately 10 years and it happened because a union was brought in, though the union was only able to negotiate less than a $1 wage, given in increments  over the first year and nothing more since.

The supervisors are tired, stretched thin covering multiple houses and underpaid, the good supervisors move on to find brighter futures.

The agency is understaffed atm, shortage of frontline caregivers and supervisors.

This position requires lots of flexibility, as well as the ability to not be bothered by a stack of tasks; you see, when your dealing with people a crisis can pop up at any given time which can take you away from what ever your agenda was for that day. One needs to be able to readjust and prioritize commitments. No one day is ever the same. I have learned so much working in this position about peoples expectations and how that can impacted the out come. It is such a pleasure working with  such caring and giving individuals as my co-workers.  The hardest part of my job is watching the-persons in care loosing their skills and especially the individuals who have been diagnosed with a progressive condition or a short life expectancy. The most rewarding part of my job is the happiness that most of our folks demonstrate with very simple everyday pleasures. They help remind  me of what is important in this life and they help me to stay grounded. It is a very rewarding career.

Senior Management does not have a clear vision or direction and work from a position of ignorance.  They are more often to manage by knee jerk reaction than thoughtful proactive implementation. They are arrogant in their ignorance and often send conflicting messages concerning their desired input from management and staff.
The staff is largely female and most are extremely talented and proficient in their jobs, though many do not have a clear and precise job description.
The hardest part of the job is knowing what is required of the 'management team' as the agency is largely managed by committee.  It is extremely difficult to satisfy upper management as they don't really know what they are looking for till they see it. It requires a lot of hit and miss presentation. Even then what is requested is vague and not well defined.
Most enjoyable was working with the staff as they all are very accomplished workers in spite of how the agency is managed.
There is  an undercurrent of fearful negativity with in the culture of the administration.  Morale is poor due to negative inferences, mixed messages and political stress.

During my tenure at Parkland CLASS, I have been in a few different roles and enjoyed every aspect - getting to know the people we serve and thier needs, working with the frontline staff, supervisors and senior management. There are some long days or demanding moments but overall hard work pays off. Parkland CLASS is a leader in delivering the services required, especially when creativity is needed to help create a unique service or delivery. Everyone - no matter what their position in the agency is approachable and open to hearing suggestions or concerns, for the things I have brought forward over the years I feel I was heard and am pleased by the outcome.  Wages are determined through funders, wages are fair. In my opinion, enjoying what you do and looking forward to going to work every day is more important than huge wages and hating your job or being away from your family.  If you want to join a great team and make connections and a difference in people's lives...Parkland CLASS is a great place to work!

The CEO  and most managers had an open door policy. Staff rights are on par with unionized  agencies without the union.
This is a company that serves  their  consumers  with dignity, respect and  integrity. I am proud and Blessed  to have worked there for 15 years.
They encourage  and subsidy  staff training,  development and  career  growth.  Promote  internally. 
As with most career  in this field there are crazy days  with the Individuals in service  and staff, but the feeling of community and family overshadow that.
Overall great place to work and would still  had I not moved to a different  country

This agency represents itself as one with integrity but operates very politically.  Sometimes individuals not well suited to living together still have to for very long periods of time, despite being unhappy and needing change.  While there are staff who are very caring and try their very best, they need to be better supported and appreciated to prevent burn out.  Front line staff are not well paid, yet management positions are paid very handsomely.  This is a "non - profit" agency, that would benefit from having to be transparent with their spending. Funding should be structured to have it best serve the client's that they serve instead of best serving management. It has potential, but has a long way to go.

A typical day at work changes everyday, Sometimes you are going to a movie or the individual is having a bad day so you try and make there day better and help out if you can. What I have learned is you need to have patience because everyone has there own way of doing things and even the smallest thing can empower someone with or without disabilities. I have grown personally from this experience. The hardest part of my job is knowing that I might get injured  because the individual is having a bad day and you happen to be there so the anger can be taken out on you. The most enjoyable part of my job is seeing an individual doing a task independently and think for themselves.

(Former Employee) - Red Deer, Alberta 
Management is poorly run , CEO is never seen or heard from especially throughout all of the pandemic. They panic plan and never think through outcomes that will effect individuals and frontline staff. They say they have open door policy , and that there are no repercussions for concerns….. not true ! Once you bring any concerns forward you are labeled a problem staff .They often send conflicting messages that come from all the coordinators concerning exactly what they are expecting from frontline staff. It’s truly disheartening to see how far down this once amazing agency has gone. 


I had an amazing time working there. The freedom and individualized activities bonded with group community functions were amazingly thought out. The property of individuals homes were well taken care of and built many job opportunities within the community. Great job all around with budgets and actually caring about individuals needs of independence and choices to make up there own minds and wants. Warmed my heart and felt amazingly blessed to be able to be apart of something epically rare these days.

Most of the supervisors of the homes can be helpful. Upper management stuck in their offices are completely clueless . This isnt a great morale place to work. Turn over of employees is huge and that is likely due to upper management not really giving two hoots about the supervisors and what they expect of them.  They list their rate of pay as high, but by the time you are expected to pay into rrsp, and other benefits, you are not really getting that rate of pay. 

Difficult to get any holidays are you are expected to find your own relief.  You are also expected to  find staff for your group home, they dont show up.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Residential aide 2 salaries reported	$19.28 per hour
Residential supervisor 2 salaries reported	$26.57 per hour
Disability support worker 12 salaries reported	$19.28 per hour
Engineering team leader 6 salaries reported	$21.28 per hour
Proprietor 8 salaries reported	$138 per hour

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