youth worker

support worker

engagement specialist

house manager

family support worker

Unlimited Potential Community Services

Upon hiring I was very excited for the job and opportunity given to me. 
From day 1 there were red flags that I saw and being new, didn’t want to get involved in , until I had spent more time there. 
My position was “ house parent and cook to prepare/ teach/ assist the youths, control the monthly budgets for all in house  food/ cleaning supplies. All of which I had previous experiences in different settings prior to my employ with this company. 
No training, I walked in blindly. No direction given. No supportive endeavours given by superiors to full fill my trading needs. Job description changed within a week with no notice. Buy month 1 end, job duties were changed again without any notice. By month two , no money in the bogeys to buy food to feed youths and staffing. Any food or household needs was bought day to day as cheaply as possible. 
My position wasn’t supported. In fact it became clearer as time went on that the more difficult it was made, in due time my position would be ended. 
Lacking budget money  buy food. Made it extremely difficult yo plan meals daily , weekly or monthly. 
Superiors took no part in upholding any training I was supposed to recieve . Lack of organization. Lack of supports. Things progressively got worse, until I was let go before my 90 day probation period ended. 

Unlimited Potential rebranded it’s name from former name Bosco Homes which was associated with negative incidents and press.  Unfortunately, a lot of the poor management that has been their for decades at all levels, policies and toxic culture continues.  There is nepotism, favouritism, and a leadership culture from the top down that demonstrates that their priorities are to protect their egos and reap the benefits of their high salaries and long vacations.  Upper management is so disconnected from the vision and goals of treatment it sets out for the clientele and it is not fulfilled sadly. Most front line workers do the best they can to support clientele with limited resources and quick burnout and high turnover in often challenging and at risk for staff and clientele environment.  Rebranding of company merely a marketing tool to continue the legacy of Bosco Homes and secure funding to warehouse clientele so that management can continue their unlimited potential of salaries, vacation, benefits and power and control over the clientele and front line workers.  An absolute lack of empathy for the clients and their struggles. Management DOES NOT connect with the reality of the clientele nor front line workers and many would not last a week if they switched roles. 

This company sucks. Very managerial and click like where management and team leads pick their favourite staff and then treat others like garbage and throw them under the bus rather than be team players and support the team and staff as a WHOLE GROUP. They are quick to get rid of staff rather than supporting the staff through burnouts, crisis, and developing their professionalism within the job. They will judge you, blame you, accuse you, before they actually speak to you, listen to you, have empathy towards you and guide you; let alone actually having discussions with you around your work and debriefing to ensure you are supported. The management cares more about protecting themselves and covering their own butts for the agency over having transparency with their staff. They will change CIR reports on staff and not even inform the staff about the changes on the report the staff wrote and is liable for if it ever goes to court. THINK TWICE BEFORE WORKING HERE!!!!!
THEY DO NOT EVEN FOLLOW THEIR OWN SANCTUARY MODEL.  THEY DO NOT SUPPORT THEIR STAFF. They throw you to the wolves and expect you to survive. 

This particular role has many responsibilities for what it pays. Most people have accepted this position to make a difference and support high risk youth in hopes they can see a change. Low rating has been given due to poor management - being questioned your interventions, practice, daily structure provided  and being micromanaged. I have experienced and other staff have also seen program managers supervisors have lack of confidentiality and talking about other staff in an open area. This position is high stress and in my opinion needs better management support and effective communication to keep staff.  A consistent response from all of the program managers is demanding and not asking staff to do certain tasks, I.e: “you need to go to this program today”, “you’ll have to stay and work a double today”. A simple ask and the way we speak to each other is a easy solution that is often missed. I would suggest management enroll in some trainings for the way they respond to others, as they are the role models for their teams and youth.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Getting to work with some amazing people.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
pay structure, turnover, working always shorthanded,  shift schedules, Rotation short changes are frequent limited down time

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Management is proud of the employment structure.  Does not translate to the front line.  Front line can work long hours with no overtime due to shift structuring.  all extra shifts are paid from a second company to avoid overtime payouts.  this allows for loose adherence to Labour standards through loopholes and shady practices.  Several instances of staff returning after being improperly terminated.   

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Intense days, always working with casual staff due to high burnout rates.  nearly every shift some one is required to stay late to cover an absence while seeking shift coverage.  The job itself is working with youth, mentoring, building connections and supporting growth for the youth in care.

I have worked in the Bridges program since 2016. This program has the best workplace culture out of any place I have ever worked. The support from leadership is exceptional and there is regular opportunities for advancement. The current model is hybrid so many meetings take place virtually from the comfort of home. The position is frontline so we see and engage with clients and partners regularly as well. Supportive team environment that genuinely cares about work-life balance.
Work can be crisis driven which can be stressful but also very rewarding. Work in partnership with children's services to preserve families and protect vulnerable children. Staff association is great and there are many perks. Team building is a core value.

The company suffers from a toxic work culture driven by poor management and a lack of accountability. Discriminatory behavior by some managers and staff often goes unaddressed, creating an unprofessional and unsafe environment. Job security is a major concern, especially during the first two years, as terminations can happen without explanation. Office politics are rampant, with those engaging in it often rewarded over employees who genuinely work hard. Recognition for dedication and performance is rare, and honest employees may find themselves sidelined. There’s little to no support for staff, and speaking up about issues can lead to retaliation or even job loss. This culture discourages transparency, growth, and integrity. While there are opportunities to learn in certain departments, the overall environment makes it difficult for committed professionals to thrive. Leadership needs to focus on creating a fair, respectful, and supportive workplace where all employees can grow and feel secure.


In my 12 years of group care work across Canada, I have never seen group homes that provide such opportunity for the clients first and foremost but also the staff. I have always felt supported, heard and valued. 
It’s tough work and you’ll learn a lot about yourself and abilities along the way. UPCS has given me a quality of life I couldn’t get anywhere else with it’s salary, benefits and rrsp (employer paid) along with a space to be creative and really impact the lives of our youths. Lots of opportunities to discover what you want to do in this field. We have so much more than group care. 
I have met such cool kids and strong families working here.
The only way to know is to find out for yourself. The staff and management are full of great people.

Many people get injured either physically, or psychologically. When you ask for support from your co workers, you don’t get it. People show up and “do their job” but don’t actually care for the well-being of the children/youth. There’s different “teams” you’re put on as full-time staff. Half the time you don’t get all your full time staff, so you have casuals that come in; and we’re not properly trained, so basically their as an extra body. The company seems like a zoo, because for the short period of time I was their, I was never able to attend my courses that I was supposed to take because there was ALWAYS a crisis happening. When you bring up problems to your manager, nothing gets done about it. Nothing changes with these children. There is absolutely no consistency within the teams, so that makes it hard to develop routines for the kids.

Worked here quite a while. Initially really enjoyed both the people I worked the floor with, my manager, and the youth. However, head office is a joke that lends no support or understanding if something happens that you need to deal with (ie. extended health leave, mental health, personal/family concerns). If you are not a “company man”/“yes man” or try to stand up for yourself, expect to get written up. The benefits are great and I loved the kids the I worked with, but the organizational culture is toxic. Also, be prepared to not hold grudges. The kid who bit you on Monday is going to be the kid who wants to play basketball with you on Wednesday; you need a thick skin sometimes. 

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Youth worker 32 salaries reported	$58,761 per year
Support worker 5 salaries reported	$52,489 per year
Engagement specialist 2 salaries reported	$59,038 per year
House manager 4 salaries reported	$68,276 per year
Family support worker 4 salaries reported	$56,801 per year

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