support coordinator

direct support worker

driver

service coordinator

recreation therapist

Winnifred Stewart Association

This review is for DAY PROGRAM, though it may also be useful for those looking to work in the home side of things.

One big pro of working here is that you dont have to worry about your job security or hours once you are in. Pay gets sorted out quickly when you join, and you get lots of paid training. 

Cons

1. You may find there are few staff who have stayed who were hired AFTER the wage freeze in 2016. People who have been here a long time are making a better wage, and will likely have an easier workload than you too.

2. High turnover - constantly varying degrees of short staffed. This impacts you and your clients - 3+ clients to one staff, outings cancelled. 

3. No "true" breaks. You eat lunch in the lunchroom with your clients (phone usage frowned upon) and normally wont get a 15, even if you work 7.5 hours. If you "need" your 15 you find coverage, which can be a challenge in itself (See 1 & 2). Not sure how this is allowed per labour standards. 

4. If FT, you wont get benefits for half a year. 

5. The actual work isn't for everyone. You are caring for and supporting people with a developmental disability, for an employer who has a huge tolerance for high behaviors. You will have clients who make you uncomfortable, who will hit others and yourself, are very manipulative and have high behaviours, some to the point other clients paying to be there are negatively impacted and staff are getting burnt out. To no consequence to them, since it's a part of the disability they live with. You, however, will have to do extra documenting and possibly additional training to support them. You will later find out some of these clients have been here and doing whatever thing for years and years with minimal change.

6. The pay system requires you to punch in and out from your smartphone with location enabled. 

7. Working in this field you will be working with clients whose homes have issues with bedbugs and cockroaches, and not a whole lot can be done about it. Consider it an occupational hazard if you will. Though one that wont be compensated if you bring these pests home.

Advice: 

You need a LOT of patience and a huge tolerance for what others would consider unpleasant: loud sounds, smells, rudeness, strange conversations, clients being sent to program sick (Guess whos job it will be to clean up the vomit or diarrhea?), things being thrown- possibly at you. You wont have an easy time if you are sensitive.

A typical day of work consists of 20 to 100 stops collecting donations from private and commercial donors all over Edmonton and surrounding towns.
I respected some of the management but not all because of their lack of respect for drivers who have to work in unsafe constantly breaking down trucks, which probably shouldn't be on the road.
Some management also lack insufficient knowledge or the ambition to give drivers a proper organized address list which in the long run if executed perfectly would cut the costs of collecting donations.  
They rely on drivers to figure it out for themselves with a third party GPS system and outdated phones that constantly break down. Also their are too many managers in the Empties too Winn office for a small fleet of 5 vehicles. 
The right operations manager could handle residential and commercial donation pick ups and make it more efficient with proper follow ups with donors. A lot of times trips are made to residents and businesses where there are no donations to be had and a simple phone call would be less costly then a driver going there.
Other than that, they do their best with what they have to raise funds for a worth while Charity. Some of the management was great to work with as well as the long term drivers who are really great hard working people who care a lot about the charity. 

I worked at Winnifred Stewart and have seen firsthand how the leadership team fosters a toxic work environment. High turnover is a major issue, as many talented and hardworking employees are either pushed out or leave due to poor management. Instead of fostering a positive workplace, leadership seems to single out certain employees, creating an unhealthy and unsupportive culture.

There is a clear pattern of favoritism, lack of accountability, and poor communication from upper management. Instead of empowering staff, leadership tends to undermine those who are skilled, ambitious, or bring fresh ideas. Many employees who genuinely care about the organization’s mission find themselves demoralized and undervalued.

Professionalism is lacking at the top. The work culture should be built on respect, teamwork, and mutual support, but insecurity and personal biases seem to influence decisions. This does not create a stable or successful workplace.

If you’re considering working here, be prepared for a challenging environment. The mission of the organization is meaningful, but the current leadership makes it difficult for employees to thrive. Until significant changes are made at the top, I would advise caution before joining.

Welcoming clients,taking their hats,coats & mittens off & hanging them,securing their lunches,reading their communication books, offering them tea, toileting them,carrying out various activities ,assisting clients with lunch,writing in the communication book,wearing warm clothing, helping them to depart with all their staff, documenting electronically and reporting.
Learned that it is important to give clients endependence of making their own choices.
Management-supervisors had conflicting ideas on issues related to clients.
Co-workers had a high degree of team spirit.
Being given clients with different needs for the day e.g.one may want to stay indoors and need close supervision while the other one wants to go out when the worker is instructed not to go out was hard.
Assisting clients to achieve their goals was the most enjoyable part.

The Hours are great, but the pay does not reflect the work that is put into it. I was also told that the annual rate was frozen. Also, it seems to be hard to advance in this type of organization. This position doesn't even require a degree so if you are looking for work with a degree you might want to look elsewhere. Lots of staff work there too, so it is hard to know everyone's names and who they are. Days are honestly not set in stone. The schedule could change on you last minute and you wouldn't even notice or be told until you check it. Overall, their intentions are good as an organization and their purpose, but the nature of the job is tough when they have so many individuals and little staff to do the work.

Winnifred is a company that you can enjoy and also get some disappointment in the past. But now the CEO is changed and she came with a very good strategy, 
1. she did changes in the administrative part and the changes peace of mind to the workers.   
2. Workers have learned the actual freedom in the place of work and has created confidence in the life of employees. 
3 Work has now become an enjoyable place and the hardest part has become easy because of the spirit working as coworkers.

The company has guided into a new direction and has become less about the original structure and ideology of its founding mother and more about money. Sadly this organization no longer holds to its original cause or mission statement. That said once the new direction is comfortably in place perhaps it will settle into becoming a new and energized environment. Until then the bumps will continue to create a great deal of discord amongst staff and the consistent changes in management and CEO structure will continue to make employees feel unstable, under valued , unheard and over worked. 


I have worked for Winnifred for almost 3 years in residential services and have been made to feel very welcome whichever house I work at. Winnifred is my work family and it really does feel like a big family. Great co-workers who have a passion for serving people with disabilities. I can talk to my supervisor about anything without feeling uncomfortable and they care. The CEO has really turned this company around from where it was a few years ago.

Tons of QUALITY in-house (paid) training, you will gain so much different types of training and experience.

Lots of hours to pick up and wonderful people to work with and for.

You know you have found a gem when over 50% of the folks you talk to about the job, have been there for 10 years, plus.

Relaxed, fun and spontaneous environment. 

I wish I had found this job 15 years ago.

Winnifred Stewart is a great place to work. Reason be you can express yourself without  fair. They listens to you and accept Negative are positive feedback.  They let I feel appropriated. Everywhere has ups and down but you can overcome the obstacles. I would recommend anyone to seek employment if you have the skills for day program.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Support coordinator 3 salaries reported	$18.01 per hour
Direct support worker 4 salaries reported	$18.04 per hour
Driver 1 salary reported	$18.00 per hour
Service coordinator 3 salaries reported	$22.74 per hour
Recreation therapist 1 salary reported	$18.00 per hour

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