youth worker

support worker

bookkeeper

respite worker

intervenant des services à la jeunesse

Anika Youth Services

Anika Youth Services is an amazing workplace and team to be a part of. You get to work with high risk female youth, so individuals with addictions, mental health issues, behavioral/developmental struggles, trauma, etc. It is the greatest privilege to be invited into these young girls' lives and homes to be a positive support for them. A typical day will really depend on which house you are working in and which youths you are with. Often, you will assist the youths in getting to and from school, appointments with doctors and mental health professionals, as well as other community resources that they are involved with. And you get to do cool recreational activities with them as well, like going shopping, going to rec centers, movies, swimming, animal rescue facilities, and a huge variety of other amazing places that the girls love. Some days are slow and some days are more filled; there is usually a pretty good balance. 
The support team at Anika is fantastic. You never have to feel like you are alone in any situation because you have other residential staff, crisis workers, resource coordinators, youth workers, and supervisory staff that have your back ALL the time and always want to make sure you are safe and happy and not overwhelmed.
Your work-life balance at Anika is exactly that: balanced. As a full time residential support worker, you work two days on, two days off, and every other weekend, so your time is split in half, which is really important in this kind of work. Since the shifts are 24 hours long, you are given full 24 hour days off to recuperate and practice self care and live your own life. It is a real treat having a 3 day weekend every other week as it gives you opportunities to get outside work done or travel or just relax and enjoy yourself!
While you are on shift, the best thing is getting to know the amazing girls who you are supporting. You get to build relationships and be a reliable person to youths who have had some very tough times in their lives. As I mentioned before, it is a major privilege to play this kind of role for them, and they will appreciate and remember you forever for the work you do. It is very heart warming and humbling.
The hardest part of this job is that it has a very specific kind of stress involved in it. These young girls have experienced traumas and neglect and may be deeply immersed in hard drug use. It can be very difficult to separate your own emotions from theirs. Sometimes when they are really struggling, it can be challenging to not take their actions personally, but you CAN do it, and you just have to remember: this work is hard, but there is a reason you are there, and the little accomplishments and bonding moments along the way are worth more than gold! I do not have the poetry of words to even express what it feels like to get a letter from a youth saying "Thank you for always being there for me. You have changed my life and I appreciate you more than I can even say".
The compensation at Anika is great! You get paid per day and also get an allowance for gas. The girls have rec budget that can be used to go out for little treats or meals, which is a fun perk for the staff! And you also get budget for grocery shopping, so your meals are also provided while you are working. The salary is exceptional for the work you do and you have the opportunity for raises every quarter during your performance evaluations. Yay!

I've been in the field of Child and Youth Work for sometime and have had the opportunities to work for various agencies. 

In my experience, most agencies struggle with their management team supporting their staff. I've left quite a few jobs for this reason - it is one of the reasons I left AYS. It can be difficult to find a person to put into a management role that will become a leader for your staff and work alongside them, not micromanage them. While I was at AYS, I had a couple managers that were good but most of them struggled to work with their staff and were not very present. Managers need to listen to their team, gather input from them and suggestions and make them feel valued, not dismissed. Managers are not there to berate their staff, they are there to help them grow and become better professionally and personally. It is never okay to raise your voice at your staff.

AYS was on of the hardest agencies I have worked at with their youth demographic and the way it is run. While the initial impression came off like they cared about their youth, it didn't come to that in the end and they allowed youth to (more or less) run the show as well as staff who weren't consistent in the homes rather than the staff who were there consistently. From what I saw and have heard, AYS is not helping the youth in their care and there are many concerns for the safety of the youth and staff.

AYS does not pay their staff sufficiently for the work they do or their mileage. Many agencies pay a lot more money and will pay you per km versus $10-$15 per day.

You didn't and likely still don't get a lot of downtime (or any) as if they find out a youth is out, they move you to cover at other houses. They appear to not care about their staff which increases the burn out and turnover rate for them. 

