support worker

disability support worker

specialist

mental health technician

home manager

Supported Lifestyles Ltd.

A typical day at work was in a residential setting in a group home. We would sit with the three girls and usually watch a movie, go for a walk to the park, or some type of community activity. At lunch time we would eat together and then do a counselling session between the girls to talk about any concerns/comments they had regarding the house. Family visits usually happened at night time where the girls would either bring their family over for a supervised visit, or they would go their and a social worker would go with them to monitor the home visit.

I learned a lot at this job. I found working with the victims of the situation was a lot harder for me than working with the offenders. I also learned a lot about how much impact something happening at such a young age can really affect the child for the rest of their life.

Management at this workplace I felt were never really around. They worked in head office and never stopped by the homes to check on the children or the staff members.

The coworkers were amazing at Supported Lifestyles. All the girls working in the home with me ended up becoming very good friends of mine. We were a very supportive, happy team and we always tried to support each other in our decisions. It was a wonderful place to work.

The hardest part of my job was hearing all that these innocent children had had done to them at such a young age. Also, some parents never were able to change and overcome the obstacles that would help them get their children back. It was very hard to see that some children we'd had in our custody from aged 1 right up until 18 years old. When they become teens it's incredibly tough to see that they are still with us, and in their minds all they can think is that their parents no longer want them.

The most enjoyable part of my job was when a child was "allowed" to finally go home to their parents. It was amazing to see how much some of the parents worked and changed their lives around to get their children back in to their custody. It was very rewarding for us as staff because we felt we had kept them safe, and now were sending them back to live a healthier, happier life.

While working at supported lifestyles, one may initially feel like they are part of a team. However, over time (at least in the office) this dissipates. You are told to watch out for certain staff as they cannot be trusted and to be careful what you say to people. While management likes to boast that they aim to support and be inclusive, it is not an inclusive work environment if you display any form of individuality. 

There is a high turn over for both frontline and office staff, while at the same time there are people who have worked at the company for decades. As a result it’s very clique. There is a lot of office drama that occurs. Certain services areas have a mean girls mentality towards other areas. 

Staff are overworked and are often doing work that is outside of their scope or for other service areas. You find yourself in a position where if no one from the respective department does what you need then you have to do their job. But then you get reprimanded for this from both sides but your supervisor will tell you, you did the right thing in private? Does that make any sense to you? 

Supported Lifestyles likes to boast that they treat their employees great but that is far from it. They are aware that there is high turnover and they don’t do anything to improve that problem. Frontline staff have to sometimes endure traumatic events and are not supported in the aftermath the same goes for some of the office level staff. 

Supported Lifestyles is a great place to get started if you are fresh out of university or are at a transition phase in your mental health career. However, if you are ambitious and have long term career goals, I would advise to not remain at this company. Office wise, they only promote people who fit their mould and those are the clique people you are cautioned by others to be careful what you say around them. I am not exaggerating when I say this company has a reputation in this field for not being a good place to work. Most staff stay because they enjoy the team they work with or the clients they support. 


I worked at Supported Lifestyles in Calgary and appreciate the opportunity to contribute to the important work they do supporting individuals with disabilities. The role gave me exposure to meaningful work and the chance to build relationships with both clients and coworkers who truly care.

That said, I faced some real challenges during my time here. There were recurring issues with communication, staff turnover, and support from leadership that made it difficult to feel secure or valued in my position. In many situations, the workload became overwhelming, and it felt like frontline staff were left to manage without the backing we needed.

I believe this organization has a lot of potential, especially given its mission. My hope is that leadership will take more time to listen to the concerns of employees, offer more support for mental health and work-life balance, and invest in stronger training and consistent management practices.

I’m sharing this with the intent to be constructive. There are good people here doing important work, but the internal culture and structure need attention for that work to be sustainable.

This company is run horribly! The houses with the exception of Kidz Hotel was run by people who are lazy and don’t even provide proper healthy meals. All of the food is frozen pre-made meals like pizza and chicken fingers. There are no fresh vegetables or fruits and rarely a homemade meal is prepared. All of the staff I worked with spent their entire shift on their phones or gaming consoles. They rarely went out for walks, excursions or anything that would promote life skills. There was literally NO sensory activities or toys/games available. I used to have to use the kitchen sink to provide water play with the kiddos. I would bring in my own sensory toys, games and activities for the kids to enjoy. The staff were just happy to leave them on their electronic devices. The homes were filthy I would spend my first part of my shift cleaning and doing laundry before I could even interact with the clients. It was the MOST dark and dismal place I’ve worked at. If you love children this is NOT the place to work! 



There are many excellent employees here who are passionate about the work they do. Unfortunately everyone is very underpaid, including the front line staff. Turnover is very high the lower down the totem pole you go. Benefits are also quite poor and they deduct from your salary to cover the premiums.

Workplace culture is very outdated management is generally highly resistant to any type of suggestions for improvement. Either keep your head down and do as you're told, or get ready to fight for every little thing. 

Great place when you're start out and chasing experience, just make sure you go in with eyes wide open. 

Supported is a great place to work at. The management is supportive with scheduling changes and transitioning from one role to the next. It is very easy to move up if you are willing and meet the qualifications. Coworkers are supportive (of course there are some who aren’t always on board). But the majority of coworkers are team players. The con is that when you have a complaint regarding changes that management needs to make, it can take a while before office level management gets to it. The pay could be better compared to the risk involved in the positions. Benefits are good. Various shifts to choose from. Opportunity for overtime is available. Overall, it is a good place to work. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The best part is giving care to the client's  and getting to know their needs. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
They don't care about you. And no benefit working with them can be so stressful because anything can happen to you by the client but yet they don't have any insurance benefits. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Mix cultures, all races are welcome,  but you will never get and opportunity to be a supervisor or management due to how it pure immigrants.  The changes are very thin.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
It can be stressful and it can be easy going depends on the clients behavior

At work am able to support my clients in a respectful  and secured manner in attending to their daily need.
I have learnt to enjoy and participate fully in supporting my clients in their set out routine that promotes their daily  living.
The Management is wonderful being client orientated taking care of the health and safety of both clients and staff.
My co-workers are good team players, helping each other to achieve and reach the goal  of the client and company.
The hardest part of the job is having to miss a day not being there to support my clients.
The enjoyable part of my job is to see my clients smiling and fulfilled at the end of each day.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Employees friendly , great working environment and opportunity for career advancement 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Sometimes your coworkers can make your life miserable 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Multi cultural and inclusive and you will be able to understand the difference 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Working to foster create more sustainable working environments for both employees and individuals with disabilities

What is the best part of working at the company?
Helping individuals live life in full is very fulfilling. At Supportedlifestyles management makes it easier and encouraging by listening to both staff and clients.
Live this company

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Nothing as stressful as the support of staff and management 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very friendly. Each staff is empowered to lead and encouraged to grow 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Take clients out, have lunch, cook dinner, and support client in personal hygiene

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Support worker 5 salaries reported	$21.47 per hour
Disability support worker 4 salaries reported	$19.50 per hour
Specialist 5 salaries reported	$22.65 per hour
Mental health technician 4 salaries reported	$24.55 per hour
Home manager 4 salaries reported	$23.65 per hour

Working at Supported Lifestyles Ltd.: company overview and reviews

Supported Lifestyles Ltd.

Supported Lifestyles Ltd. ratings

Popular jobs at Supported Lifestyles Ltd.

Salary satisfaction

Job seeker tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected