early childhood teacher

childcare provider

school program staff

educator

intervenant des services à la jeunesse

YMCA

The YMCA is an amazing work force, not only looking to help the kids but also the employees. Working for the YMCA for Camp Oaks as an CIT offered us many real world properties that will be used in everyday lives. Day by day we would normally spend 2 hours in training in small groups or large and learn how important it is to work as a team and set aside any differences just to get the job done right without any complications. Also, we would all be separated and forced to take care of 12 or more kids, various ages and take them to their activities and make sure they get to the dinning hall on time, also I made it a personal mission to know all the kids names and one fact about themselves, it really helped me to get to know them and it made them more comfortable to be around me and make them know that i actually care about them and that I'm not doing this because i have too, but because i want too.  Although, only working for a week gave me years of knowledge such as: being patient, working together, using filters, worrying about others before yourself, and keeping the work place moving and having an up beat energy. The camp ran very smoothly, nothing catastrophic happened because of our camp staff did an amazing job planning and executing what needed to be done. I was the oldest CIT so i had more of a steady mind set and maturity level than more than half of my co-workers, but that didn't stop them from improving what needed to be improved and by the end of the week they were completely reborn. I'm proud to say that my co-workers and I became one big family once the week ended. I hardest part of the job was at the end of the day we would all get together and share our home life situations and family, I never opened up because many of the things I went through as a child and adolescent damaged me not only emotionally but mentally so I kept up a wall and was silent, till one night two of my co-workers shared their lives and they were not so  cookie cutter as the others so i opened up finally and said some things that i wouldn't normally share to people and it really released me of all pent up emotions. which was also the most enjoyable moment of not only the job but my life, being able to release and be accepted for past experiences that I have been so ashamed of is the best feeling in the world.

To start off, All frontline staff are severely underpaid. The amount of work that is expected and the amount you receive simply does not make sense. There are similar jobs in the area that offer a significantly higher wage and have a strong resemblance in their job description. However, This is a very positive environment to work in as the community is a very positive crowd. The problems with this organization lay within the management and beyond (not all managers are at fault). It is pretty much impossible to get anything done as there is way too many corporate rules that need to be followed. As a front line worker you are constantly sending emails to higher ups that only receive responses and support a week after the emails were sent. This means constantly having to explain to members why their needs are not being met and also leads to many situations where members are upset, dissatisfied and angry. It is very frustrating to deal with these issues as you are constantly held accountable but have already done everything in your power to resolve them. I have seen several instances where violations of workplace safety have occurred and nothing has been done when it is brought to managements attention. There is a lack of communication between staff as some managers will instruct you to do things a certain way while others will tell you to do it differently. It is very disorganized and hard to be fully in the loop and doing what is expected of you. There were times where I was not paid for a large amount of hours I had worked, and when it was brought to someone’s attention it took about a month and a half before I received my pay. As a student, I also experienced instances where I would give my availability to management, and would get scheduled to work on day I was unavailable (due to class). I would strongly recommend to anyone not to get a job with this organization as it is very incompetent and disorganized. 

- As a lifeguard/swim instructor I've taught and planned lessons for various ages, swimming abilities and groups. I've taught levels from parents and tots to adult lessons, I've also done group classes and private lessons. In the classes we've worked on many water safety skills and swimming skills. 

- I've learned many different strategies working at the YMCA, and I've learned their philosophy on working with people of different ethnicities, backgrounds and beliefs. I've also learned to  be a more social person and how little interactions can help people feel much better about their day.

- The management at the Y is very approachable and are very resourceful. They are a very friendly group of people and always try to make themselves available to help answer any questions that may come. Staff trainings are done regularly so that all staff can be up to date on all the policies and procedures of the facility.

- My co-workers were always happy and in a good mood which made for a very enjoyable work environment, we got to be a very close group of guards because of it. I would recommend, trust and rely on any of them to cover any of my lessons if I was not available one day.

- The hardest part of my job was working in a hot environment guarding many peoples lives at the same time. Although it's a difficult part of the job, it is required at any pool you work at. I was fully trained to supervise many large groups of people in the water and I'm responsible enough to do so, no matter the temperature of the facility.

