support worker

residence manager

outreach worker

parent educator

childcare provider

Growing Up Hope Society

A company doing simply great things in the community for youth.  This is not an easy job- the safety and care of society's most vulnerable youth will never be that - but it is challenging, the pay scale is above many others in the same market and pay increases are fair and often come unasked for, simply because of company policy.   This company takes its work seriously - I see some other reviews here and I understand the perspective, a lot of people coming in from similar companies expect their pay to be for sitting on their phones and having no real accountability, we've seen that here a few times and those people have ended up leaving unhappy when they realize that they are going to be expected to engage, to participate, and to genuinely care about the youth in the houses.  If you are looking to be educated (the training at this company is amazing, they keep their staff up to date, have in house MANDT training - it's fantastic), to grow as a person and as a professional, to get regular feedback from peers and supervisors in a sharing environment, to be held accountable, in a respectful way that encourages growth - this is the place for you.  There is room to grow, with staff promotions from within being the norm, not the exception.  The work hours - flexible is  not the word for it, because there is a need for constant care and supervision with youth, but you are given the opportunity to define your availability, schedules are built within that availability, and time off can be booked with no problems, as long as it is done in advance so that the care of youth - which is the paramount concern as it should be - is not compromised.  This, I think, is the biggest difference I see here, as opposed to other places I have worked and heard of from colleagues - the youth are everything.  There are rigourous rules and routine to follow, for sure, but there is room also to do the work in a way that suits your personality.  I think this is the paramount Society to work for in BC, and so many psychologists, doctors, social workers, and youth specialists agree.  If you are passionate about this field, and are a conscientious worker - Do yourself a favour - join us!

In my time at the organization, the environment was nothing short of a nightmare, despite the effort of prioritizing the children’s needs. The management, if it can even be called that, was a disgrace. They exuded an aura of arrogance, rudeness, and impatience that poisoned the entire workplace. It was as if they derived pleasure from belittling and demeaning their employees.

The fact that the Executive Directors, the leaders of the organization, had their own family members working for them only exacerbated the chaos. Instead of fostering a professional and fair work environment, their family ties introduced favoritism, nepotism, and an unhealthy dose of personal drama into every decision.

The toxicity extended beyond the management, infecting the entire staff. There was a palpable sense of hostility and animosity among coworkers, with gossip and backstabbing being the norm rather than the exception. Meetings were not safe spaces for constructive discussion but rather opportunities for staff to eavesdrop and spread confidential information like wildfire.

As for the workload, it was a constant battle against unfair distribution and lack of recognition. I found myself constantly picking up the slack, doing the lion’s share of the work while my coworkers slacked off without repercussions. It was demoralizing to say the least, knowing that my efforts were going unrecognized and unappreciated.

In hindsight, the care provided to the children was merely a facade to mask the dysfunction and toxicity that pervaded every aspect of the organization. Despite my best efforts to make it work, the experience left me disillusioned and disheartened, with no redeeming qualities to speak of.

For the most part the kids served and in protection are good. There are non verbal high needs in a home to be prepared for. The team in whole including Management/CEO are not organized and act very competitive and try to outdue the other at work and by work chat logging. It's a very early in stage company that needs way more growth in this field. There's to many senior staff that are all related to the CEO and abuse situations and speak very rude to the team. There's not a lot of encouragement but rather verbally insult/call out and put down in chat and in person. Senior staff take advantage of their roles due to being related and act not supportive to the team. Management/CEO'S are unapproachable, abrupt and rude most times. Be prepared to be talked down to. A few team members are kind, compassionate and loyal. Be prepared to use your own vehicle in rediculous amounts of km daily and wear and tear on your vehicle. A very low km reimbursement that you log for daily outings and you'll be taxed on it every two weeks with your pay. With your daily gas expenses you'll end up making under minimum pay wage. Bring your own food. You won't be reimbursed for your out of pocket Crim Check until your probation period is over, If you don't quit by then. Very very high turnover!! You'll spend time doing house/yard cleaning daily. The Company could be a good organization to work for with more care and compassion for their employees and still have a long way to go until it's fixed.

