support worker

community health worker

residential manager

scheduler

recruitment manager

Abilities Community Services

Abilities Community Services is one of the most unpleasant workplaces in the Community Support field. The management cares deeply about the participants that attend the Craigflower day program, but they're overworked and stressed out most of the time. The CEO of the company is aloof and hard to communicate with. The company has no Human Resources Department nor a Shop steward. Without a Shop Steward, the employees must advocate for themselves if they need to air grievances. The training is all over the place to the point where you might get a few days' worths, then you'll have to figure things out on your own. Managers can be cold and unapproachable, but if you become a company favourite, they'll worship the ground you walk. Unfortunately, if management dislikes you, they'll make it known by making off-handed remarks or spreading vicious rumours and gossip. The participants are exceptionally challenging (90 % are nonverbal), with complex behaviours, and the staff burnout rate is high. The participants are known to escalate frequently, i.e. spitting, hitting, grabbing, yelling, screaming, bolting, etc. Be prepared to be on your toes while dealing with specific participants. Lastly, the turnover rate at this company is very high due to struggling employee retention brought upon by management that views company morale as the sole responsibility of the employees. 

A typical day at work... super long shifts, which feel even longer because you are working alone with aggressive clients.

What do I believe I have learned.... my mental and physical health are more important than a pay check.

Management... is horrible!!! They are not there to support staff!!! No one answers when you call for support is a crisis situation, putting staff and clients in unsafe work environments. You won't get paid the correct amount or on time.

Workplace culture.... other staff are wonderful people but have been abused by this company to the point of burn out.

The hardest part of this job.... showing up everyday knowing you are going to be physical and mentally abused by clients with no support from management.

The most enjoyable part of the job... the friendships you will form with other staff as you bond over the trauma you will receive in this job.

This is by far the very worst place I have ever worked in my life! The management is nothing short of useless! They do not support their employees in an appropriate safe manner, nor do they give you any room to heal from the aggressive, abusive nature of the clients that you support here! As well, some of the staff are totally inappropriate and have an inability to actually train you with the people you’re supporting as they themselves clearly don’t understand what what the human rights are as well. In my very short time working for this company, I can tell you it actually left me not wanting to support people with divers abilities any further. And that was solely based on the management! Had they actually had appropriate safe measures in place and actually cared  about their employees they would not have the gross overturn that they do! 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The clients were without a doubt the best part of this employment. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Being attacked by management,  not being paid on time, and indecisive management/owners

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The houses are ok, but the owner and mangers created a toxic work environment for everyone.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Making breakfast for my clients, administering medication, connecting with client , going to appointments,  cook lunch and then a while later cook dinner and thoroughly clean the whole house daily before the end of your shift

You don’t get the support you need and if you need mental health day management will still make you come in if they can’t cover your shift. Some of the clients are amazing and some are very challenging. Shifts are very long with little to no break you have tasks of breakfast meds and getting them cleaned then when they are done is lunch time then outings then home clean make dinner the chores again. It can be stressful especially if clients are having episodes of behavioural issues. Be prepared to have zero support from other staff members and management in some of the houses. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
Everyone’s main goal is the clients success. Everyone is friendly and the team environment is great!

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Working with behavioural clients is always going to be a challenge. But there is lots of support for the staff for this. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Friendly, empathetic, and understanding

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Supporting clients in what they want to do for that day

It’s a very tough situation you’ll be placed in where you’ll want to support your clients but the management has no desire to support you. Be prepared for: not being paid properly or on time, working alone with no support, injuries, unsanitary conditions, irate management & ZERO acknowledgment of their mistakes. You will fall in love with the clients and that’ll be the reason you stay but you will be drained and depleted of your mental health by the time you inevitably walk out the doors. 

Avoid this company at all costs. Management is incredibly immature and disorganized. Overall the company is embarrassingly behind in up-to-date education and training for supporting vulnerable people with disabilities. Complete lack of communication from upper management, and it was a regular occurrence to be ignored by management on multiple requests. No team building or unity. Management likes to bite off more than they can chew and the staff and clients are the ones that suffer the most from those decisions. 

I worked there for over a year and I enjoyed the clients and why I was so excited to be there but once you arrive - it's clear the management has NO experience or empathy for diverse folks. In fact, it's a huge issue. Good luck trying to get any sick time, and our well earned benefits on time. When you bring up an issue, they discredit it. When you need support, they punish you. There is so much staff turnover they will put your team members responsibilities on you as well. 

The staff at abilities have no more heart they have been there too long and don't care some of the clients are great and never get what they need other clients are aggressive and get more than others. They have no community inclusion and no management or skills in that field . Sad to see that there are companies like this still out there.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Support worker 17 salaries reported	$27.95 per hour
Community health worker 2 salaries reported	$27.38 per hour
Residential manager 1 salary reported	$82,000 per year
Scheduler 1 salary reported	$79,040 per year
Recruitment manager 1 salary reported	$66,650 per year

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