AYS has one of the toughest schedules for 24-hour shifts which also leads to a quicker burnout as you aren't having sufficient downtime from work. They could benefit from scheduling full time staff 3 days per week with 4 days off. Otherwise, way too much of your life is spent at work and no one can live that way for long.

I've spoken to many staff who have worked at AYS in the recent years and it appears the same concerns are still present. AYS' management team needs to sit down and come up with a better plan in how they are going to support and care for their staff and youth. Create a better and more therapeutic environment. 

I'm appalled at some of the really negative reviews on AYS because my experience has been really positive...

I've been employed with AYS since June 2018. The staff at AYS have been very supportive and helpful towards me whenever I had anything come up unexpectedly in my personal life. They have been respectful and very understanding towards me, which is difficult to find in most workplaces. In short, AYS has ALWAYS been there for me no matter what. It's because of their continuous loyalty, respect and support that makes me want to come to work everyday and commit to working for them long-term. The kids that reside in the houses are wonderful to work with. Some days are harder than others but if you can indulge in a therapeutic self-care plan, which the company encourages you to take advantage of when you get down time, then things are easily manageable. It's a great place to connect with kids, meet other professionals (Probation officers, Social Workers, Team of professionals that work with the kids and are invested in their well-being, etc.), learn new things, writing ISPs that are unique to each kid, participate in monthly team meetings, and much more! You also get to learn more about yourself as an individual and there is a lot of room for self-growth and professional development, which is amazing. Resource Coordinators and Supervisor are always there to support you and take pride in working alongside with you. I will be forever grateful for AYS and the work they do. The Directors and staff work really hard to promote healthy and successful lifestyles for young girls. 

Pros:

-Good Pay/Benefits
-Flexible/accommodating
-Very Supportive Management.Team
-Well-structured and Organized work environment
-Constant communication between staff (Staff gets cell phone that makes it easy to talk/connect with other team members).
-Great learning experience!
-Respect towards staff

Cons:
-Hours are long but like I said you do get a lot of down-time depending on the day but you are always encouraged and will be supported if you need to take a break or do some self-care.

Honestly, the work we do you have to love. Anika is very relaxed with the boundaries and rules that are set in place for the two youth’s, this leads to the youth’s gradually behaving worse and taking advantage of the staff. When the youth’s do something bad, they literally want you to feed that behaviour because it’s easier then setting rules and boundaries. Management expects staff to drive all over the place picking them up and dropping them off with staffs personal vehicles while only paying 15$ per day for fuel, this can lead to extensive wear and tear on your vehicle for relatively poor pay. They offer 255$ per 24 hour shift and if you do the math = less then minimum wage. Some other programs similar to this pay 380$ per day and also pay you per klm for your drive time. The house supervisor often isn’t available and will pass their duties on to you. If you had spare time during the day they tell you to go work at another house or ask you to run around to do additional errands. I know they get paid a lot
of money per youth, so it’s really just a slap
In the face that we are doing all the hard work but not benefitting from it. A lot of the casual staff do not care about their jobs and it shows, but is also allowed. All in all, I would not recommend as a full time career, burn out is real and from what I can tell with the turn over is management isn’t willing to make the changes that are needed to truly appreciate the work staff is doing 

I will say that management is really kind and open to hearing staff out when they don't feel safe, however for someone like myself and maybe others might not feel safe staying in a home on your own with a  youth  or two who are in their addictions. I found this difficult as it felt very unsafe for me to be there alone especially lots of the youth are known for sneaking in their significant others even though the youth are aware they are not allowed to bring in their partners. On top of that youth often will deny a bag search (which is part of protocol) to ensure youth are not bringing anything from the outside. Overall this job is not for the weak you must have thick skin and must be willing to confront youth in all sorts of situations you must also be willing to drive out to the youths unexpectedly and the youth are super demanding..... but they want to create a safe space for youth to go too which i understand but there is a level where you can create a safe space but also discipline these youth.  I feel the program does not teach these youths to be successful adults in the real world but instead enables alot of their behaviours.  Additionally when I was in my first day of training at one of the houses a staff member didn't really train me properly and then my second shift I was expected to be on my own in a harm reduction house with no prior training. Feel they need to ensure new staff are equipped with the right training to do the harm reduction houses. 