- The most enjoyable part of the job is to work with kids and adults of all different ages and swimming abilities. I love seeing the face on the person in question when they've mastered a skill they've been working on for quite some time. I love being in a social environment and working with kids and youth.

Every day at work was different. Some days we would write up professional proposals to be sent in to the heads at YMCA. As soon as we get an ok on an idea we would get right to work making flyers, contacting people and getting our event advertised. Sometimes we would even just hear of a community event going on at random and would go in and get involved and help out.
I had learned how fulfilling it is to help others and knowing that you are making a difference in the community. I also learned how to work with a large group of individuals that were all very different from myself.
My co-workers were all very different from myself. We were all kind of a miss matched bunch but we all had one thing in common. We wanted to make a difference and make our community a better place to be. Every now and then we would have our little disputes because there was 20 of us and it's difficult to have 20 people all agree completely on one thing but we would always manage to talk it out and come to mutual agreements that would work for everyone.
The hardest part of the job was we would have to predict for almost every scenario when creating the events and sending in the proposals to the people at the YMCA. Some times small things would get over looked and often times things in the events wouldn't go quite as planned so we would have to think quickly on our feet.
I would say the most enjoyable part of being a Skills Link Participant was that every day was different and that I would work with so many different people that every day was interesting. It would also feel extremely rewarding during and after the events when you see all the people enjoying themselves and you know that you had made a difference in at least one person's life.

A typical day at the pool would be opening the pool by myself, I would be responsible for making sure the lane ropes were in properly for the adults to come swimming at 5:30 in the morning. I would have to make sure I had enough equipment for the members to use so that when I was guarding I was focused on their safety rather than not keeping my eyes on them to grab the equipment for them to use. I also was a supervisor for swimming lessons and I was responsible for checking report cards, making sure the other lifeguards were prepared and were ready to teach the plan they had prepared. Teaching was my favorite part of the job. Getting in the water with the children and having the parents give such positive outcome on their progression was the most amazing part. My manager was great, she was supportive and she wanted nothing more than to see all of her staff members succeed at the pool but it was very hard to balance school and work when I was in school. The hardest part of the job at the YMCA was the inconsistency in most of the lifeguards and I would end up working for 12 hours a day and it was getting hard with school on top. I did not mind the hours, I love to work, but I was not getting the appreciation and I was overly exhausted. I learnt that with hard work you can do anything. If you I teach a two year old to float on their back and to stop being terrified of the water I feel as though anything is obtainable with a little bit of hard work and dedication.

Working at the YMCA is a great place because of the culture of the organization. A typical day is anything but typical since I believe we are enriching lives and building the health of our community daily through promoting healthy living.
    At the YMCA I have learned the importance of a healthy family, a healthy lifestyle and a healthy community and how creating a positive and nurturing environment for our members is essential for the over all growth of the organization and our community members. At the YMCA we treat all members with dignity and respect and we practice that commitment to service with one another as well.  
   At the YMCA, I have the opportunity to work alongside upper management, personal trainers and even engage with our CEO. My experience with management has been above par and I always feel like I am important to the team. One of the best aspects of working alongside management is being able to learn from their best practices, especially how they model dealing with sensitive situations.
     The most difficult part of the job is dealing with members who are experiencing financial distress and hardships and who are then unable to afford their monthly membership. I have learned the importance of empathy and have had multiple opportunities to practice this skill while working with and for our members to find a solution that fits their financial needs in order for them to keep their membership. Being able to help people in distress and/or finding solutions to problems is the most enjoyable part of the job. We are not just a gym, we are a family where membership means helping, encouraging and supporting each other.

The only good thing I can say about my work experience at YMCA Durham Employment & Community Services were my coworkers. My coworkers were true team players, very supportive, and I definitely learned a lot from them. However, the Management team was the main issue throughout my work experience. 

The Management team at YMCA Durham Employment & Community Services made things harder than they were. There would be lots of micromanaging, including being particular on choice of words used to communicate with clients. Management would claim to give “meaningful feedback”, but would deliver to staff in a demeaning manner. Additionally, Management would exaggerate on minor errors that were easily fixable. They would even resurface past issues that were already discussed and resolved. Would fail to give credit for hard work that was successfully accomplished. Constant broken promises from Management to develop better working relationships with staff. Unrealistic expectations from Management to meet targets/numbers has caused high turnover, in addition to high stress and burnout. 