The Growing Up Hope Society is an exceptional organization to be a part of. The level of support provided on a daily basis is truly empowering. My colleagues and supervisors are consistently available for debriefings, which I find immensely beneficial. They are receptive to new ideas and acknowledge that they may not always possess the best solutions, as they do not engage directly with families on the ground. In my experience, they demonstrate flexibility in accommodating my schedule and make considerable efforts to address any unforeseen circumstances that arise. While I have observed some gossip among the various teams, this is not uncommon in any workplace; it is essential to exercise discretion regarding whom one converses with. It is important to remember that we are in a professional environment, necessitating the establishment of boundaries, as it is critical not to take work-related issues home. As someone who is relatively new to this career path, I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to work with these families. Outreach is an immensely meaningful endeavor, and I take great pride in collaborating with this outstanding team.

There is no perfect place to work but Growing Up Hope cares for not only the youth but its staff. There are expectations. We work with youth and I would expect nothing less. In every job there is going to be those that have negative to say and generally it’s from those that do the bare minimum and then complain. 
I have had nothing but a  positive experience here. Management not only has the youth as a top priority but they care about their staff. The staff is great to work with and the kids are great. Working in this field we know we are working with higher behavioural needs kids and we are here to make a difference. These kids aren’t always easy but they are worth it. The staff and management are there and provide support every step of the way.  There is flexible hours. Shifts are based upon the staffs availability. Time off requests are rarely declined. This company believes in work life balance. 



This is a smaller agency with a management team that is approachable and available to me when I ask. The work can be hard at times as our youth are learning new skills, but also I have opportunity for fun - nature walks, crafts, cultural events, sports & recreation, and more! Its a small team on the floor at each of the houses but my co-workers are fun to be on shift with and we have lots of autonomy to decide what activities to do in our day (within the schedule). Plus I love that my work week can be condensed to 3 days to maximize my time off.

It can be stressful when a youth is struggling but those moments are small in comparison to the benefits overall. 

I love this place, I have been able to make a major difference in the lives of the families I get to work with in the community. It is nice to see that there is an agency that is working with families to prevent kids from going into care, or working to support parents to learn the skill to be the kind of parent they want to be and get their kids home. I have the ability to use the skills I have learned  in my education and experience, and our management is always available to answer questions, give guidance and they always give credit where credit is due. If I did something well, it is acknowledged publicly, and I feel like I have a voice. Our coordinator is so kind, and the trainings we get are tailored to our work. 

A typical day at work would be driving to go and pick up a kiddo and take them to for a visit with the parents or driving to a families home to support a visit. I learned that all parenting and living environments look so different from one another and therefor you have to go in with a different approach and outlook when supporting each visit. management was super supportive and appreciative of my work. workplace culture was very diverse and positive. The hardest part of the job is setting aside work and home as some days it can be heavy on the heart to see the kiddos wanting to stay with the parents but they have to go back. The most enjoyable part of the job was seeing the families evolve.

Like most of these agencies,  they appear to have the best intentions on paper, but the Policy vs Practice here make genuine connection and development impossible. 

The management ego is a massive hurdle and any outside educated opinions are quickly shot down with a recount of all their "experience".

Of the 4 homes i visited, none looked like a home, kids separated like dogs with plywood gates, poorly trained staff matched with youth that exceed their qualifications. 

"20 years in the biz" and yet  each home is in a high conflict stage at all times.

Skip this spot, find a position that actually allows and promotes development in youth.

Come work here if you want to have anxiety and other mental health issues. Get ready to not get any response from the management if you need any help or support. They treat you like you are a number in their system and not a human being. You are expected to be at work even if you are sick. There no accommodations made for an employee. They do not care about your safety. They don’t even have any health and safety departments in the organization. They will not let go of a single opportunity to put you down. They will ask for as much notice as possible for your vacation time but will deny the day before. Don’t walk, RUN AWAY.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Support worker 4 salaries reported	$24.80 per hour
Residence manager 6 salaries reported	$34.14 per hour
Outreach worker 3 salaries reported	$26.00 per hour
Parent educator 4 salaries reported	$26.00 per hour
Childcare provider 1 salary reported	$20.00 per hour

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