As a long-term employee I would describe AYS as a great workplace in my experience. AYS supports youth with significant challenges and barriers and does so in a very professional, caring and creative way. Many youth return to AYS as alumni and express that they feel grateful for the support and relationships they built with AYS staff during their time there. In addition, the agency is well known for the work they do with the youth and constantly receive praise for how they deliver services. Staff’s learning, advancement, and wellbeing is always taken into consideration in order to encourage success and fulfillment in the job. Management works collaboratively with staff to discuss planning and service delivery.  In-house staff’s feedback is always welcomed and taken into consideration. This line of work is not easy and it takes well-balanced work-life in order to successfully manage shifts. There is a reason for the 2 on 2 off shift work, it is to provide consistency and stability for the youth that live in the houses and allow for relationship building. I’m very saddened to read some of the reviews that do not accurately portray the work that AYS does or how it supports the youth and staff. For anyone who is interested in working at this agency I would recommend to check out their website and review feedback from professionals and CARF who is an external body that provides accreditation for organizations working in the human-services field worldwide. 

AYS provides support and housing to high risk youth. They have a high standard of care and genuinely care about the youth and staff. Everyday is different and there are many houses and programs you can work it to gain experience with different demographics (mental health, behaviors, substance misuse, etc). The barriers the youth have faced are intense which can result in them having strong emotions. So crisis situations can happen but you have the tools to support the youth, supervisors available and debriefing after to support professional development as well as adjusting care plans. Although the youth have and continue to experience very difficult things, they are very funny and resilient. On days they want to engage, we can do almost any activity from swimming, ice skating, crafts, hiking, etc.  It is hard work because you are care giving for the youth, not babysitting. So this means teaching life skills, holding boundaries, having difficult conversations with them and so on. BUT, this is where you feel the real impact of your job because over time when you trust in the process, you start to see the youth stabilize and utilize the skills we helped them learn. 


I have been working with Anika Youth Services for quite some time now. During my time here, I have had the opportunity to work in multiple positions and advanced within the company. This field can have tough days, but the management team is very supportive. When I worked as a Live In Home Support Worker, I had constant support from my Resource Coordinators and Program Supervisors and I was encouraged to attend trainings offered from the company for my own professional development. AYS offers us a free gym pass with Club 16 and we get a wellness benefit every year too which we can use for any health and wellness related items. I have used counselling services within AYS which has made a huge impact on my life. This company has changed my life and career trajectory and AYS will always be a part of my life. I love working here and suggest this company to anyone who's wanting to support youth in care and gain experience in the mental health field. 

One of the main issues I’ve encountered is the lack of empathy and the passive-aggressive communication within the management and staff. This has created an environment that feels less supportive and more transactional, where concerns are dismissed or met with defensiveness, rather than constructive feedback or understanding. When staff members, including myself, vocalize concerns—whether related to workload, safety, or general well-being—it often results in a lecture about following instructions, rather than addressing the issues directly.
Moreover, I’ve noticed that staff are frequently put in situations that feel unsafe or unmanageable, which only adds to the stress. There seems to be little to no acknowledgment of the physical and emotional toll the job takes, and as a result, a number of employees have left, which makes it difficult to maintain morale or consistency within the team. It’s become clear that the company is struggling to retain staff, and this ongoing turnover only further contributes to a lack of stability and support. A lot of staff members have quit and I think the company needs to reflect on why that may be.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Youth worker 23 salaries reported	$27.54 per hour
Support worker 6 salaries reported	$28.82 per hour
Bookkeeper 3 salaries reported	$26.12 per hour
Respite worker 1 salary reported	$24.56 per hour
Intervenant des services à la jeunesse 2 salaries reported	$26.74 per hour

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