Overall, the work culture is awful due to Management’s poor behaviours, attitudes, and practices. Management has no care for the wellbeing and feelings of their staff members. They only care about the numbers to gain funding. Management are dismissive when they are done with you and when your employment ends. A bad work culture does not give good results for meeting organizational targets and goals.

Paperwork and filling out the program plans is more important than the kids, you can hear quite often "fake it till you make it"
YMCA  should be investing more money to buy more outdoor equipment, stuff for crafts or good quality of toys just to make the days more fun for the little ones. Toys from Dollar store are not that exciting and they break easily....
Their snacks from "yummi catering" are actually not that yummi and the catering company doesn't provide enough food for everyone, yes 10 years old boys can eat a lot sometimes , more than 1 (!!!) slice of cheese 
School kids are not allowed to play on a school playground (!!!!!) because of "the insurance reasons" which is pretty hard to explain this to any little boy or girl
Actual "set up in the classroom" is more important than going outside with kids right after finishing the attendance
I have attended one summer camp with YM , it was run really poorly, lower than the average. Most of the older children were bored and wanted to be home instead. so sad... We were told the was 0 dollars in the budget to buy new toys, craft or outdoor equipment so the children had to play with old , used and broken stuff. 
There were NO UMBRELLAS , no benches to sit on at the backyard and NO WATER STATIONS !!!! If the children were tired they could either  sit on a hot concrete or on the grass without chance to get some shade. I even got in a trouble because I dared to bring the children back to the building sooner than planned ! Toilet in the classroom was not cleaned or checked on in the middle of the day. Floor was not properly mopped the whole months...

I worked shy of a 6 hour day at the YMCA everyday, specifically in their Before and After School programs. I would substitute in the Preschool rooms when the opportunity came up and worked in Summer Camp when the time rolled around. What I found was a caring and dedicated staff under the watchful eyes of dedicated administrators within an impenetrable infrastructure. 

The biggest downfall of working at the YMCA was the YMCA itself, their policies and resistance to change and growth. I've been a working ECE for 5 years now and I hate to say that 5 years may be enough for me. 

In spite of my experience and my work history, I found that I had to pay YMCA dues to have my thoughts and feelings heard by my superiors and their superiors. That's a challenge, it's a challenge that puts you in a why bother mindset. 

During my time at the YMCA, I met some truly wonderful people and interacted with children and families who were confident in the skill that I brought to the table. From the organization itself, I found myself categorized and filed away, another staff member that was interchangeable and disposable.

The most enjoyable part of my day was working with the children, knowing that I was making an indelible impression on those boys and girls. Every day was exciting, every day was a challenge. 

I've taken some time to reassess my options but take heed of my words. The YMCA isn't as welcoming as one may think, the people however, the good and decent, always will be.

I would go to work and get everything that I needed for the class room out and ready by the door. When the children left the classroom I would bring everything into the room and quickly set everything up where they go and id have to make sure that I had the child's allergy medication on me and making sure that it was expired. Some days I would help another staff get the snacks out and clean them and cut them up for them. Also we would make sure we had everything for snacks so no one had to leave the rooms to go get what they need. What I learned at the YMCA is making friends and helping the children learn new activates, taking the children outside for an hour to play and to get fresh air and to play games with them. There is nothing hard about the job, everything to me seems easy and fast to learn new things. The most enjoyable thing about working at the YMCA is helping the staff, helping the children, keeping the classroom a safe environment and sanitized. I also liked reading and doing fun activates with the children and doing arts and crafts with them. Helping them learn new things and also myself learn new things as well. The staff and the children and the parents and respectful of each and everyone that is there. I also make sure that the children are playing safe and not climbing or fighting or throwing toys or anything at each other. I also make sure that I keep the backpack of everything I need to know about the children and the first aid back as well.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Early childhood teacher 68 salaries reported	$25.47 per hour
Childcare provider 27 salaries reported	$26.04 per hour
School program staff 7 salaries reported	$21.69 per hour
Educator 76 salaries reported	$24.07 per hour
Intervenant des services à la jeunesse 4 salaries reported	$19.67 per hour

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