care worker

licensed practical nurse

program facilitator

clinical counselor

registered nurse

The Bridge Youth & Family Services


During my time with this organization, I found fulfillment in working directly with participants. Supporting individuals and helping them achieve their goals was both meaningful and rewarding. Many of my colleagues were compassionate, dedicated, and made a genuine difference in the lives of those we served.

However, the internal culture of the agency was deeply concerning. Despite claiming to be a trauma-informed workplace, the management style was often the opposite of supportive or empathetic. There was an overwhelming level of micromanagement and a constant sense of mistrust toward staff. It became clear that nearly every action or statement made by employees was being documented, not for developmental purposes, but rather to be potentially used against them. This created a hostile work environment where staff were left feeling scrutinized and undervalued.

Gaslighting by upper management was also a frequent and damaging issue. Concerns raised by employees were often dismissed, minimized, or twisted in a way that left staff second-guessing their own experiences. Rather than feeling heard or supported, many employees felt isolated and silenced.

While some staff were exemplary in their work with participants, the agency's approach to termination was abrupt and lacked transparency. Employees were often let go with little explanation, reinforcing the message that everyone was easily replaceable, regardless of their contributions. Respect and dignity in the offboarding process were sorely lacking.

If you're someone who prefers a rigid hierarchy where speaking up is discouraged and leadership is largely unapproachable, this may be a fitting environment. But for those who value mutual respect, psychological safety, and authentic support from leadership, this agency may not align with those expectations.

I genuinely valued my time with the participants and some of the peers I worked alongside. Unfortunately, the organizational culture made it increasingly difficult to thrive or even feel safe as an employee.

I initially interviewed for a part time position that wasn't very clear in the online posting. The job description they gave me in the interview was completely different than what I had applied for online. There was no discussion about wage in the interview. They offered me the position within a week and I instead opted to take a casual position. 
I appreciate their flexibility with me because I worked a full time job elsewhere and would cover evening shifts whenever I was finished my primary job. The clients were fantastic, helpful and taught me a lot. A typical shift for me started in the evening at one location where I was available to the clients for counselling and wellness checks. I would do computer work and input costs into a spreadsheet, and could write up notes and observations pertaining to clients. 
I would sanitize common surfaces, and had the option to hang out with clients in common areas or arrange activities or outings, before going to another location where I would stay til shift end. 
At exactly 3 months of working casual, I was terminated without cause. In the last month I was covering shifts for a part time employee, and was asked to sit in on an interview for their replacement. I declined because I had a prior engagement. I never received any positive or negative feedback about my job performance before my termination. I realized after the fact, that I was being taken advantage of and was just filling a space until they could find someone available to fill those shifts permanently. Despite advocating and empowering clients and building rapport, I was not a valued team member, I was just a warm body.

The Bridge is an incredible place to work. The leadership team genuinely cares about staff and consistently goes above and beyond to be supportive and reasonable. They’ve backed many requests I’ve had, and it’s clear they put significant time and resources into staff development, so everyone has access to request funding for individual learning needs. Compensation is highly competitive, offering good wages, overnight and weekend premiums, really great benefits for a non-profit organization, and even access to a pension plan.

Like any workplace, there are sometimes challenging employees, but The Bridge truly embodies its values and maintains a culture of respect and care despite these situations. Overall, the organization is deeply committed to its people, and that commitment shows.


The Bridge doesnt uphold the values it boasts. It treats employees are largely expendable, yet expect them to make substantial personal sacrifice for programing. 

They are not up-front about on-call responsibilities, often minimizing the commitment required  (minimim 15 days/month for nurse on call- which includes coming in to work on short notice). 

The site claims to run a medical facility, but does not provide staff with adequate resources to support their patients. 

The management from the top is toxic and out of touch. Often making unreasonable requests or making impulsive reactive decisions without proper consideration. 

If you are someone who can keep your head down, not ask questions, and do as your told... you might be fine.

Management, especially the higher up executives, seem to have no care for their employees. If you aren't prepared to dedicate your life to your job, do not work here. The expectations are insane, on-call hours are atrocious. There is no overtime pay. There are no true breaks.
Even being in a permanent line means nothing - the management have no regard for your personal life - your shifts will be changed and moved regardless of your life outside of work. You are not asked, and sometimes you are not notified. Their answer? "Check your schedule frequently"

If you want to work somewhere where your home life and mental/physical wellbeing is completely disregarded, this is the place for you. 

This organization is not qualified to offer medical services. Corners are constantly being cut, and patient care is suffering as a result. Employees are treated as expendable and frequently asked to take on additional responsibilities, such as mandatory on-call shifts, that were never part of their original contracts.

Management uses buzzwords like “psychological safety” to appear supportive, but there is little evidence of these values being put into practice. Overall, there’s a lack of accountability, poor communication, and an environment that prioritizes optics over genuine staff or patient well-being.

Terrible place to work. Management is terrible in every way. They don’t support their staff and they’ll fire you at the drop of a hat. No investment in people as individuals, no working collaboratively or appreciation for being held accountable. More of a dictatorship. Upper management is a joke, they’re very unprofessional and act like high school kids in a popular kid click. They’re all constantly in meeting and fail to actually support the front line staff. 

From start to finish, I have nothing but positive things to say about the support for personal & professional growth received while working at The Bridge. It was an organization I was proud to work for; my experience with my colleagues and manager was that of advocacy, listening, learning, and doing the work. It felt like a family of bright, different perspectives - I believe this ultimately leads to better care for participants. 

I have been employed at the Bridge for nearly ten years! As a new grad, I was mentored in my role and had the support to excel. Over the years, the organization has continued to invest in my learning and development as a clinician and I have gained confidence in my skills and abilities. I have been able to advance in my career within the Bridge and take on new positions that have been engaging and challenging. I am fulfilled each day come to work and I couldn't recommend this employer more. 

The Bridge was one of the highest paying jobs I have ever had, which is why I stayed so long. My co-workers were overall excellent, however the work is heavy due to the nature of the field and there is a major lack of support for staffs mental health/safety and support from management. This would be a much safer job if there was security on site. 

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Care worker 29 salaries reported	$27.00 per hour
Licensed practical nurse 6 salaries reported	$37.53 per hour
Program facilitator 17 salaries reported	$35.52 per hour
Clinical counselor 3 salaries reported	$43.39 per hour
Registered nurse 16 salaries reported	$47.47 per hour

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